student part time job essay

Working While Going to College: Pros and Cons Essay

Introduction, reasons for working during college, positive effects of working during college, negative effects of working during college.

At the present day, the majority of students chose work while going to college, they take a part-time job and attend classes, or they chose a full-time occupation during the summer. Some students have a financial necessity to find work before graduation, while others are ready to sacrifice their free time, entertainment, and communication with group mates to provide themselves with a comfortable living and become adaptable, responsible, and mature. Like any activity, working while going to college has positive and negative effects on young people. The purpose of this essay is to examine the reasons that encourage students to work while studying and the impact of working during college.

Working during college has its reasons and may be highly beneficial. Although a significant number of students are frequently apprehensive about applying for a part-time or even full-time job during college, this possibility may be taken into consideration. However, a student should thoroughly evaluate his or her strengths, flexibility, and potential necessity of working. One of the most substantial reasons to work while going to college is the ability to earn money. A working student may independently pay for his or her classes, reduce the amount of money that was borrowed for education, or have the ability to afford a comfortable living. In particular cases, when companies offer students the benefits of a full-time job for the execution of part-time work, young people may start their retirement savings while they are still studying. Another reason for working while going to college is the improvement of personal and professional skills. Even if a taken part-time job is not connected with obtainable education and future profession, it will inevitably require time management and decision-making skills, or the ability to build understanding with a large number of diverse people. In general, working during college is a positive personal life experience, students may try various kinds of activities, test their abilities, or get acquainted and apparently form a friendship with a great number of people.

Working while going to college has a substantial number of positive effects. First of all, getting a job during college provides students with an income and helps them to make student loan payments. Student loan debt is a significant issue for many students, the necessity to pay it after graduation slows down life progress and postpones the essential ambitions such as homeownership and starting a family. Working during college gives young people the possibility to graduate without substantial financial obligations. Another positive impact of the combination of work with studying is the receiving of valuable job experience. Students who are working during college accumulate knowledge, improve self-discipline, and develop their professional and communicative skills. Finding a job that corresponds with a chosen profession may positively affect a resume and provide career development immediately after finishing the study. Even if job experience received during part-time work is not closely related to the field of study, working students learn work ethic, and get additional information that may be highly useful in the future. Such students obviously get more chances to fit a particular position after graduation compared with young people without any experience at all.

Despite the positive impact of working while going to college on students’ future career, self-development, and financial obligations, a job taken in college may influence students adversely. As young people who work frequently choose their jobs instead of study time and prefer practical skills to theoretical knowledge, it significantly affects their grades in a negative way. Students with work frequently have a serious risk of getting expelled, as the necessity to work effectively for extended hours eliminates the possibility of studying to the full extent. The constant receiving of low grades results in deferring or quitting courses. If a job takes much time and effort, it makes students distracted and influences their social life, insulating them from entertainment, communication, and activities with group mates. Negative effects of working while studying on grades, a lack of sleep and social life, and tension at work due to managing deadlines significantly increase the working students’ level of stress. One more potential though not inevitable negative effect of working while going to college is an elevated risk of students’ obesity. Working young people frequently do not have time for balanced and healthy meals, and the consumption of fast food and other high-sugar meals may lead to severe health problems, like obesity, diabetes, and other diseases.

Students have various reasons to work while going to college, the most substantial reason is the ability to pay classes, reduce the student loan debt before graduation, and start retirement savings in the case of full-time job benefits for part-time work from particular companies. Working while going to college improves students’ personal and professional skills and provides a positive life experience. Working in college has both positive and negative effects on students. It helps with student loan payments and significantly influences the successful start of a career due to received experience, skills, and knowledge. However, a lack of sleep and social life, tension at work due to managing deadlines, and extended working hours have a negative impact on students’ grades and increase the risk of getting expelled. As working students frequently eat fast food due to a lack of time for healthy meals, it may result in severe diseases.

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IvyPanda. (2022, January 16). Working While Going to College: Pros and Cons. https://ivypanda.com/essays/working-while-going-to-college-pros-and-cons/

"Working While Going to College: Pros and Cons." IvyPanda , 16 Jan. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/working-while-going-to-college-pros-and-cons/.

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IvyPanda . 2022. "Working While Going to College: Pros and Cons." January 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/working-while-going-to-college-pros-and-cons/.

1. IvyPanda . "Working While Going to College: Pros and Cons." January 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/working-while-going-to-college-pros-and-cons/.

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IvyPanda . "Working While Going to College: Pros and Cons." January 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/working-while-going-to-college-pros-and-cons/.

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My first job, and the first jobs of countless people, was a part-time position. I think this is partly because full-time jobs are more difficult to obtain, and they require less responsibility in general. Employers also like to hire people for part-time gigs, as they often do not require them to hand out benefits. But anyways, my initial job was freelance work on people’s yards: mowing their lawn, weeding, digging out stumps, and other lawn maintenance occupations. However, my first official (on paper) job was working at my community college as a writing and English tutor. I believe it was not only a great step forward towards full-time office work, but it also taught me that I love teaching and interacting with people of various backgrounds. In addition, I learned the joy of working around my own schedule.

What was perhaps the most intriguing about me obtaining this position is that I got poor grades in English and writing in high school. It was only in college that I began to flourish with a pen and paper. By my second year of college, I was often getting “A” grades or hearing praise from my professors. I think this transformation happened due to my passion for the written word, and this excitement assisted me in overcoming my obstacles. Anyways, when I got the job as a tutor for my college, I was excited to help people with their assignments. It was also relieving to know that I could work, and do many other important things during the day.

What astonished me the most was that the ESL (English as a second language) students were often better writers than the native people I tutored. I think this was due to the fact they seriously studied English grammar, punctuation, and composition, whereas the native speakers took English for granted. What also surprised me was how people-friendly I could be. In high school, I was mostly a loner, and found comfort in books, my chess board, and my computer. But in college, my personality began to open up though classes and my job.

What I enjoyed besides interacting with many different people and learning styles was the fact that I could schedule my day around my students, or the students could schedule their appointments around my plans. This made me believe in the power of part-time jobs. With a full-time job, I would have to dedicate a huge block of time every day to a single task. With a part-time job, I could focus on my studies and my creative output on the side with concentration. Working at a full-time job now, I can see how much freedom I had while working at part-time jobs. I tried to imagine those who had full-time work while studying, and I could not. I considered myself lucky.

For instance, when I began working at a writing center at a university after I graduated college, I had a lot of time after work to dive into my creative writing at the university’s library, and to go home and enjoy my day before it got dark. Most times when we work at a full-time job, we cannot enjoy the day outside. We only see the morning and the evening, and the beauty of the day is lost to us. I think this is a sad fate. In this perspective, I think an ideal working day is at most six hours a day. I believe it is not healthy for people to not see the day in all its glory. It also makes sure we are vitamin D deficient from a lack of sun, and feel unhealthy due to a lack of fresh air. Most offices are heavily air conditioned and most full-time workers do not get a chance to take a walk outside during their working hours.

It seems, in the case of my life, to have a proper work-play balance, we should not be working eight hours daily, five times a week. A 30-hour work week seems much more healthy and will allow workers to feel more motivated to get projects completed. In fact, it has been shown by various studies that working a five- or six-hour workday is more effective. Workers get less work done while working eight hours a day due to feeling tired and restless. With less hours, staff members feel more focused on the tasks at hand.

In my life, through having multiple part-time jobs, I can say that this type of work allows one to be happier, healthier, and have a better outlook on one’s assignments. Ultimately, it seems that the 40-hour work week is unnatural for a person—in the least, for me.

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REASONS AND OUTCOMES OF STUDENT PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT - AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

2019, Science, Technology and Development Multidisciplinary Journal

Part-time employment by the students have now become more common as the students feel that working part-time gives them self-dignity and also helps them in supporting family with financial aids. The part-time employment provides many benefits to the students including financial assistance, skill development, being more confident, etc. This paper focuses on studying the association between Reasons and Outcomes of Part-time employment. This paper is empirical and exploratory in nature. 119 respondents were considered for the study pursuing various streams of studies. Pearson's Correlation has been applied to study the relationship and the result shows that there is a significant association between reasons and outcomes of part time jobs.

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Guide to Choosing Part Time Jobs for Students

Working a part-time job while in college is very common. In fact, 70 percent of college students work part time while completing their degrees. Whether it’s to compensate for rising tuition costs or to supplement your student loan package, if you’re looking for work at the start of the semester, you won’t be the only one. But what kind of job is suitable for a college student to have? Here’s a simple guide to finding a part-time job while in college.

Visit College Career Center

Nearly all colleges have a student career center to help students look for employment and/or shape their career goals. Look for the resources that your institution offers first to see if anything is a good fit for you.

Pick a Place that Supports Your Studies

Some businesses love having students to fill in their part-time slots. And some places don’t understand that your main priority is your education. Make sure that they understand that your studies come first and that they can’t expect you to work the night shift the night before exams. Finding a place that can accommodate your class and study schedules is essential to making the work/study arrangement go smoothly.

On-campus jobs are ideal as you won’t have to waste any time going to and from your job. Whether you’re working as a library assistant or helping one of your professors with their research, on-campus jobs are the perfect option.

These days, remote work is becoming more and more popular, so you may be able to land a part-time job without even leaving your dorm room. You might find a job as an essay writer or do web design.

If you’re not able to land any on-campus jobs or remote work, make sure you choose a place that’s a reasonable distance from your school. It’s not worth it for you to endure a long commute to and from a part-time job. Look for something closer to your school or home.

Does it Pay Enough?

You’re probably looking for a job because you need some extra money to get you through to the end of the semester. Make sure that the hours and the pay are enough to meet your needs. If not, you’ll be sacrificing study time for a job that doesn’t even serve its purpose. Plan a budget beforehand to make sure you know how much you’ll need to make so you can decide which jobs are worth taking. Here are some salary negotiation tactics for college students.

Hotel/Babysitting

Some part-time jobs such as being the desk clerk at a hotel or babysitting involves a lot of free time where you can crack open the books and get some studying in while you’re on the clock. Those types of jobs are ideal for students.

Training for Your Career

It may be possible for you to work at a place that has to do with your major or future career plans. For example, if you’re studying education, you may find some part-time work at a local school. Or if you’re studying nursing, you might find some work at a health center. These jobs have the added benefit of giving you work experience before you’ve even completed your degree.

Low Pressure

It’s important that you choose a job that’s not particularly high stress, nor one that wears you out physically or emotionally. You want a job where you can clock out and walk away after your shift is done without it taking a toll on your non-working hours.

Whatever job you choose, keep in mind that your main focus right now is your education and that the job is secondary. After you graduate, you can focus on your career, but for now, your studies are your main priorities. Make sure this job isn’t taking over your study time.

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IELTS Essay Sample Answer # Part-Time Work

You should spend 40 minutes on this task. Some people believe it is a good idea for students to work part time to ensure better opportunities in future. Others are of the opinion, job during study distracts the individual. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Write at least 250 words.

SAMPLE ANSWER -One 

Part-time job is the kind of work a person does for a fewer hours per week allowing an individual to explore different other aspects of his or her character. While in many countries it is common for students to work part time allowing them the freedom to learn their course practically, allowing better knowledge about their subject. Some people are of the opinion, that a job during the student years take away the time and attention required during education.

Doing a part time job while studying surely ensures a more practical knowledge about a subject to the student. For example, a student doing a course on mechanical engineering is more likely to know about what he or she is studying when they get to work on the real tools in real life scenario. Even more, part time jobs allow students to become more independent. Most students are seen to save money from their part time jobs for their graduation.

However, odd jobs are very tough to handle for students. They need to focus not only on their studies but also work, leaving them drained off, with no social life. It has been even observed that some student leave their education to work, while in many cases there have been positive results, in many the students were left with neither a good job nor a better education.

Overall, part time jobs offer more exposure to the students about their subjects, if chosen wrongly, it can leave the person drained off to pursue other plans. In my opinion, an individual should do a part time job, but it should always be something that he or she loves to do and enhances their personality.

SAMPLE ANSWER -Two

Most of the successful companies that we have today in our world, from Apple to Microsoft, the successful people that we cherish, from Shahrukh Khan to Kangana Ranaut, started with what they do as part time job. It was when they realized that they have fallen in love with this work, that they did actually made it big. Many people are of the opinion that part time jobs allow an individual to explore his or interest early in life while others believe that more often a part time jobs leave the person drained off to pursue future plans.

Odd jobs surely help an individual to grow, to perform better and work on the different skills that he or she has. For example, a person may like writing, but when he or she starts working as a part time writer they get to know the seriousness of their interest. It becomes much more easier for them to make a choice of career later in life because they have already become aware of their potential. Even more, a part time job, allows a person to learn different aspects of life, like hard work, punctuality, discipline which may or may not directly affect their lives.

However, if done in a wrong way, often leads to emaciation. Even more, part time job workers are not included in the health benefits and the other services that the company offers to its regular employees. Also, a part time job worker is less likely to get a promotion as compared to a regular worker. A student can find it difficult to focus on studies, sometimes skipping classes to fulfill the sleep that he or she missed. It could make up for a very stressful life for the student, when there entire focus should be on grasping knowledge.

In conclusion, nothing is perfect. Maintaining a job while studying is not what everyone can do. It demands lot of focus from the individual. One need to make sure that they learn things well in school, meanwhile maintaining a balanced work. However, in my opinion a person who is able to do it, is more likely to benefit more than his or her counter parts.

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What’s the difference between part-time and full-time college students.

Senior Associate, JPMorgan Chase

If college is on your radar, you may be deciding if you want to be a part-time or a full-time student.

If you have responsibilities outside of school, such as a job or family obligations, you may be considering enrolling as a part-time student. On the flip side, if you feel that you can afford the time and monetary commitment that comes with full-time enrollment, then this may be the option that you’re leaning towards.

In this article, we’ll break down the differences between full-time and part-time student statuses, including the number of credits students can expect to take in these two statuses and how long it may take to graduate if you're a part-time or full-time student.

Also, of note, you don’t necessarily have to think of this decision as a permanent one. Some schools and programs allow students to change their enrollment status between full-time and part-time for a semester or trimester, depending on their needs. Another thing to remember as you make this choice is not all schools and programs offer the opportunity for students to enroll part-time.

What’s considered full-time college enrollment?

There are three definitions to be aware of when understanding what it means to be a full-time student – your school’s definition, the U.S. Department of Education’s definition, and the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) definition.

First, colleges and universities each have their own definitions for what’s considered full-time. To be considered full-time by a college, most colleges require students to be enrolled in a certain number of classes and credits for a semester, although the requirements may vary.

The U.S. Department of Education defines full-time student status as being enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per term. This definition is important to understand because it may relate to your eligibility for financial aid provided by the federal government.

There’s also a legal tax status in order to be considered a “full-time student” by the IRS. Having this status may enable you to take certain exemptions on your taxes. To be a full-time student as defined by the IRS, you must:

• Be a full-time student as defined by your school.
• Be a student for five calendar months of the year (these months don’t need to be consecutive).
• Be a full-time student at a school that has a regular teaching staff, course of study, and a regularly enrolled student body. A student taking a full-time, on-farm training course offered by a school, state, county, or local government agency may also qualify.

How many classes do full-time students take a semester?

There’s no set number of classes that are considered full-time across the board. However, for many schools, full-time enrollment often involves taking between three and four classes a semester, depending on how many credits each class is worth. The same is true to meet the U.S. Department of Education’s definition of being a full-time student.

Remember that all schools are not on a semester schedule, so the guidelines may differ.

How many credits do full-time students take a semester?

To meet the U.S. Department of Education’s definition of being a full-time student, students must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester. Individual schools may have different credit requirements for students to be considered full-time. As a refresher, credit hours are a measure that determines the weight of a particular class. Since all schools aren’t on a semester schedule, this may vary.

How much does college cost for a full-time student?

According to data from College Board, a nonprofit organization that helps students with college admissions, the average cost for a full-time student was $10,940 for those attending in-state public colleges and $28,240 for those attending out-of-state public colleges in the 2022-23 school year. For students who attended private schools, tuition was on average $39,400.

Remember, these numbers are averages, which means tuition varies depending on the exact school. The other thing to keep in mind is that these numbers reflect the sticker price of tuition at schools – many students ultimately pay less because of financial aid.

How long does it take to graduate from college as a full-time student?

It takes most full-time students four years to graduate from college with a bachelor’s degree. For students seeking an associate degree, it most often takes them two years to graduate.

Keep in mind, these timelines can vary. It takes some students less time to graduate with a college degree if they’re able to enter a degree program with college credits in hand, if they’re able to load up on credits during some terms, or if they take classes in summer or winter sessions (or some combination of this). On the flip side, it can take some students longer than the traditional two or four years to graduate with a college degree in some instances.

What’s considered part-time college enrollment?

A part-time student enrolls in fewer classes than a full-time student. They may have a day job or other responsibilities that they juggle in addition to classes. As a result, they may pay less in tuition per term (since they’re taking fewer classes), but it may take them more terms to graduate. They also may have less access to financial aid, including scholarships and grants.

How many classes do part-time students take a semester?

Most schools consider a student taking less than three or four classes a semester (depending on the credit hours of the class) a part-time student. This may vary depending on if a school is on a quarter or trimester schedule.

How many credits do part-time students take a semester?

A part-time student usually takes fewer than 12 credits a semester, though that may differ based on a school’s definition of what a part-time student is. Again, this may vary if a school is on a quarter or trimester schedule.

How much does college cost as a part-time student?

How much a school costs as a part-time student will depend on the school. Typically, as a full-time student, you pay by the term (quarter, trimester, or semester), but as a part-time student, you often pay by the credit hour or how many classes you enroll in for a term.

It’s important to note that even if being a part-time student is cheaper in the short term, in the long run, it may ultimately cost more to graduate as a part-time student than as a full-time student. This is because students who are enrolled part-time are often charged by the number of credit hours they’re enrolled in and also may encounter additional fees, while full-time students may be charged a flat rate for a term, enabling them to take anywhere from 12 to 18 credits a term. Full-time students who enroll in enough credits a term may ultimately see cost-savings.

You may want to speak to an academic advisor to fully determine the costs of part-time and full-time enrollment to make the best choice for your situation.

How long does it take to graduate college as a part-time student?

A 2023 study by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, a nonprofit, found that 20% of students from the class of 2017 who were enrolled exclusively part-time graduated in six years . The same study found that 51.1% of students with mixed enrollment (a combination of part-time and full-time) graduated within six years.

How long it takes you to graduate as a part-time student will heavily depend on how many credits you ultimately end up taking each term, and your consistency in enrolling in classes each term.

Does the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA ® ) cover part-time students?

The FAFSA ® is used by students to access federal student aid including federal student loans, grants, and work-study, if they’re eligible. Part-time students may be eligible for federal financial aid if they’re enrolled in at least a half-time class load (usually around six credits per semester).

If you’re enrolled half-time as a part-time student, you apply for federal financial aid in the same way a full-time student would via the FAFSA ® .

Part-time students who are eligible for federal financial aid may receive less aid than full-time students, including a reduced Pell Grant award , because of their enrollment status.

How to decide whether to enroll as a part-time or full-time student

By looking at your immediate financial circumstances as well as the time commitment you can make to school, you may be able to get a gauge of whether you should attend college part-time or full-time.

When it comes to enrolling full-time, on the pro side, full-time students may be able to immerse themselves fully in their academic pursuits, allowing for deeper engagement with their studies and the college experience. Being enrolled full-time often leads students to graduate quicker and enables graduates to enter the workforce or pursue more advanced studies sooner. Additionally, full-time status may qualify students for more scholarships and financial aid opportunities, which may reduce the cost of obtaining a degree.

When it comes to attending college part-time, one significant advantage is the flexibility it offers, allowing students to balance their education with work, family responsibilities, and other commitments. This can make attending college more accessible, especially for those who need to maintain a job or care for family members. Part-time enrollment can provide an opportunity to gain practical work experience while in school, too.

Final thoughts

At the end of the day, your status as a part-time or full-time student may change throughout your college career. Sometimes, life happens, and you may want to change from being a full-time to a part-time student, for instance. Even if you find yourself in this situation, know that if you stay the course, you’ll still graduate with a diploma; it may just take a bit longer.

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How Tesla Planted the Seeds for Its Own Potential Downfall

Elon musk’s factory in china saved his company and made him ultrarich. now, it may backfire..

Hosted by Katrin Bennhold

Featuring Mara Hvistendahl

Produced by Rikki Novetsky and Mooj Zadie

With Rachelle Bonja

Edited by Lisa Chow and Alexandra Leigh Young

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Diane Wong ,  Elisheba Ittoop and Sophia Lanman

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

When Elon Musk set up Tesla’s factory in China, he made a bet that brought him cheap parts and capable workers — a bet that made him ultrarich and saved his company.

Mara Hvistendahl, an investigative reporter for The Times, explains why, now, that lifeline may have given China the tools to beat Tesla at its own game.

On today’s episode

Mara Hvistendahl , an investigative reporter for The New York Times.

Background reading

A pivot to China saved Elon Musk. It also bound him to Beijing .

Mr. Musk helped create the Chinese electric vehicle industry. But he is now facing challenges there as well as scrutiny in the West over his reliance on China.

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The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Katrin Bennhold is the Berlin bureau chief. A former Nieman fellow at Harvard University, she previously reported from London and Paris, covering a range of topics from the rise of populism to gender. More about Katrin Bennhold

Mara Hvistendahl is an investigative reporter for The Times focused on Asia. More about Mara Hvistendahl

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