<p>I was offered $2000 in Federal Work Study from Rutgers for my freshman year. I am worried about being overwhelmed/too busy for my first semester. So, should I just work in the spring or should I work in fall and spring? Will working affect my studies? The maximum amount of hours one can work is 20 per week. </p>
<p>Anyway, just want advice on working fall of freshman year. Recommended or not?</p>
<p>I'd suggest that you DO work and try to find a job that might give you time to study while there, or else would be "educational" in some way. When my so started college, he took a job working "security" at night at the student center -- his job was to simply be there and basically enforce the no-smoking rule and make sure no one came in and tried to steal anything.. If a problem came up, then he was to call the actual campus security force. I used to joke with him and call it his "watchdog" job -- but of course he could bring his books and study. My daughter works as an assistant in one of the larger academic departments of her college -- she loves the job, and it puts her in regular contact with many faculty members, probably making good connections for the future. </p>
<p>Twenty hours a week could be a lot your first semester -- so you might want to start with about 10. </p>
<p>I don't know about you, but my kids needed to work for their spending money - I wasn't sending anything from home other than an occasional care package - so I think they really appreciated the checks they got from work study.</p>