<p>Parent here. </p>
<p>Just curious, what kind of work study job did you get, and what do you think of it? (I'm just talking about jobs that were part of your financial aid.)</p>
<p>My D works in the Philosophy Dept office, and she loves it. She makes coffee, runs errands for the profs, and makes copies of class handouts. When she's not doing something, she's allowed to read or study.</p>
<p>I do what your D does but only for a single professor. Next semester I’m going to be doing some “volunteer” work that the school pays for. I think its a neat idea. I’m applying to suicide prevention. I love volunteering, but simply can’t because I need money from work and don’t have time for both. Now I’ll be getting the best of both worlds. :)</p>
<p>I too do what your d does, but for a different department. Our department has major speakers brought in quarterly, and bi-weekly lunch colloquia, meaning I get delicious food as a perk, and my over-seers are wonderful. I’ve had the job since my freshman year and I actually miss it now that I’m gone for a quarter (abroad).</p>
<p>Tutoring and assisting some professors.</p>
<p>The tutoring is ridiculous. Sometimes I wonder how some of these students made it past high school.</p>
<p>I have two work-study jobs. I work at the library circulation desk and I grade homework for a math course. The library job is awesome because I am basically paid for doing my homework 
Grading is a bit more tedious, but it reminds me of some concepts which I have long forgotten.</p>
<p>I also have two work-study jobs. I work at my college’s alumni relations office doing a variety of office tasks, and I also work at my college’s academic computing center as a help desk technician. The latter job is much more difficult and challenging, but more enjoyable.</p>
<p>biotech lab assistant - >_< i am only doing it because the lab is open 24/7 and thus flexible with my schedule. I do odd jobs around the lab basically, nothing relating to sciences at all.</p>
<p>OK so far arbiter213 wins, because of the edible perks.</p>
<p>TheMan777: My D looked at a similar job, and decided against it because she was afraid she’d blow something up and kill someone. I suspected that the job would be more like washing beakers and putting them in the cupboard, but she was still just too nervous about it.</p>
<p>Haha LasMa, I am new so I don’t get to do that yet, but lets hope that doesn’t happen to me when it comes time for me to do that.</p>
<p>LOL. I told her that I doubt they allow freshman workstudy’s anywhere near the deadly chemicals.</p>
<p>I work at the circulation desk of the school library; pretty much like borium said, I get paid to do my homework. We get free lunch at our meetings every month, various library access perks, etc… Not to mention that the supervisors are amazing.</p>
<p>How many hours a week are you guys getting? Does your work study money automatically go toward tuition and fees, or do you get a regular pay check that could be spent on anything?</p>
<p>My daughter worked at a USDA lab. Mostly related for looking for bugs on something (wheat). She managed to earn her full workstudy award - I think she had abut 15 hours a week.</p>
<p>WS wages are paid to you in a paycheck. In my daughter’s case she got paid every other week. WS income is taxable income for federal and state purposes, but not for FICA.</p>
<p>October47: My D works 8 hours a week. She does get an actual paycheck, which as far as the school is concerned, she could cash and go to Vegas. The deal that she and I have is: Since this job was part of her financial aid, she walks the paycheck down to the Accounting office, and they apply it to her tuition. But that’s just our arrangement.</p>
<p>Thanks! Who got to decide the hours, you or the school? Or does it just depend on the demand of hours the school has at the moment?</p>
<p>Sorry, I’m just beginning to rethink the idea of doing work study.</p>
<p>You decide your own hours, but many times they are not flexible (thus my job). They typically stick you in the offices, which generally close around 5-6 and open only on weekdays. Combined with classes and the fact that you usually need to work at least a 3 hour shift at a time, they can be a real hassle.</p>
<p>I work at an elementary school in downtown Lansing. I work in an ELL room with all English language learners (1st grade) and teach them how to speak English, how to read, and how to do math. </p>
<p>It takes me about a hour of travel time every day, which kind of sucks. I work 3 days a week (4.25 hours for 2 days, 4.75 hours one day). </p>
<p>I love my job. I really do. I love all the kids and I think I want to be either an ELL or special education (to work with the deaf) teacher.</p>
<p>I decide my days and hours. Plus the pay is MUCH better than almost any non-WS on-campus job. Plus, I get travel time, and I get like $8 taken out in taxes every paycheck (when I get around $220 per pay check).</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>D and her supervisor worked out her schedule for the semester, based on her class schedule. She works from 8am-10am two days a week, and 1pm-3pm two days a week. That’s a set schedule for the whole semester, and will be re-negotiated in January based on her spring class schedule.</p>
<p>One advantage of an on-campus work study job is that your supervisor knows you’re a student, and understands that your studies take priority. For example, if D wants to work fewer hours during the week before finals, I’m sure there will be no problem with rescheduling those hours. It doesn’t hurt that she’s working in the same office with her academic advisor, who will run interference for her if necessary. But I don’t think it will be.</p>
<p>ETA: romanigypsyeyes: What a wonderful job! The best work study jobs are the ones that are related to your passion and/or field of study.</p>
<p>The hours are usually decided between you and the school. At my daughter’s school the pay varies depending on the job. Anything from minimum wage upward. My daughter had one of the highest paying jobs at her school at $9.24 an hour, so was able to make her full award working 12-15 hours a week. Even though her WS job was off campus she had a boss who was very flexible about hours, especially at exam time. Working less hours may mean you do not make your full award.</p>
<p>She doesn’t have WS this year as she got the SMART grant in addition to her other aid this year so had no remaining need. She quite misses it. At her school on campus jobs that are not WS are very few.</p>
<p>Thanks LasMa. I had no intention of ever teaching before this job, but I just fell into loving it. It has opened up a whole new world for me.</p>