Make the Financial Decision to Work as a College Freshman

Freshman year means a new school, new environment, new friends and new expenses.

Many college students turn to part-time jobs to alleviate some of the financial burden that comes with college, but for freshmen, a student job may be too much to handle. Since full-time, first-year students are unlikely to make enough money to outweigh their expenses, experts encourage families to carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks of working part-time before a student heads to school.

"Even in the most perfect situations, the transition can be very, very difficult and they tend to get overwhelmed," says Ruth Pusich, director of student financial services at Elmhurst College.

Financial and higher education professionals say families should think of college as an investment and examine the long-term payoff as they consider if and when a freshman should work.

To excel in school, experts say students at any level shouldn't work more than 20 hours a week, which means students will likely only earn a few hundred dollars every few weeks.?That can help, but experts say a student job may not be worth it compared with the thousands families will spend on college -- and the cost of repeating classes or graduating later than anticipated. They also warn that students may lose existing financial aid if their grades suffer.

[Learn more about the pros and cons of working in college.]

"Time is finite. More time spent working means less time and energy for academic engagement," says Laura Perna, executive director of the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.

Amy Hollingsworth, instructor and coordinator of the Natural Science Biology Lab at the University of Akron, agrees.

"What students don't realize is that for every hour they spend in class, they need at least two to three hours out of class to study," she wrote in an email. "Taking two or three classes may mean six hours in class, plus another 12 hours out of class. Having a job may literally wipe out their chance of being successful in college."

If a first-year student needs to make money, Elmhurst's Pusich recommends waiting until second semester when the student is more confident, settled and balanced. Ideally, students should work the summer before they start college to save money for books and other expenses, she says.

If waiting until second semester to work isn't an option, experts say families should have an honest conversation about what they can afford and consider cheaper options, like community college, a less expensive four-year university or attending part time.

[Find 10 ways to pay less for your degree.]

Megan Leppez decided to go to community college when she graduated high school in 2004, because it allowed her to pay out-of-pocket and avoid debt. As a freshman, she worked 20-25 hours while balancing a full course load.

Leppez says that in the beginning she put work ahead of school and ended up taking a break, but later came to the realization that she needed to make school a priority. She says that it's important for students like her, who have to work, to surround themselves with other students, stay focused, live near the school and choose a job that has a lot of flexibility.

"Sometimes one of the dangers of getting a job is that you become friends with people who don't go to school, so school becomes on the back burner and work becomes more important." Leppez says.

"It's a lot easier to skip class, than it is to skip work," she says.

Now, Leppez, 27, is balancing a full course load and a 60-hour-a-week job as the general manager of a restaurant. She says her maturity, job flexibility and focus are helping her stay on track. She'll graduate from the University of Texas--Dallas in December.

Some students are awarded work-study as part of their financial aid package. Financial experts encourage students who need to work to either use? work-study or find another on-campus job. Campus employers tend to be more flexible and understanding of a student's schedule and demands, and may be more likely to accommodate a student who needs time off to study.

[Consider these seven college jobs.]

A part-time job for a freshman can also limit a student's ability to engage and excel socially.

Dave Manzer's son Matthew was offered work-study as part of his financial aid package at Texas A&M University--College Station, but the family decided against it.

"We came to the conclusion that it made more sense for him to ease into his first year of more rigorous academic pursuit instead of trying to do it all at once," Manzer says.

Manzer says his son is expected to get a job next year, but for Matthew's first year it made more sense for the family to find ways to cut back on expenses so Manzer could give his son pocket money and allow Matthew to participate in campus clubs. Manzer said that decision allowed Matthew to join the board of a new fraternity -- one that did not have dues.

"It gave him a chance to take risks socially, if you will, by joining a fraternity and being a leader in the fraternity -- as a freshman -- which is pretty much unheard of," he says.

Overall, experts say that the main priority for freshmen and their families should be academic success. Students and parents will have to take a realistic look at their finances and a student's ability to balance and manage a new environment and a job.

"There are ways to balance work and school life -- but you have to be realistic about how many hours you have in the day," Akron's Hollingsworth says.

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