<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I asked a professor to be his RA and he said it'd be great. He said he doesn't mind paying me. I don't really care about the money since the experience is a lot more valuable than $15/hour. But, he doesn't know if I should be paid or not. It's not a position he posted online, I just asked him through email. </p>
<p>Should I ask for a wage? Would it ruin the relationship if I work for free? What should I do?</p>
<p>I want to be treated like a serious RA.</p>
<p>I think you mean teaching assistant (TA) not RA (resident assistant). </p>
<p>You should be getting paid or, at the minimum, getting college credit.</p>
<p>Research Assistant.</p>
<p>Yeah I meant Research Assistant.</p>
<p>If he’s going to give you serious actual research to help with, then money should be part of the deal. It’s sort of a “you get what you pay for” thing, if he pays you, then you are more obligated to give your best. Plus it makes the whole thing more legitimate.</p>
<p>In my experience, the money came directly from the school not from the professor I was assisting.</p>
<p>So you’re saying that I should ask for a wage because that would encourage him to give me tougher work? Ok. </p>
<p>I think the school subsidizes only part of the wage. He’ll probably end up spending $5 of his own money per hour.</p>
<p>I’d still suggest getting paid or getting credit. Don’t do for free.</p>