Ask HN: Difficulties with Going Back to School

I'm 32, no degree, been working in software development for the last 8 years, and I want to go back to school for mechanical/electrical engineering.

The problem is, I can't find a way to make it work. To really commit to it I'd have to do it in person and it would be hard to balance with a full time job and I would need to work to just pay for life. Otherwise, I could take an online only degree which would allow me to work but I know that bench time is really important. I'm not sure how it would work with a fully online degree.

There's also the costs. I'm having trouble finding programs under 80k, and coming out of it I would be starting at the bottom of the ladder not making as much. I do have an option to attend at my country of birth, in Eastern Europe, for much cheaper but I don't think it's easy to transfer that outside of the EU.

I just don't know how to make it work, if I can. I would at least like to have a degree of some sort, even if it's computer science (easier online) but it's still an expensive one. I don't have anyone that can really give me great advice on this so I would appreciate any advice from you all.

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43452945

Points: 14

# Comments: 20

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43452945