<p>My daughter was given work-study as part of her scholarship package, but has not been able to find a job on her campus since enrolling in Sept. Anyone else's child having a problem with that? She is not alone; other kids at her school are also experiencing difficulty...Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>If she is in need of money a Work STudy offer should be able to be converted into a subsidized loan (assuming she is not maxed out on subsidized loans). We (well she) converted part of my daughters into a stafford loan as she was awarded $3400 in WS and we did not see how she could earn that especially as she had an outside job at the time. </p>
<p>She ended up quitting the outside job (hours were interfering with school work) and ended up with a WS job but the project her prof is working on has been held up while they are waiting for some stuff so she has not earned any $$s this semester yet which is hurting her as that was her spending money.</p>
<p>I have heard here and elsewhere that this often can happen. </p>
<p>While my D ended up not having WS this year, I remember people at school saying "WS jobs aren't necessarily available the first month or so of school" but then if you didn't have something by November you were sort of out of luck....annoying....</p>
<p>I do know that at my D's school it is really totally up to the student to seek out the job - checking their online work study page, asking around at the library, performance center, etc. I think lots of students think "they GAVE me WS, so they will GIVE ME a job". Doesn't really work that way.</p>
<p>Has your daughter checked with the FA office to see whether there's a directory/contact list for WS jobs? Not all of the jobs are widely advertised (in part b/c not all need urgently to be filled), but they might still be available for the taking. At the very least, she might be able to ask for further tips on finding a position.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Have her also check to see if there are any tutoring jobs through America Reads. D worked for them last year at a facility near campus. They even paid 1/2 the hourly wage for travel time.</p>
<p>Not all jobs are posted. My daughter got her current job with the English dept. at her college by walking in at the beginning of the semester and asking if they needed help. She did that partly because I had warned her to get right on top of finding a work study job because my son had difficulty finding a job when he was a college freshman - so I knew that at many colleges it is important to get right on it. As it happens, it would not have been an issue at my d's school -- there's plenty of work to go around -- but I am raising this because a lot of times kids who don't have a lot of experience job-hunting miss opportunities simply because they don't know to look beyond formal postings. Both on campus & off, a lot of jobs are found or created by word of mouth.</p>
<p>$3400 in work/study? How much do they pay at your DD's school? (Unless the average salary is over $10 an hour, that seems like an unrealistic amount of workstudy.) My DS has $1800 of workstudy, and jobs range from a low of $7.50 an hour, to about $10 - $12 an hour. Dd works an oncampus job (not workstudy) and makes about $9 an hour.
Re; finding jobs. She should go and talk to the finaid department and see if they can help her locate a job. There should be an online listing service (such as at my kid's school) or lists up on message boards in the finaid office...</p>
<p>@ caruth</p>
<p>She needs to find a work-study job on her own. Many departments also list their job descriptions online on the work/study website. Ask administrators if they know a department that needs a work/study student. Have her contact the work/study office (usually also a part of financial aid). She must make make the intiative to search, apply and interview. Visit campus departments (academic, student center, research centers, athletic, cafeteria, etc.) and ask secretaries if they have any openings. If they do have an opening, schedule a interview right away or the moment you arrive in their office. Sitting and waiting for a job to land on her lap does not work. I had two work/study jobs through word-of-mouth and asking offices if they needed help. At my school, many students WISHED they were granted work/study because those positions were more abundant than the non-work/study options.</p>
<p>
[quote]
$3400 in work/study? How much do they pay at your DD's school? (Unless the average salary is over $10 an hour, that seems like an unrealistic amount of workstudy.) My DS has $1800 of workstudy, and jobs range from a low of $7.50 an hour, to about $10 - $12 an hour. Dd works an oncampus job (not workstudy) and makes about $9 an hour.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes we thought it was very high which is why we asked that part of it be converted to a subsidized loan. Even having done that she will not earn the entire amount remaining as work study. Her job pays $8 an hour which is on higher than average for her school. (I think $3400 is about the maximum you can be awarded - not sure why I think that - probably read it somewhere).</p>
<p>Thanks to all of you giving good advice, a few tips we haven't thought of...I know she needs to do this herself, but she has been trying very hard with dozens of resumes and apps sent out online, often not getting any response. Student employment office has been NO help AT ALL; have spoken to FinAid...they were concerned and caring, also reiterating the need to just "show up" at places in person. The idea of a work-study directory is one we had not looked into yet...also contacting administrators directly to ask if certain departments had a greater need. She is at a top academic school, and has done very well so far with academics and making new friends...I am proud of her adjustment to college. I still feel the school should be more active in helping her since they did offer her the work-study. Hopefully, she will have better results in the fall. Maybe its for the best, in that no job gave her a chance to acclimate to the work load and the new environment. (I'll be sure to pass that sentiment on to my quickly draining bank account, LOL). I used this site frequently during our exhausting and emotionally draining college search process...thought I was done, but glad to know you guys are still out there with all your support...Thanks!</p>
<p>I have heard that about work study jobs before we applied which is why the first year, we took the extra subsudized loan instead of the small 600.00 WS.</p>
<p>This year he had the opposite problem at her school, she didn't get a workstudy this year but almost every job she looked at said "workstudy only" Even the "workstudy preferred" came up empty. Because the money is alloted from a different area, many go without being filled, but she can't get a job because she doesn't qualify. Finally someone found her a job helping with a "books for the blind" project but it will only be for a month.
She has a small campus and no car, so it's hard.
My son is finding it difficult to find work also, but can walk to stores, etc. so it's easier.</p>
<p>Gaby - I also found it difficult to find non-WS campus jobs (small campus, no car). No shortage of available jobs on campus, like you said...I was just ineligible. If your daughter has any interest, encourage her to look for tutoring jobs. There's likely to be a peer tutoring program on her campus, and possibly a writing and/or math or other drop-in center. If there are any lower schools in the area, she could also see about advertising at them + meeting the kids somewhere like the college campus library. It's hard to get the hours to add up to those of a "normal" job, but tutoring is fun, it pays well, it's a valuable skill to have, it can be worked around an individual's schedule, and hey, it's a job :p</p>
<p>I found the work-study job I currently have (which I have been at since my sophomore year - I'm now a senior) by looking in the spring for jobs the next year. I did two interviews, was offered the job I took, and I never found out about the other position - I sent an email saying thanks, but I'm no longer interested. </p>
<p>My first year, I worked for dining services (as did a large portion of the other new students who had work-study). </p>
<p>While I know students who found work after the semester had started, I was able to begin working right away by having things lined up in advance.</p>
<p>My son had a hard time finding employment, none his first year and just a short-term job this year. They have a long list of nice postions on their financial aid page but 80% are work-study and the others are work-study prefered but he is always told they aren't hiring. I think even the "prefered" is considered work study unless they are desparate for someone. He is also going to look into tutoring but a lot of the outside families want the student to come to them, not vice-versa and he doesn't have a car. He also missed (has to check mail more often) a tutoring on campus job for freshman students in math. But he'll keep looking, I also told him your advice to try to get something very early....just filling out the applications doesn't do very much, you have to be a "pest".</p>