Schools Do you guys work while attending University?

[DeadWolfe]

Or just in the summer?

My parents think I should quit my job so I can focuse more on my education.

 

[jmcgraw]

If your not a party animal, I am of the opinion that working actually helps you acedemically. I have always found that I study much better when I work. In the past I have taken off time from work to catch up with studies, but I always find that I just become more lazy.

I was reading one of the Sherlock Holmes stories the other day and I remember a quote that went, roughly, "The best rest is a change in work." Presonally I find that to be quite true.

 

[Corneo]

I work part time during the academic year. I find that work forces me manage my time more efficiently by planning out my tasks for the week.

 

[leon1127]

Or just in the summer?

My parents think I should quit my job so I can focuse more on my education.

I have always been working somewhat since 13 years old (please don't ask me how and where)...
I past 6 AP tests last year.
I am working about 40-50 hours every week and I am in 4 years University. Although I go online 3 hours a day at least, but I still feel this is too much working for me.

Concludsion: You should working somewhere around 20-30 hours a week and it is nice to schedule around weekend.


And i can't agree more what jmcggraw said, but don't work too hard.

 

[Stephan Hoyer]

The ideal case is to find one of those jobs that tend to exist on college campuses where you can get paid for barely having to do any work. If you're lucky, you can get paid to sit behind a desk and do your homework :D.

I work for the ITS department at my school staffing the helpdesk for students (about 8 hours a week). Libraries are apparently pretty good, too. Generally, we have little or nothing to do, so I'll just pull out my work and do a math problem set.

We don't get paid much, but if I'm only actually working 25% of the time (and time I'd probably be wasting anyways) it's like getting paid $35/hour for a couple of hours a week of lost time.

Admittedly, that's not a huge amount of work depending on the degree to which you need to support yourself, but there are opportunities out there if you look for them.

 

[zwtipp05]

I have always been working somewhat since 13 years old (please don't ask me how and where)...
I past 6 AP tests last year.
I am working about 40-50 hours every week and I am in 4 years University. Although I go online 3 hours a day at least, but I still feel this is too much working for me.

Concludsion: You should working somewhere around 20-30 hours a week and it is nice to schedule around weekend.


And i can't agree more what jmcggraw said, but don't work too hard.

For work-study jobs on campus, they won't let you work more than 20 hours a week.. your schedule sounds insane

 

[leon1127]

For work-study jobs on campus, they won't let you work more than 20 hours a week.. your schedule sounds insane

I have gotten 3 jobs and i don't work on campus at all. I think 40 hours are too much for a full time student. I can hardly have time to read books. Lucky that i am not taking really hard classes in my first semester (they were all closed...)
next semester, i am taking chem2, E&M, linear algebra, D.E and perhaps english and gov/eco... I would quit one of my job and concerntrate on study and 2 other jobs.

 

[1+1=1]

I've worked all four years. Loved it too. Felt that I did much better in classes. I am the type of person who always has to have his hands into something, call me crazy. What you need to do is to get one job and see how it effects you. If your grades and such drop, drop the job.

 

[ktpr2]

Oh man I'm running into problems with working and school. I work a workstudy, 16 hours a week, and it requires real work, with real people depending on what I do. While it's nice to have a job you matter, it's destroying my homework time. Everyday I go home and think to myself, dang, I could've done all my homework for one class in that amount of time. instead I come home tired, chill out for an hour or two and then suddenly I only have 3 hours of time left.

So I think it all boils down to how much school work you can do on the job and what your major is. I'm majoring in electrical engineering, so I find a 16 hour week workstudy where you actually have to do stuff is a bit to much.

If you were my son I 'd say quit your job or work like 10 hours a week.

 

[Poop-Loops]

The ideal case is to find one of those jobs that tend to exist on college campuses where you can get paid for barely having to do any work. If you're lucky, you can get paid to sit behind a desk and do your homework :D

That's the job I have! Except, it's a salesman at a fitness store. With expensive equipment. So for an 8 hour day, I get maybe 5 people in total. Maybe an hour spent on them, another hour on chores (cleaning, etc), rest I can do homework.

I worked ~36 hours a week during summer, but now I will go back to ~20/week.

I have no excuse for not getting 4.0's in my classes. :p

PL

 

[Chronos]

I would recommend against working more than about 10 hours a week if you are taking a full load [~15 hours], and certainly no more than 20 hours. It is unlikely you will do justice to either effort if overloaded. Plan on spending about 1 hour of work outside of class for every hour in class and deduct that, along with your in class hours, from a 40 hour work week [50 if you feel heroic] to approximate a reasonable schedule.

 

[Learning Curve]

If you do work, don't get a job that will wear you out. I work 24 hours a week, which isn't a lot but I'm a lifeguard. Lifeguarding wears me out and I get home to do some homework and I'm too tired to do it. Not a good situation.

 

[Norman]

Are your parents paying for school and supporting you? How independent of your parents do you want to be? If you rely on your parents for all your living expenses, depending on your relationship with your parents, things might get kinda weird once you start feeling the need to be more independent. Will working only over summer fund you for a whole year of school?

 

[gravenewworld]

I have had a job all 4 years at school and for the past 2 years I worked 2 jobs- working in the library and working in the lab at a pharmaceutical company. Freaking last year was crazy 2 21 credit semesters and working 20+ hours per week= no sleep. I needed the $$$ though to pay for rent and food. Evey summer since I was about 15 I have worked 40-60 hours per week.

 

[leon1127]

Are your parents paying for school and supporting you? How independent of your parents do you want to be? If you rely on your parents for all your living expenses, depending on your relationship with your parents, things might get kinda weird once you start feeling the need to be more independent. Will working only over summer fund you for a whole year of school?

My relationship with my parents is that I have to pay for part of their living
Luckily, my financial aid awarded me yesterday. I might be able to reschedule my work

 

[ludi_srbin]

Well my experience with work was pretty bad. Not academically but phsycologically. That is probably just me. I'm somehow alergic to work, and I would be very nervous when I have to go to work. I just hated it. Customers would never stopp coming. Yall should have seen my face when I quit. That was one of the best days of my life. When I just think about the fact that I'll have to work next 30-40 years hair on my body raises.

 

[ranger]

I currently doing two part-time jobs. One at my school (on weekdays) and the other a fast food joint (on weekends). That sucks when you have 3 lab reports due every week! Unlike most people, I hate weekends...

 

[Genecks]

More Education > minimum wage.
That's my opinion.

At my college here, they have a program where you can tutor young kids for cash.

I rather spend time learning than working. However learning while you work is what is great about apprenticeships. Security engineering being a fun one.

 

[jsaxton]

I work about 15 hours per week as a sysadmin/programmer for the chemical engineering department at my University. The pay is good, and I learn a ton of really practical stuff at my job. I see my job as an extension of my education, not something hindering it.

 

[zeronem]

I work while attending College. And very fortunate I am that my work has to do with the College.

 

[gazzo]

At my University in the Maths department (at least), you can apply to become a tutor after your first year, and tutor first year students (they pay around $15p/h!) and mark assignments. Like jsaxton said, it's great if you can find a job that's an extension to your learning. I work in the IT department for a freighting company sometimes during the breaks, and do IT support for a Physio clinic; both go well with a ComputerScience major.

Working in your department let's you climb up the ranks and get to know everyone.

 

[waht]

re

At my job that I was working was very stressful and unpredictable but was good pay compared to my peers. Everytime I came home so tired and stressed out that i didn't take care of important stuff. Eventually I had to drop out of the semester and the next one too. By then I had a huge loan to pay off heh.

I eventually quit my job and sure it was the best day of my life heh.

 

[robphy]

I prefer that my students NOT work, unless it is work-study or somehow academically-related. In any case, work must not interfere with your education... and certainly don't let it interfere with my classes. (I frown when I am told by a student that he/she will miss all or part of my class due to "work", especially on a regular basis!)

In the summer, there are lots of opportunities for students to participate in REU programs and internships. Many pay rather well and offer relevant academic experience.

my $0.02

 

[Poop-Loops]

Some of these replies REALLY surprise me. I am a student that has to pay for his own schooling, so without a job I'd be screwed. I'm lucky enough that my parents haven't kicked me out of the house, but they just CANNOT pay for college, too.

I'm only in my 2nd year so far, so I don't know if it the class difficulty suddenly spikes or not. How else do I pay for gas and personal expenses?

PL

 

[djeipa]

Ooohhh, really ?
I have a part time job, I work in a lab. People there are nice. Their job is to make crystal test tubes by blowing airstream into the tube. My job is to collect tubes and arrange them into bags in time for delivery to the school. Some nice girls there blow for me several tubes, I put them in my room now to make experiement.
Each month company transfers around $500 into my bank account.

 

[Hercule Poirot]

The ideal case is to find one of those jobs that tend to exist on college campuses where you can get paid for barely having to do any work. If you're lucky, you can get paid to sit behind a desk and do your homework :D.

LOL, you reminded me of my job as a "computer lab advisor" in my fourth year, I literally didn't do anything except for filling papers in the printers, and closing the lab at the end of the shift

 

[Optep]

My part-time job is very easy, just wait till called, because I am only 20 yrs old, my boss not assign big-heavy jobs for me, he let's me deal with small ones only. Because smalls ones won't need my strength much, i can happily finish without any hurt at all.
But the first time really a bad time. I cried a lot, but you no, its useless, I had to endure the pain till all jobs done.

 

[ek]

I "work" on and off throughout the year. Usually only a week or two each month, and maybe 15 hours a week when I'm doing it.

Of course my "work" is internet poker, but really it's not a whole lot different than having a McJob or whatever. I just get to set my own hours, work less and make more money.

It's a pretty good gig. Unfortunately, though, my resume sucks. You can't exactly put "online poker player".

 

[marlon]

Or just in the summer?

My parents think I should quit my job so I can focuse more on my education.

I tutored students when i was in college, during the entire academic year. It was great extra money (at least for a student ). I gave both mathematics and physics to freshmen-students and high school students. The took place in a private organization and involved planning a working schedule, meeting with partents/ other teachers (most of them also students) and ofcourse giving physics and mathematics. It was a great experience, especially because i learned a lot from it. I mean, there is a big difference between being able to complete a good physics exam and being able to teach physics in front of students and solve problems at the instant.

Trust me, try to find such a job, it is really good for several reasons (money, experience, learning and relaxing...). Just be sure that when you do a job while being at college, you need to have a strick planning that you must respect. Also, try to find a job that is closely related to what you study. In that case, outside teaching, there is not going to be very much.

regards
marlon

 

[marlon]

I prefer that my students NOT work,

I am sorry, but that's none of your business. If you want to have a big audiemce when you give your lessons, be sure that you are a talented and inspiring teacher. Are you ?

marlon

 

[Norman]

It was a great experience, especially because i learned a lot from it. I mean, there is a big difference between being able to complete a good physics exam and being able to teach physics in front of students and solve problems at the instant.

This is so true. There is a saying I picked up from somewhere (anyone know who said it or is it just an old saying), that you never truly learn something until you have to teach it to someone else. And if you are an academic and do research, a good test of whether you understand the material thoroughly is to try and explain it clearly to a lay person. Many times, after I have been working on something and my wife asks me about it, I realize in the course of explaining it to her that I don't understand some part of it (or maybe any of it yet). So, if you can get a job teaching, it will help you become a better student. Truly.
Cheers,
Ryan

 

[robphy]

I prefer that my students NOT work,

I am sorry, but that's none of your business. If you want to have a big audiemce when you give your lessons, be sure that you are a talented and inspiring teacher. Are you ?

marlon

We have an attendance policy. So, it is my business if students miss my classes. As I said, "I prefer that my students NOT work, unless it is work-study or somehow academically-related. In any case, work must not interfere with your education... "

I tutored students when i was in college, during the entire academic year. It was great extra money (at least for a student ). I gave both mathematics and physics to freshmen-students and high school students. ... It was a great experience, especially because i learned a lot from it.

So, you see for yourself the value of an academically-related job. And, I'll guess that you probably didn't miss class on a regular basis because you had to tutor someone.

Conerning if I "wanna have a big audiemce when you give your lessons", it's not so much that I want a big audience. It's that I'd prefer to teach my lesson once and not have to repeat myself for someone that doesn't make it regularly to my classes because of work. Classes are scheduled for a reason.

As to whether I am a "talented and inspiring teacher", I'll leave that to others to judge.

 

[marlon]

We have an attendance policy.

That is so childish

I'll guess that you probably didn't miss class on a regular basis because you had to tutor someone.

Yes i did, though i must admit i always made sure i attended the lessons that covered really difficult topics or subjects that were really important for examns. I always made sure i knew guys/girls who were one year ahead of me, so that i could inform on the important parts of some course...That i must admit. I did not just skipped classes without "thinking" about what i was going to miss, you see ?

I'd prefer to teach my lesson once and not have to repeat myself for someone that doesn't make it regularly to my classes because of work. Classes are scheduled for a reason.

Trust me, most of the students that attend classes are not even paying full attention. Just ask them a question like "what did i just say" or something... I am sure your lessons will become much more , err, entertaining.

regards

marlon

 

[robphy]

We have an attendance policy.

That is so childish

I agree... but I didn't make the rules.

I'd prefer to teach my lesson once and not have to repeat myself for someone that doesn't make it regularly to my classes because of work. Classes are scheduled for a reason.

Trust me, most of the students that attend classes are not even paying full attention. Just ask them a question like "what did i just say" or something... I am sure your lessons will become much more , err, entertaining.

I know... I used to be a student too. That is why, as an educator, I actively find [and enjoy finding] new ways to teach and engage students in my courses. (I don't mind repeating and further discussing things with students that heard me the first time, even with minimal attention on their part. In fact, an educator can learn a lot from doing this.)

 

[zeronem]

I tutored students when i was in college, during the entire academic year. It was great extra money (at least for a student ). I gave both mathematics and physics to freshmen-students and high school students. The took place in a private organization and involved planning a working schedule, meeting with partents/ other teachers (most of them also students) and ofcourse giving physics and mathematics. It was a great experience, especially because i learned a lot from it. I mean, there is a big difference between being able to complete a good physics exam and being able to teach physics in front of students and solve problems at the instant.

Trust me, try to find such a job, it is really good for several reasons (money, experience, learning and relaxing...). Just be sure that when you do a job while being at college, you need to have a strick planning that you must respect. Also, try to find a job that is closely related to what you study. In that case, outside teaching, there is not going to be very much.

regards
marlon

Wow, that's pretty much exactly what I am doing right now.

I am tutoring Calculus III and University Physics I to this one person. While I am also tutoring College Algebra to another. I also get frequent calls from people who need to be tutored. It seems like I'm the first name that comes out of various teachers mouth when recommending a tutor.

 

[amuron]

I think it comes down to choices... my roommate spent around 40 hours a week drinking beer and chasing women and worked 15 hours/week.

I put in 60 hours a week on 2 jobs, plus took full loads of 18-21 credit hours, but skipped the beer and woman chasing for the most part.

At the end, I had my pilots license and enough relevant technical experience to jump into a startup operation as the sole electrical engineer. My roommate had huge debt, lots of headaches, and a few scars from bar fights, but managed to get an entry level management position.

Its cool when you can apply what you learned in class the same day, or in a number of cases had done so before hand. One of my jobs was designing and building prototype electronics devices, so it worked out pretty well, the other was an airplane mechanics assistant.

Ron

 

[Dracovich]

I think it can definitely be done. Personally i'd love ot have more money but i get by ok on the government money i (and evreyone else for that matter) get. Personally I've kinda decided not to work unless i find something that really fits with my situation, since I'm at school from 8/9AM until around 3/4PM, then i get home, eat/digest for about 2 hours and then go off and train for about 2-3 hours each night. Then fridays i have set aside for drinking at the university bar.

So if i wasn't training i think i could easily work a few hours a day if i were to find a job that worked around the hours of my school well. Just think about it, are you studying every waking hour? or do you just sit around and slack off outside the hours you use at your school (selfstudy included of course)? That's what i do anyway.

Just a thought here though, i wouldn't recommend working with a mentally draining job like dealing with customers too much. I used to be a teller at a supermarket, and later working as a customer support guy at an ISP, and i was insanely drained mentally when i came home, i just wanted to punch something and go to sleep, i'd imagine that this coupled with a hectic study schedual would be hard.

 

[BobG]

The ideal case is to find one of those jobs that tend to exist on college campuses where you can get paid for barely having to do any work. If you're lucky, you can get paid to sit behind a desk and do your homework :D.

I work for the ITS department at my school staffing the helpdesk for students (about 8 hours a week). Libraries are apparently pretty good, too. Generally, we have little or nothing to do, so I'll just pull out my work and do a math problem set.

We don't get paid much, but if I'm only actually working 25% of the time (and time I'd probably be wasting anyways) it's like getting paid $35/hour for a couple of hours a week of lost time.

Admittedly, that's not a huge amount of work depending on the degree to which you need to support yourself, but there are opportunities out there if you look for them.

Night time security guards are good jobs for students. "Good worker" usually means being one that stays awake ... and what else could keep a student awake and alert all night other than homework and studying?

 

[Grogs]

Night time security guards are good jobs for students. "Good worker" usually means being one that stays awake ... and what else could keep a student awake and alert all night other than homework and studying?

I've always thought that would be a good student job too. I think the only real problem would be the hours. I find it's hard to shift the hours when I sleep around frequently. If it was a late afternoon-midnight shift, it would probably be no problem to keep a consistent cycle, but if it was from say midnight to 8 AM, I'd probably be sleepy either during work or class. I guess everyone's results would vary though.

We had a pretty nice deal going in when I lived in Virginia. We had a rescue squad that handled all the ambulances for the local area. At night we used volunteers, but in the daytime we had to pay people. It didn't pay all that well, but it was nice in that is was a 12-hour shift, so you could do it once or maybe twice a week and get a decent number of hours. Some shifts were very busy, but the norm was hanging out at the station reading, watching TV, etc while you waited for a call.

 

[Chaotic42]

I work 40 hours and go to school full time. The thing that I don't like about it is that I have to drive 2.5-3 hours every day. If it weren't for all of the time on the road, it wouldn't be so bad.

I'm a low energy person though. ;)