<p>Hey there,
I was just accepted ED to W&M, and I am so excited! I was wondering if RA positions for upperclassmen are reserved for financial need students, or if they are open to anyone. I am looking for ways to bring down the cost of attendence for out of state tuition, and hope to RA for a year or two at W&M. (Once I am not a freshman, of course :) )
Does anyone else know of other ways to cut down on costs?
Thanks!</p>
<p>Mom of accepted ED Class of 2015 and I grew up in the “burg”.ED 's dad attended W&M '84. He worked at Kings Arms Tavern throughout his stay. Colonial Williamsburg employs many college students. The shops on Merchants Square also employ students. While working at The Toymaker,there were 2 W&M students working along side of me. How about tutoring? Don’t forget to search ALL the scholarship oppurtunities out there. Apply and send in the financial aid application.Buy textbooks used-online.Sorry, don’t know about the RA criteria.
Those are a few ideas. Congratulations! You’ll love Williamsburg!</p>
<p>Wow, thank you Berliner! Yes, working during my time at W&M is going to be a must. Both of my parents worked their way through college at UVA as well. I am hoping to make about $5-7K per year, including summers of course! (And fingers crossed for scholarships.) Thats one of many great things about W&M, there are so many places to work that are in close proximity to campus. Congrats to your student, I can’t wait to meet them!</p>
<p>yes, there are definitely lots of students employed in merchant square… Baskin Robbins, the Cheese Shop, the bookstore, the Campus Shop all employ students. Some of the fancier restaurants do as well. There are also some jobs on campus, you can work in the Students Exchange in the Sadler Center, students monitor the pool tables by the mail, there are some jobs at Swem, you can work with dining services…</p>
<p>sophomores can definitely be RA’s… don’t know how competitive it is.</p>
<p>Congratulations!</p>
<p>About 2 people apply for every RA job, and financial need is not a requirement. Get involved with hall council if you want to be an RA, it definitely seems to help. Doing research with professors during the year and over the summer can pay quite a bit as well. If you include housing benefits as salary, you can make well over 10k per year. Throw is a seasonal job back home for breaks and you can add more to the mix.</p>
<p>Colonial Williamsburg was a great employer for my oldest d (a 2005 grad). She was offered as many hours as she could fit in at two CW stores, received a promotion, and even had health insurance through them once she graduated. She stayed in the Burg for about 6 months before a job in her desired field materialized, but was able to make ends meet during that time. If you have experience as a waiter/waitress, and are good, I’d say you can make a ton in tips if you’re able to find a position at one of the pricier restaurants (the taverns, Trellis, Fat Canary are all in CW and walking distance from campus).</p>
<p>My youngest d was easily able to find an on-campus job - it was supposed to be only 5 hours/week, but she probably works 15 hours weekly. Like many such jobs, she’s essentially able to do 3 or 4 hours of homework for every hour she actually has to devote to the job :).</p>
<p>None of these options pay as well as being an RA. That’s a very tough job, and I respect anyone who takes on that responsibility. If you’re up for that, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. And congrats on your acceptance - you have a wonderful experience in store!</p>
<p>Thank you everyone! This is some great advice. In the mean time, I will continue to work part-time here until I leave for the amazing W&M!</p>
<p>Lots of great suggestions here. Those on-campus jobs that are for work-study students are the only ones where financial need is a factor. Only those students awarded work study by the Financial Aid Office can apply for jobs denoted as work study.</p>
<p>Any other on-campus or off-campus job, including RA, is open to any student. On-campus jobs are generally limited to 20 hours per week and vary in wage and type of activity. Some are more rote while others are more substantive. Working for a professor or in particular departments can give students some great experience as well as some extra cash.</p>
<p>Thanks W&M Admission! I am not eligible for work-study; however, I would not mind waitressing in colonial garb.
Can’t wait to meet the deans who have so faithfully responded to my posts all these months! Everyone on this board is so helpful.</p>
<p>skydancer, you won’t know if you’re eligible for work study until you receive a financial aid award letter in the spring. You do have to apply for financial aid to be awarded to work study.</p>
<p>Depending on your major, there are often summer research projects that include housing and a modest stipend, if you want to stay in Williamsburg. Since summer is tourist season, you could easily pair that with a part-time job.</p>
<p>And of course, there are similar jobs available year-round, though some might require a car - freshman can’t bring their cars to campus, and you’d not want to pay the parking fee, anyway.<br>
Investigate the employers in town - certain retail stores provide college tuition assistance and/or scholarships (like Marriott, Harris-Teeter, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Walmart, Ukrops, Starbucks, etc.) And keep apprised of new store openings for this reason; as developments like New Town brings in new retailers, you might bump into a new one (Wegman’s, for example.) </p>
<p>Try to determine what the parameters are - for example, full-time only, or need to be a 5-year-employee. Finally, consider trying to get a job now, where you are, with the company (or industry or job class) you want to target - you’d have quite a leg up if, for example, you’ve worked for Marriott for six months if you plan to apply to Marriott in W’burg, or have a pharmacy tech license, if you want to work for a pharmacy, that kind of thing.</p>
<p>There are some websites, like monster and snagajob that might help identify who’s hiring, and what benefits they might offer.</p>
<p>A couple other random thoughts:</p>
<p>Carefully shop for books - they can be really expensive at the bookstore, even used ones - you can save a great deal of money shopping alternative sources (just be really careful to check the ISBN / editions.) Not sure the school appreciates me mentioning that … ;)</p>
<p>Many stores / restaurants offer student discounts for W&M students, be sure to take advantage.</p>
<p>Freshman can bring their car if they meet certain requirements… like having an off campus job that requires a car to get to.</p>
<p>W&M Admission, I am fairly positive that I don’t qualify for need-based aid. That doesn’t mean that my family can afford the full weight of college though, so I am responsible for about 1/4 of it. But hey, maybe I’ll get lucky!
Wow, thanks Squiddy! I am trying to get a job at Barnes and Nobles at home, so maybe that can carry over to Williamsburg!
As for driving…I don’t think I can pay for gas or parking, so I’ll get some exercise and ride my bike! :)</p>
<p>Fair enough Skydancer. We just generally encourage students to complete the FAFSA just in case. Since the FAFSA is free, it doesn’t cost a family anything to apply for need. If you believe you’re not eligible and our Financial Aid Office agrees, no harm done. But if they do find some aid you’re qualified for, it’s worth looking at. You don’t have to accept any aid offered but they make it available.</p>
<p>Yes, I am definitely completeing FAFSA! We are just not expecting anything (but my admission was a surprise, so maybe aid will be a surprise too!) Thank you so much for all of your help, I personally think the financial aid part is the most confusing element of the college process. Glad I have this resource.</p>
<p>skydancer, applying for financial aid can be confusing. You can always contact our Financial Aid Office (757-221-2420 or <a href=“mailto:finaid@wm.edu”>finaid@wm.edu</a>) for assistance.</p>
<p>Just a quick note, don’t work on the FAFSA yet. You have to wait until Jan. 1 when the new 2011 FAFSA comes out.</p>