By Merritt McLaughlin
About 14 million college students are working in restaurants, retail, or other jobs, according to a new report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. This trend isn’t anything new, the study reported that for the past 25 years, more than 70 percent of college students have been trading study time for a paycheck.
What is new however, is that a student working full-time at the federal minimum wage right now would earn about $15,080 annually, which would not even cover tuition and living expenses at most colleges.
CNN reports that for the 2014-15 academic year, the average cost of tuition, fees, room and board at a four-year public college was $18,943 for in-state students. At private universities, the average total cost was $42,419 for the year. For comparison, in 1975, those same expenses were only $7,938 and $16,475.
It’s no secret that college students need the extra cash, but working too much can reduce graduation rates for low-income and first-generation college students, both of which have been rising over the last few years. According to the study, 40 percent of undergraduate students work at least 30 hours a week. Kiara Brantley, a junior at Ball State University, is one of that 40 percent.
“In my off days, and in between classes…that’s when I take time to study,” said Brantley, “so it’s literally just whenever I can.”
The American Association of University Professors says that although students who work have an obligation to prioritize their academics, colleges and universities also have a responsibility to make sure that every student—including those who work—can be successful and not stress about fitting school in around a job.
“I should probably try to study certain days so I’m not just fitting it in,” says Brantley, “but I think I balance it pretty well.”
One option, according to the AAUP, is for colleges and universities to reduce students’ financial need to work by reducing the rate of tuition growth and increasing need-based grants.
Colleges and universities can also reduce the stress of student employment through financial aid counseling that informs students of both the responsibilities of working with school and that teaches them on campus ways of paying for college and while maintaining a healthy balance.
Although not ideal, Brantley says it’s manageable if you stay organized. She suggests having a planner and following it so nothing slips through the cracks.
留言