Deciding that you want to go back to school is only the first of many necessary decisions you will make. The next decisions will include what type of degree you want to achieve, what you want to study, and what career you would like to work your way up to. Once you know what you want to study, you have to make the choice between a full time course load and a part time course load.
Not everyone is well suited to part time studies, but it could be the best option for you. Read through this list and see if any of these statements apply to you:

1. You work full time and cannot miss days or leave early for classes.

If you are already working full time and cannot take a lot of time off, then you will be forced into studying part time in most cases. Even if you are going to school for an MBA or other degree that will increase your performance on the job, if your boss is not willing to give you extra time to attend classes and get your studies done, you will have to go to school part time so you can keep up with everything successfully.

2. You have a lot of responsibility at home with children and family.

The same goes with taking care of your family. If you need to work for your family and be home at certain times to take care of children, it will be incredibly difficult to go to school with a full time course load. It will be much easier to be there for your family and get through this phase of your education if you settle for a part time course load.

3. You would prefer to be in school longer over time than to be in school long days in the near future.

Some people like the idea of going slow with their education. They want to fully immerse themselves in what they are learning, and they do not want to feel as if they are rushing through this phase of their life. If this applies to you then, a part time studies may be ideal.

4. You are not entirely sure what you want to do with your career, and need some time to think it through.

The beauty of a part time course load is that you have more time to spend on your introductory coursework. In some educational environments, this means you could change your mind after a couple semesters or quarters. This allows you more time to think through what you want to do with your career in the future.

If you relate to one or more of those statements, then chances are you would be best fit to a part time course load. This means you take only one or two courses at a time, rather than taking three, four, or more classes at a time. You spend less time in the classroom and your work load out of the classroom is much lighter than it would be with a full time course load.