Pros/Cons of Part-Time Sutdy

[udf65]

Is anyone else considering going back to school part-time and keeping their current job? Are there others out there considering the same?

I'm wondering what people see as the pros and cons of this arrangement. Here's how I see it:

The Good:

Steady Income. This is a big one for me.

Employer tuition assistance. Some are more generous than others, but this can also be a huge help.

The Bad:

Hectic schedule. 40+ hrs of work plus two classes a week can get tiring.

Longer time to complete degree.

Not eligible for many fellowships/assistantships.

Lose out on some of the "community" feel of a grad school school environment.

Can only attend schools in a reasonable commuting distance from work. For me, that means only DC schools.

Does anyone see any others? Are there certain schools (for me, I'm in the DC area) that are better than others for a part-time MPP?

[publicpolicy79]

I did mine part-time at American. It actually worked out really well for me. Most people who go there work at least 30 hours a week. I can't think of anyone who didn't work at least part-time. Most of the classes are in the evening so it makes it easier to accomodate. And while yes, working full-time and going to class and doing the work and reading is a lot, I still found an awful lot of time to play.

I think you'll find that most of the DC schools have a lot of part-time, working students. As such, you kinda form your own "graduate community".