<p>My daughter, entering her sophomore year at a private college, received work study last year but not this year. She had a job on campus last year which she loved and they asked to her to come back. In fact, they had asked her to stay the summer. Because she was not given the work study aid, she can return to this job. Now, I know she can get another work study job, etc... She just happens to love this job and they love her. I called to speak to FA. They were so unhelpful. We are in that "middle income" bracket which so sharply divides people on these boards.</p>
<p>This issue is NOT about the money. It is about a student who wants to work - Who knows and values freedom and responsibility that comes with holding down a job. It is about a four-year employment record that would look good on her resume when she graduates. It is about a high-priced private school that I believe, should take some responsibility to prepare students holistically for the real world. AND yes, it is about me. It is about me, realizing this expense was upcoming and starting my own business 5 years ago where I work 6 days/week, 51 weeks a year to give my daughter this opportunity. My choice: But I could work less and earn less money and get aid. Just a bad message all around. </p>
<p>This is my third and final college student. I've read for years the bitter debates on these boards between those of you who choose the private schools (for the record, my first two went to public schools - this one graduated 6th in her class of 420 and had different requirements) and those of you who don't. Every child/situation/family value system is different and I respect that. Denying her the opportunity to stay at her job is just not fair. </p>
<p>If she really likes that job, and if the department really likes her, she should discuss with them the steps that would need to be taken to turn that job into a non-work-study position, or to get her an equivalent position that is not classified as work-study. Sometimes that is possible.</p>
<p>Is the job she had last year classified as FWS ONLY, or can it also be filled by a student wage employee who is not on FWS? Perhaps it can be reclassified as happymomof1 mentions above. </p>
<p>Does her campus have other jobs that are not FWS jobs? </p>
<p>Where I teach there are many on campus jobs, some are FWS only, some are student wage, some are non-student wage, but students can hold the position… it is a mid-size state school, so there are specific classifications of employees. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, schools only have so much FWS to award, and I believe there are federal rules they must follow to determine is a student qualifies for FWS. Even then, I am not sure that all schools have enough FWS to award to meet the need of all students who qualify. </p>
<p>My SIL’s niece got a tiny work study award, and found the perfect job to use those hours at the end of the year. She got another small award the next year, used it on that same job and then was paid out of departmental funds. Many departments do have some funds and can use them on part time help and in cases like this. If they can’t afford her for the time she needs to work to earn what she needs, she can maybe work just a few hours to keep her feet (toes) wet, and work elsewhere to make more money. That’s what my SIL’s niece was doing–working actually 3 jobs to make ends meet that totalled about 18 hours a week. </p>
<p>There is not enough WS money to go around… That’s the bottom line. And your working less and making less money is not necessarily going to net out more even if it increases your child’s financial aid. It’s not like every additional dollar you make goes to the college. But if it’s not about the money, as you say, but about the job, perhaps your DD can even work a few hours in the dept as a volunteer. My son’s doing that this summer at his dept. Missed out on the internships because he wasn’t on the ball with the apps, so working for free this summer a few hours a week, tutoring and working at menial job to make the rent and living expenses that are what it costs for him to stay at the college rather than coming home this summer.</p>
<p>The old expressions of the many ways to skin a cat (gross, never got why it had to that) apply.</p>
<p>I hope she can stay with the job through department funds, but the reality is this happens all the time in real life too. A government contract expires and the private firm has to lay off employees. The government contract requires the private employer to hire certain people (a computer programmer with a college degree; a US citizen) even though a person who doesn’t meet those requirements has been doing a great job for this employer. WS is basically a government contract, run through the school. The government puts conditions on who can have the job and how much that person can be paid.</p>
<p>My son applied for a job for which he was extremely well qualified. Unfortunately it was funded with work study funds. The department boss tried and tried to get university funding for the position, and could not.</p>
<p>The really sad part…not ONE work study student applied for the job and it went unfilled for a whole year. </p>
<p>Really too bad…my son would have bee great, and they wanted to hire him but couldn’t.</p>
<p>However, the good news…he found another job that he really liked and worked at that for all the years he was an undergrad.</p>
<p>Hi. Thank you all for your responses. I was really just venting. I know that this is not the end of the world. Life is all about perspective and this is very minor. I needed a forum in which to complain and this is it! Harmless whining. She did contact her boss and will be able to keep the job - possibly fewer hours and definitely a lower wage but she’s happy. </p>
<p>Thumper - Your situation is more frustrating than ours (glad it worked out!) Perspective!</p>