If you go to a college that gives you need-based financial aid and you become an RA after freshman year (which usually comes with either room/board or a cash paycheck), will the school decrease your need-based scholarship?
I’m a senior still waiting for decisions & financial aid from RD schools and obviously I know that you can’t count on being an RA since you might not get the job, but I was wondering if it might be a way to possibly make certain schools more affordable after freshman year.
I know it depends on the college, however – does it make a difference if you’re compensated by a paycheck vs. by getting free room and board? Also, is being an RA significantly harder/more time consuming than other jobs? I know a few RAs but most of them just like the job because of the single room…I’d be willing to do it for the money though, since room and board at some schools can be over 15k.
Thanks!
Yes, if you get a pay check you get a pay check, and that’s income. It may or may not change your FA, depending on other income and assets you have. Some schools do not pay but give you free r&b, and that should not change your income, but some schools could issue a 1099.
Yes, it is work. Since it is a hard to get job, I’d say most RAs think it is worth it.
If you are paid with a free room, the value of your free room may be part of your financial aid package. Whether or not it affects your need-based grant depends on a number of variables based on school policy and your individual financial aid situation … so there is no set answer. If you are paid with a paycheck, it can affect your aid 2 years later if it increases your income to a point where it would affect your EFC. Again, there is no set answer. I am not sure you’ll be able to know now what will happen later, so it might not be a good way to choose between schools.
My older daughter was an RA. It was hard work. She was on duty many nights and weekends, which meant she had to stay in the residence hall and had to be ready to provide emotional support to other students in the residence hall or to tell noisy classmates to be quiet (which they often didn’t want to hear).
@rosered55 Does your daughter regret her decision to be an RA?
At this point, probably not (she graduated from college several years ago), but at the time, I think she had regrets. It was my impression that one of the things her residence hall looked for in RAs was good interpersonal skills (makes sense, right?) and she has those. But she also likes to be liked (also makes sense), and she discovered that being an RA meant people didn’t like her if she had to tell them to be quiet (or “correct” them in other ways).
@rosered55 Makes alot of sense. Thanks for sharing.
Ok, thanks! You’re right @kelsmom, it seems like it’s highly dependent on the school and it’s so unpredictable I guess it’s too early to worry about it now. What I don’t get is why anyone would want to be an RA if you’re getting penalized for it later in need-based scholarships (unless you were already paying full price?).
@rosered55, how many hours per week would you say she worked as an RA? You still sleep on the nights you’re on duty, right? Honestly, I don’t think I could be “tough” enough for it…luckily there’s lots of other part-time jobs out there!
I don’t recall the number of hours my daughter worked.
I think her financial aid was not negatively affected. Her school does not promise to meet full need but did give her a generous financial aid package, a combination of need-based and merit grants, work study, and subsidized and unsubsidized loans. When she was an RA, I’m pretty sure the decrease in her housing costs was in addition to all this aid.
My daughter didn’t become an RA for financial reasons. She went to a college with a somewhat unique “living-learning” community and she was heavily emotionally invested in being a contributing part of the community. That was why she wanted to be an RA.
If you become an RA, and have your room/board costs (or whatever) given to you, your cost of attendance will be reduced by that amount. Colleges cannot give financial aid that exceeds your cost of attendance. So, I’m guessing that if your financial aid award includes money that covers room and board costs, you likely would see that reduced if you become an RA. The question is…what year will this happen on your financial aid forms?
My friend who was an RA had hours to work at the front desk. She always picked the overnight shift so she wasn’t sleeping, but could study pretty much uninterrupted at 3 am on a Wed. She of course was ‘on’ 24/7 for her floor.
You have to look at your situation.
I was an RA and thought it was great. The on-call rotates among the staff. It think the experience actually helped me when I became a parent. I definitely love the free board and big single room, first dibs on other residence halls related jobs. We got a small stipend and I’m sure it didn’t impact taxes. It was great for me since I had a full tuition scholarship, so my parents just needed to pay the student fees = nearly free private school education.
My DS gets good grant aid at his difficult school. I did not recommend he seek to become an RA since it would reduce his aid and cut in to his study time.
My DD#1 is social and looking to go to an OOS school. She is expecting a nominal scholarship. I have already told her how to follow a path to become an RA to help us with her college.
Need based aid is based on what the school expects you to pay in relation to the Cost of Attendance. If your COA is reduced by becoming an RA with free room and possibly board then it stands to reason you won’t receive as much aid as you now have reduced need. So if your COA is say 50k now and you receive 25k in aid and next year your COA is reduced to 35k due to free room and board, you most likely would still be responsible for that 25k.
It also depends on the school. My D was an RA and they did not receive free room or board, yet it was still one of the most competitive jobs to get on campus