<p>I'm a freshmen. I received Federal Work Study as part of my aid package, but I could not find a job. In the fall I was waiting on a particular job (the woman that supervises the WS students told me the day I moved in that if I had work study, I had the job). I turned in my paperwork two days later and never heard from anyone. I even went there myself...nothing. By the time I finally started looking for a different job, there were none. I know that jobs sometimes open up in the spring (people graduate, transfer, etc.) so I tried again. I applied for 8 different jobs and every single one turned me down. Someone else had beaten me to it, my schedule didn't work, I wasn't the right major (seriously?). </p>
<p>I don't go to a small school - its a large urban university. I was promised at the meeting the second day I was here that there are more jobs than students and that everyone would get a job. I can't get a job off-campus because they want me to work too many hours (15 credits and one club I am seriously involved in (performance based - they need me), plus 20+ hours a week? Forget it). The money from work study was supposed to be personal spending money and I burned though most of the money I earned at my summer job for a concert (at my mom's consent I might add - she thought I would get a job!). Now my family has to send me money, which they really can't afford, so I can get a decent meal. I have a meal plan, but the main cafeteria's food makes me physically ill (I have gallbladder issues) and all the good places have really weird hours. There is a convience store that is part of the meal plan, but the prices are insane. Laundry is insanely expensive to do (5 dollars for a weeks forth). I'm flying though my meal plan and running my parents into the ground! But I digress...</p>
<p>Will this effect whether or not I receive work study for 2010-11? Keep in mind I might not say I want it after for next year, after the mess this year. </p>
<p>Go to the financial aid office and tell them you weren’t able to secure a job. This happened to my son one semester, he applied for every position posted that he could do and couldn’t secure one. He went back to finaid and they found him a great job in a day. I would do this now as there’s still time this semester to get some money into your pockets. My son did not use his work study freshman year, always intended to, but found an off campus job at a higher rate of pay that he preferred. He was awarded work/study again sophomore year and jumped as the hours were less and he just needed walking around money not 20 hours a week, so I don’t think you should be impacted next year, when you go tell them your story about work study and ask them about next year. It is entirely possible that work study is not managed by the financial aid office, but they are a great place to stop first since it was part of your finaid package and they will certainly know who to connect you that can help at your university.</p>
<p>I have a fridge, a microwave and a coffee pot. The only thing that has really saved me money is the coffee pot. I have to buy things to make food and the nearest chain grocery store is annoyingly overpriced and they don’t have a savings card. There is a 7-11 right by my dorm and they are resonably priced, unless it snows. During the “snowpocalypse” I went there because nothing else was open. There was a line out the door and one of the clerks was, in plain sight, restickering products with new prices. The girl in front of me complained, but we were told that new prices had come in BEFORE the snow hit, so we couldn’t do anything about it. I spent $25 on a box of cereal, a carton of milk, two bottled waters and 3 bowls of EasyMac (which I live on and are usually 50 cents a piece, a big factor in why I eat them). </p>
<p>All the local stores already have higher than normal prices because they prey on the college kids, except for the mast food places like McDonalds. They actually have LOWER prices (compared to the one back home), but you can only eat so much fast food before you make yourself sick and/or gain ten pounds. I’ve literally been living on Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Chick-Fil-A because they’re on my meal plan (which is eating away at said meal plan). </p>
<p>This is less about work study and more about the fact that I have no money…</p>
<p>I contacted both the FA office and the Work Study office last semester. FA told me to go to Work Study and work study gave me a print out of the jobs listed in their database, the same one I couldn’t find a job in. I know for a fact I am not the only person who can’t find a job.
I went to a big school because they were so highly ranked for my major(s) and their variety of classes. I guess this is just part of the package.
Really, I can live with it, because I love living and going to school here. Its just an inconvience.</p>
<p>I recently learned something about work study that I didn’t know before. My D is also a freshman & hasn’t found a work study job yet, although I don’t think she’s tried as hard as you! She told us recently that she decided to participate in an after school tutoring program in the inner city near her school & can get paid for it! I looked on her college website & found that any college/university that participates in the work study program must set aside at least 7% of Federal Work Study funds to support student work study placements in off-campus community service organizations. If I were you, I’d inquire about this in the work study office. If they say that they don’t have anything like that available, then they are not in compliance with Federal Work Study requirements.</p>
<p>Yes TC mom, the job the finaid office “found” for my son was at the local arts/community center within walking distance from campus. It was wonderful. Perhaps the OP needs to ask this specific question. My son never asked, the finaid office simply called him and said “found you a job” here’s who you call.</p>
<p>My daughters school has a list of the off campus jobs that are available as work study. It is not on the same web page as the other jobs.It includes things such as tutoring, working for the domestic violence shelter, working for the local police department, all sorts of interesting stuff. Last year she worked for a USDA lab and made more an hour than most of her friends that had non WS type jobs. She didn’t get WS this year (qualified for the SMART grant so he need was fully met without WS).She quite missed her job.</p>
<p>My kiddo’s first work study job was at the call center phoning folks for donations. It was NOT a glamorous job at all and she got hung up on a LOT. BUT it was a job. At her school, it was one W-S job that was always available. Not too many kids were interested in doing telemarketing. My kid loved it. You might want to inquire about that too.</p>
<p>If your issue is one of not having money…and not just the W-S issue, have you tried to find employment that is NOT work study? Near both of my kids’ schools there were plenty of fast food places that were always hiring. Again…not glamorous, but paid!!</p>
<p>I know this does not help for this year but for next year apply early (meaning this year) for a job as a RA. At most schools this will pay for your room and sometimes your board.</p>