Working While in College
Make Work Part of Your College Plan
Many students work while attending college.
A job can help cover expenses, build skills, provide experience, and connect you with future career opportunities. At the same time, employment adds another responsibility to an already busy schedule.
The goal is to find a balance that supports both your financial needs and your progress toward completing your education.
Know Why You're Working
Your employment goals may affect the kind of job you choose.
You may be working to:
- Pay everyday expenses.
- Contribute toward tuition.
- Reduce borrowing.
- Gain experience.
- Explore a career.
- Build professional skills.
- Meet people in your field.
Whenever possible, look for work that supports more than one goal.
Be Realistic About Your Schedule
There isn't one number of work hours that's right for every student.
Consider:
- Your course load
- Difficulty of your classes
- Commute
- Study time
- Family responsibilities
- Activities
- Sleep and well-being
- Financial needs
Build your complete weekly schedule before committing to work hours.
If work is consistently causing you to miss class, fall behind academically, lose sleep, or struggle to meet basic responsibilities, reconsider the balance.
Look for Work That Builds Experience
A college job can be more than a paycheck.
Consider:
- Campus employment
- Work-study positions
- Internships
- Research positions
- Jobs related to your major
- Jobs that develop transferable skills
Even employment unrelated to your intended career can build communication, teamwork, customer service, problem-solving, reliability, and leadership skills.
Understand Federal Work-Study
If your financial aid offer includes Federal Work-Study, learn how the program works at your college.
Work-study provides an opportunity to earn money through eligible employment. It isn't generally money automatically applied to your college bill.
Ask your financial aid or student employment office about available positions, eligibility, pay, scheduling, and how earnings are received.
Communicate With Your Employer
When possible, let your employer know you're a student and communicate early about major academic responsibilities.
Understand:
- Your work schedule
- Expectations for requesting time off
- Busy periods at work
- Exam periods and academic breaks
- Whether hours change during holidays or summer
A predictable schedule can make balancing work and college much easier.
If You Need More Income
Before automatically adding more work hours, look at the complete financial picture.
Consider:
- Talking with financial aid about available resources.
- Reviewing your budget.
- Applying for additional scholarships.
- Looking for higher-paying or career-related employment.
- Increasing work during summer or academic breaks when practical.
- Exploring payment options with your college.
Be cautious about solving every financial gap by either working more hours or borrowing more money without considering how the decision affects your overall plan.
Connect Work to Your Future
Keep track of:
- Responsibilities
- Skills
- Accomplishments
- Promotions
- Projects
- Training
- Supervisors or colleagues who may become references
Your college job can become part of the story you tell future employers about the skills and experience you've developed.
