Having a job?

<p>Work Study and being a pre-med student, do they mix well together? (concerned about keeping grades up and having time to "breathe", etc...)</p>

<p>Depends on the work-study job. If you start looking early you will get a better selection. My sons and daughters had choices and after you have gotten a feel for the campus you can change jobs. </p>

<p>My kiddos were able to get work study jobs that led to research and some clinical exposure. Especially if your undergrad has a med school/teaching hospital attached. Daughter had a work study job all 4 years from the attached hospital/clinic and when the work study money was exhausted for the semester/year they had another budget to pay her out of, so she was able to pick up more hours and was paid at a higher rate. Made a huge difference financially for her. Also since it was in medicine they were very understanding of her study time and exams. Worked out nicely.</p>

<p>Be thoughtful about it and it can enhance your experience as an undergrad. Be sure to keep your options open by looking early, funds can be depeleted quickly. So make sure to submit your FAFSA and school financial aid forms early in the year as well as that is when they award work study and SEOG funds. They unlike Pell Grants are first come first serve. So work study awards can vary based on your need and what the school has left.</p>

<p>Kat</p>

<p>I would imagine that many/most pre-med students either do work study or a part time job. My son did. He did cut back his hours during the 2 semesters that he had Orgo… only worked on Friday afternoons that year. Otherwise, he’s worked throughout college.</p>

<p>I do not know about hours for Work Study. Most (all?) pre-med work during school year. I do not know how it compares to Work Study. They also do other EC’s like Research Lab interships, volunteering, some like to be in Greek, other pursuits in area of personal interests. So there is enough time, time management is a key. The more you do it, the better you are prepared for Med. School. My D. worked and did all of her EC’s during school year. There are no opportunities in her home town in a summer, no jobs, even volunteering was hard to obtain.</p>

<p>Both my kiddos worked (not eligible for work/study due merit aid) during semesters. </p>

<p>D1 tutored math and sciences at the school’s academic support center–great gig. She could review her OChem and get paid at the sme time! Also could set her own hours. Many of pre meds did tutoring and she keeps running into people from the tutorinmg center in med school. She also TAed and had paid research.</p>

<p>D1 also spent a couple of semesters folding jeans at Abercrombie. (She loved the discounts, hated the hours and her jerk of boss.)</p>

<p>D2 TAed, was the NROTC math tutor, and had paid lab research. (She’s the one who has had 2 jobs at the same time since her sophomore year.)</p>

<p>Both did fine academically; both had plenty of time to do other stuff beside work, study and jump thru pre med EC hoops. Both said the working helped them learn to balance priorities and manage time better.</p>