george@sgi.com (08/01/90)
I would like to hear opinions & experiences of going to graduate school on a full-time vs. part-time basis. I have heard that it is very difficult to pursue a graduate degree while holding a full-time job, which is what I am considering. If anyone has specific experience with Stanford's Master Degree program in Engineering Management I would appreciate input on that too. -george
siegman@sierra.STANFORD.EDU (siegman) (08/01/90)
In article <11194@odin.corp.sgi.com> george@sgi.com writes: >I would like to hear opinions & experiences of going to graduate >school on a full-time vs. part-time basis. I have heard that it >is very difficult to pursue a graduate degree while holding a full-time >job. I'd suggest that if you are moving _up_ from previously pure student status (especially purely undergrad), with little or no previous experience in industry, then a co-op program (where you work part time, go to school part time) can be good, both in giving you motivation and experience and also income (assuming the job you will have is interesting and stimulating in and of itself). I don't say this is necessarily better or worse than full-time study toward the same degree goal (usually an MS degree), just that it is at least one good way to do things. If on the other hand you are moving _back_ from some years of full-time industrial experience to return to school -- and especially if you have acquired responsibilities like a spouse, children, or significant job responsibilities -- then returning to school on a part time basis can be rather hard (and really hard if what you really mean is work full time, study in your "spare" time). Even promises of a reduced load at work while you're taking courses can be risky -- the promise may hold only until the first crisis comes up at work, and you're suddenly needed to help put out the fire. Having to do work-related travel during the academic semester is also a real problem -- it's very easy to get behind, and much harder to catch up. A pure economic analysis says, if the added study will raise your salary, then get it over with as rapidly as possible, and start drawing the benefits. A disadvantage of coop or part time study is less contact -- possibly much less -- with fellow students, which can be a sizable part of the learning experience. Finally, if you are returning to school after some period in industry, you'll find that you're ahead in having familiarity with the practical jargon of that field -- if someone says "loading down the input to the preamp" you'll know what they mean -- and you'll have more feel for practical numbers. But don't underestimate that, in a sense, you will have gotten "out of shape" academically: you probably haven't been doing analytical problem sets on a regular basis, and the curriculum has probably evolved, so that the prerequisite courses you took 5 years ago and think you know aren't quite the same as the way the same courses are taught now. In any event, good luck! You'll enjoy it. [P.S. Though I'm at Stanford I can't tell you much about the program you asked about, except of course, if it's at Stanford it MUST be good.]