How to Quit Your Job and Go Back to School

Plan ahead if you're ready to quit your job and go back to school.

Changing careers can be daunting for anyone who has been in the same profession for several years. Maybe you have had several jobs over the years and just want a change of pace. Whatever your situation, know that there is assistance to help you find a job in the field that you enjoy by going back to school. Planning is the key when you are in the process of returning to school. Detailed organization is necessary to ensure a smooth transition from the world of work to the world of studying.

Instructions

1. Save enough money to live on for a few months while you make the transition of going back to school. This should be enough to pay your usual living expenses and allow for unforeseen emergencies. Pay down as much debt as possible before you return to school. This will eliminate monthly payments, and you will have more payments in the future if you decide to take out student loans.

2. Search for scholarships and grants for which you may be eligible. Check with your college or school of choice to see what financial aid it offers. Have a meeting with the school's financial aid adviser to help determine what assistance you may be eligible for.

   Look online at websites such as Scholarships.com, or Fast web, or at the College Board's scholarship search page. You can search by factors that are relevant to you such as where you are in your career as a student and the major you want to pursue. Note that these scholarship services are free and that you should never pay anyone to perform a scholarship search for you as these are scams.

   Check with your state's labor or employment department to see if financial assistance is available from your state for adults returning to school.

3. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at fafsa.ed.gov. This application tells you how much money you are eligible to receive in grants and loans from the federal government, such as the Pell Grant or Stafford loans. Get a private student loan from a bank if you feel you need living-expense assistance, but be aware that the interest rates on bank loans are much higher than those from the government.

4. Take entrance or proficiency exams to see what level of classes you can take. You may need to take a few, non-credit refresher courses before you quit your job to begin your degree or certificate coursework. Also get official copies of any college transcripts you may already have for admissions purposes. Find your SAT or ACT scores if you still have them and they are not over a few years old as well. They can be useful when applying for financial aid and for admissions.

5. Apply to the schools and institutions that have the training program you want to attend. Make sure to turn your applications in before the deadlines.

6. Give at least two weeks' notice at your job that you are resigning once you receive notice of acceptance to a school or program. This ensures you are leaving your job on good terms and your employers have plenty of time to find, hire and train a replacement. Remember that you may need this employer's reference when you next apply for a job.

7. Consider getting a part-time job to help pay your expenses while you complete your degree or certificate program. This will reduce your dependence on loans that you will have to pay back.

References

• Job Profiles: 26 Ways to Quit Your Job and Go Back to School

Resources

• FAFSA