In order to get my engineering degree in 4 years, I would have had to average over 19 hours in class per week. Each of those hours required 2 to 3 hours outside of class for an A~B average.
I tried to keep that schedule for over a year, while doing just a little side job for spending money. It was not possible and keep sanity. I stretched it out to 5.5 years. I worked long hours during the summers and breaks but I could not have made enough to pay tuition and board in less than 10 years.
That was starting 3 decades ago. Now jobs are mores scarce and college way more expensive. It would take a very long time to complete while covering all cost on your own and getting zero debt.
A co-worker of mine went to engineering school. He started out getting a job as a technician at our company. Then he went to the local college (not ABET accredited) to get his pre-requisites out of the way. This college specializes in non-traditional studnts; and, there were lots of night classes and early morning classes. Our company also gave him some flexibility on his hours...and helped with tuition.
He worked like a dog for two years. Some of the plot stamps on things he plotted were at 2 in the morning, etc, because he was working such a crazy schedule. This whole time, he and his wife (and new baby) were doing the Dave Ramsey beans and rice lifestyle, to pile up a cash reserve. He used the cash reserve to take a two year break from work and go full time to an ABET acredited program.
And he graduated!
This guy came from nothing...dirt poor. And, he worked like crazy and greatly improved his life. I really admire him for that. I don’t know if I could have done it myself; but, he proved that it is possible to work through school these days.
So that would be around 40 hours per week. That still allows for part time work and some lazing around with friends. As an adult have you ever worked 40 hours per week or more? I don’t see the big deal.