<p>Basically I lucked out and got at least my entire freshman year paid for through scholarships + work study. So I'm applying to a work study position before fall term in order to fill the remaining need that the scholarships didnt fill. Work study is part time, and since it won't actually give me "pocket money" I want to also have another part time job elsewhere. Is it unrealistic to hold two part time jobs and go to college full time? My family is probably not going to contribute much if at all (single mom three kids and broke grandparents pick scrap metal and live paycheck to paycheck).</p>
<p>Also is it unwise to do this? If I want to go to grad school eventually I will probably have to do some sort of internships/research papers etc outside of schoolwork and Idk how that fits into the already hectic schedule :P</p>
<p>I worked full-time while attending college full-time. I did research, had some publications, graduated with honors, etc. It is possible, but you have to have a lot of motivation and focus. </p>
<p>If possible, I would say to work your tail off over the summers/winters (even if that means juggling 3 jobs, or a full-time and part-time job, etc.) so you can save up money and work less during the school year. You’ll want to have some free time to enjoy yourself without stressing over money.</p>
<p>Well, I personally would never be able to do it. Heck, I wouldn’t even be able to do a part time job with college at all. Mainly because I’m a procrastinator, and in a lot of clubs and such. Most of my week is full with clubs and classes, and the weekend is dedicated to last minute homework.
But if you feel as though you can handle it, go for it, especially if you want pocket money. The only way I make the extra cash I need while at college is by dedicating some time to survey sites.</p>
<p>Not sure if your school offers it, but you may want to look into tutoring as a ‘second’ job. I tutored during UG and grad school…you basically make your own schedule and it’s good review of core subjects. I personally was in the sciences, so I tutored bio and chem, but you can theoretically tutor just about anything you’re good at.</p>
<p>I do two-three jobs at a time. One work-study, one part time (full time in the summer), and one seasonal job. Plus school. I can do it but I would NOT recommend it. It’s very difficult and most definitely not doable to 95% of students. </p>
<p>Start with a work-study job and see how much time you have left over. If you can do it, pick up a part time job. Or see if you can do a full time job in the summer to save up pocket money.</p>
<p>Be careful with your non-work study job. If you earn over a certain amount of money, then you can actually have your financial aid reduced the next year and put you in a bigger pit.</p>
<p>The best thing to do would be to try and find a job this summer and save up some money to put away for the year.</p>
<p>While things like room/board/tuition are paid for, you will need pocket money throughout the year for things like textbooks, school supplies, and any other random fees that come up. It’s really important to have a back-up source of money.</p>
<p>Even with me working during the school year and having everything paid up front the first semester, I still had to have money sent to me from my parents every once in a while. I came to school with $500 of graduation gift money and it was all gone due to the cost of things like textbooks and dorm supplies. I ended up taking half of my work study paychecks and putting them into savings while taking the other half to use as spending money. Second semester, all of my savings went to my tuition (which increased from first to second) and then I had to set up a payment plan and ask my parents for money for my textbooks.</p>
<p>Anyways, the point is, you should really talk to your mom. Even if she can send you $20-30 a month, that would be helpful. You will undoubtedly run into points where you need money for something. I think my parents ended up sending me about $50-75 every 1-2 months which was actually way less than what they had been spending on me when I lived with them. Things like utilities and food costs go down when you have one person less living with you.</p>
<p>As a freshman, you really shouldn’t be working more than about 15 hours a week either. More than that could risk your gPA which means losing scholarship money. When it comes down to it, you have to see which is more important: Grades or Job. If you’re on scholarship, those grades are worth several thousand dollars alone. Any part time job you take probably won’t be worth nearly as much as your grades.</p>