Should I Quit My Job to Focus on School? What you need to know

Should I Quit My Job to Focus on School? Like many new college students, you may be questioning whether or not you should quit your job to focus on school and earn the degree you’ve always wanted.

While this decision will ultimately be up to you, there are some things to consider when making the choice.

If you decide that dropping out of work is right for you, use these tips to make the transition as smooth as possible and to avoid burning bridges along the way.

The benefits of quitting your job

There are many benefits to quitting your job. You will be able to focus more of your time and energy on school without the stress that may come with a full-time job.

Your progress will be faster because you will have less distractions. This can be helpful for those who don’t always have time during the day to work on school work.

You’ll also have more opportunity for things like internships and research positions which can give you experience in your desired field while still in school, or build connections that could help find employment later down the line.

Finally, it could open up other opportunities as well, such as allowing you to spend more time with friends and family or exploring new hobbies that aren’t related to your academic studies but can provide a form of recreation and balance in life.

The obstacles of quitting your job

When you quit your job, the money you once made will be gone. And depending on how much time you spend in class, this may not make up for the difference in income.

If you have other means of income like a pension or work from home job, quitting your job may be doable.

However, if you rely solely on your paycheck and are struggling financially, then quitting may not be for you until your finances improve.

Deciding between staying at your job or quitting your job

Deciding between your job and school is a difficult decision. But ultimately, the choice is up to you.

When deciding whether or not to quit your job in order to focus on school, think about these questions: do you need the income from your job? What are the benefits of staying at your current job? Is quitting worth sacrificing stability and knowing that the skills you’re learning at school will get you where you want go in life? Could pursuing an alternative career path fulfill both desires for education and work commitments? If you answer yes to all of these questions, then it might be a good idea for you to pursue quitting. Remember though, this can be a complicated decision.

Figure out what’s best for yourself as well as what makes sense financially.

Examples of people who have made this choice in the past

I work an hour from campus and spend about five hours at my full-time job, so time has been a little bit of an issue. But it’s always been worth it because I’ve been able to excel in both.

Plus, the whole work experience is fantastic: learning new things, working with different people, trying your hand at tasks that might not otherwise be available if you were just studying. Don’t get me wrong there are times when I want nothing more than to just curl up and read books for hours on end but ultimately, this is a great balance for me personally and one that I’m happy with right now.

Still thinking about quitting my job to focus solely on school, but we’ll see how the next two weeks go!

Additional tips to help you make this decision

The decision to leave your job might not be an easy one, but it could be a life-changing decision that’ll take you from everyday working Joe to successful entrepreneur. To help you make this difficult decision, consider the following:

Will this gap in your employment history negatively affect your ability to find a new job or negotiate a salary if you decide that college isn’t for you after all?
How much time do you have before starting school next semester and will leaving right now allow you enough time to land another gig before then?
Can your current employer accommodate your schedule so that you can go back part-time during the semester and only work full-time during breaks?

Conclusion

To be frank, yes. At this point in your life, the most important thing you can do is give yourself the best possible opportunity to succeed at all of your endeavors.

The average cost of education exceeds $100,000 dollars (depending on your major), which makes it imperative that you start saving now if you are serious about attending school. Not only will quitting your job and focusing solely on your studies put you in a better position for success by minimizing distractions, but it also gives you ample time to work hard and maintain a stable part-time job with flexible hours.

If obtaining a degree is something that interests you or has been something that has brought fulfillment into your life, then yes, quitting your job and putting everything into pursuing an education would be wise.