It depends on the sort of person you are. Me personally, I don’t think I could hack it. Right now I’m working 3/5 time and going to uni half time. I have no social life, but that’s unrelated. I have free time and that’s the way I like it. I need time to do pointless and unproductive stuff to unwind. I’ve always been terrible at forcing myself to do things I should, like studying. If you have the self discipline to make it work, and can cope with the sacrifices then go for it, but think it out carefully first, and remember that you’ll be stuck with it for quite a while once you start.
Similar to what others have said, the key to answering this question is knowing what kind of person you are. Do you do well under pressure? Does overloading stress you out, or do you see it as a challenge?
When I was getting my Master’s degree, I had a semester where I was taking enough classes to qualify as a time-and-a-halfer, and I was working probably around 40 hrs a week. It was hard, but I like hard, and I love meeting challenges. So for me, it was a good thing.
Now that I teach college classes, I have a slightly different perspective on the whole issue. One piece of advice: if you overload on work and classes, don’t use it as an excuse to your teachers. Every damn semester I have AT LEAST one student try to weasel out of assignments by using the excuse “I’m so busy! I’m working full-time! I have a family to support! I can’t get this paper done! Blah blah blah!” Come on, guys. If you take on more than you can handle, that’s your problem. Don’t expect your teachers to give you some special written dispensation (don’t get me wrong–I do help out those students who have emergencies arise).
Said weaselly students always get peeved if I don’t say what they want to hear, which is something along the lines of “Oh, how terrible for you! Why don’t I just cut your workload in half and do away with all deadlines, just for you, because you are obviously some god-like being who is above the rules that the rest of us mortals must abide by?”
Not. Bloody. Likely.
I’m doing this right now.
Not only am I a full-time student, I’m also editor at my college newspaper, one of the largest in the country. My grades are in shambles and I rarely see my friends that I don’t work with. I work 50 hours a week and the job isn’t easy. And I’m poor… very, very poor.
Last week I had to go to class, manage election coverage and then the next day turn around and go to D.C. for a conference, all while getting together internship applications.
And I loved it. Probably because I love my job and my professors are very, very understanding of my plight. Since I’m the big cheeze, I don’t think it’s proper to date anyone and don’t have time to meet people outside of work. No bother though. The experience I’m getting is going to pay off big time in a few years.
At this point in my life, I can afford to throw away a year like this. It’s a sound investment.
I have a full-time job, plus I’m taking a graduate course in a 500-level engineering class. I’m also married, have 2 young children, a home & yard, broken cars, etc. This adds up to very little time for socializing.