<p>Should my son accept the work-study on the Award letter, when he has already a job on campus that could be a regular job. What is really the advantages to do that job has a work study vs a regular paid job?
Once he accepts the work-study, does he still have the choice to do it has a regular one? Thank you</p>
<p>Yes, he should accept the Work Study award. That just entitles him to those funds and those jobs IF he should find one. A job that fits a student’s liking, schedule and logistics is not necessarily guaranteed , just the right to getting those funds IF he should find such a job on the listings. Without the award, he is not eligible for any of those jobs and funds.</p>
<p>I’ve told this true story often on this board and will tell you again. My niece got a small work study award freshman year and couldn’t find anything on the list that made sense. She had worked at a Yogurt shop at home over the summers and the chain had a shop right near campus. They hired her at an above min wage rate, gave her the hours she wanted for her schedule and the place was located perfectly for her needs. Win,win. Forget the workstudy. </p>
<p>Until one day, she found out there was a job in a departmental office right after and outside a class she took that fit her niche just right. A position that paid with workstudy funds. So she took it. Just a few hours a week, and to her delight it parlayed into a great job that dovetailed with her interests and future field of work. She worked there the next year and they paid her out of dept funds to supplement the work study when her allotment ran out. She worked there last summer. And it led to her current job after graduation. So, these things can happen. </p>
<p>It’s not unusual for a freshman to not find a position or for jobs opening up the second term when someone who had the position first term can’t take it due to new schedule or they left , or whatever. So keep the allocation and keep the eyes open for jobs that come up on the work study list that may interest the son, is my advice to him. The list of jobs available is a changing one.</p>
<p>My kid’s school doesn’t give the option of declining a work study award. You either find a work study job or you don’t. Generally, schools would prefer to pay students out of work study funds. I don’t see a reason to decline it. Given the same job, I think the U will decide whether to pay out of work study funds or not. The only difference is that the income from a need based employment program such as work study is subtracted out of student AGI in the fafsa formula and assets(if you can identify them) don’t need to be included as student assets on fafsa.</p>