This is the problem for me. I’ve been trying for years to find a way to go back to school, but I just don’t see how I can pay the ridiculous tuition + fees + rent + bills + every other necessity without working full time. And even then, I have a feeling I wouldn’t be able to complete a degree in the “usual” amount of time, which means if I did go back, I’d likely just end up old and competing with much fresher and probably much smarter people for a much lower salary. A friend straight up told me the other day the only reason they believed me and [another developer] could afford to live here is because we worked in software.
I was putting some savings together to try anyway, because the alternatives are status-quo or worse, but I’ve hemorrhaged a lot of those savings due to some emergencies + just being unemployed.
The usual approach is to attend school part time or online on nights and weekends while staying in your current job. If you only take one or two courses at a time this isn't a huge financial burden, especially if you can do some of it through a community college.
Yes, this is difficult and time consuming. It will require sacrificing other aspects of your life for several years. But many people find a way to make it work.
I was putting some savings together to try anyway, because the alternatives are status-quo or worse, but I’ve hemorrhaged a lot of those savings due to some emergencies + just being unemployed.