<p>Are any of you under the work-study program? Is it a wise decision? What are the ups and downs, and would you recommend it for someone who will not be able to pay for college?</p>
<p>I am a high school senior, and I would NOT recommend work-study for the following reasons:</p>
<p>[ul]You don't choose your job; it chooses you.[/ul]</p>
<p>[ul]You can't "shop around" to find the job that suits you.[/ul]</p>
<p>[ul]Even if your employer likes you, they can only let you work a set amount of hours a week, or they can lose their funding.[/ul]</p>
<p>Those are just my thoughts. If anyone has any experience in this area, I would love to hear from them!</p>
<p>I think that work study is alright as long as you research it well. Some schools, do not have much in the way of work study. Some schools have an overabundance of work study students, but only a few positions. </p>
<p>Please, babyblue, research these things. I was offered work study one time, but I found out that the ratio of students to work study jobs was well over 7,000:250. No lie, man. Research that well, please. If the ratio is mighty out of whack, then please be careful.</p>
<p>Well I'm referring to the University of California schools (ie: UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC San Diego).</p>
<p>If you don't indicate that you are interested in the work-study program on your FAFSA, can you still apply later on when you're at the school? </p>
<p>-Also, will you get less financial aid (FAFSA) if you indicate that you want to participate in the work-study program? (Is it binding?)</p>
<p>Work study in my kids unis has been great- the wages are subsidized by the grant, so the employer gets you for 50% of the normal cost, making you a more attractive new hire. </p>
<p>You find your own job, no guarantee though, they do not promise you a job!! But you can shop around and find a job you like, though many can be boring filing/mail room kinda stuff or washing dishes in the bio lab, etc. </p>
<p>You can also have an outside employer apply to be a work study participant, they get 40% funding if they are for profit! </p>
<p>Usually the hours are set at 10 to prevent you from being overworked, I have never heard of any one losing funding; however, your position in only funded to a certain max amount, so yes, you could run out by the end of the year, though that has not happened to my kids yet.</p>
<p>You can even use it over the summer, if you stay on campus or if they have work you do from afar. My D does data entry and they are offering her the opportunity to do it for them on her study abroad!!</p>
<p>When you do the FAFSA the next year, the WS earnings are subtracted from income, so it does not count for the next year's aid picture! Non WS jobs do!!</p>
<p>BabyBlue,</p>
<p>You can probably apply for jobs on or close to campus that are not "work study" per se but are open to students. If you indicate that you want work study on your FAFSA, your other financial aid (loans, need-based aid, etc.) can be cut back to match your total need. Since your question is specific to the UC schools, you may want to post this same question on the school-specific boards. HIH!</p>
<p>Travis</p>
<p>ETA: somemom, I apologize for my earlier post. I am basing my information on what I have heard, and I am the first to admit that I can be wrong. Sorry!</p>
<p>Actually you can, at UCs, convert some loan student loan offers to WS if you use a HE line to pay what could have been student loans, you can max out the work study and even work full time over summer!</p>
<p>WS is not binding, I would say you should ask for it, we have done about 7 years of UC and my kids have had part time jobs, some WS, some not, almosts all along. The nice thing about WS is how they should be willing to to adapt to your schedule..like finals week. I do not know if they will let you ad it later, sya, "YES" now and you can decline it if you wish later, just like you can decline loans which are offered.</p>
<p>Work Study is a great opportunity. You pick the job-- and there are often many opportunities, you might get a job that compliments your interests. Often on campus, so transportation isn't an issue. Often flexible hours to accommodate the student's class schedule. Good experience. And the student income doesn't count against you financial-aid-wise, as normal income can.</p>
<p>By all means, check "yes" on work study. You can always decline it. And you won't get more grant money by checking "no."</p>
<p>Thanks for all of your guys' help! :)</p>
<p>I can report that at two out of two institutions I am familiar with, the work study jobs were easy to get, easy to do, had lots of hang out time with nice people, paid well, 100% positive. I don't understand the negative comments above, but they are completely contrary to my experience.</p>
<p>My son has work study at a UC. Great job; great pay; great experience. </p>
<p>Agree with dt123.....in our experience work study has been 100% positive.</p>
<p>If you indicate you are interested in work study on ur FAFSA, in no way are you obligated to take advantage of the program, so it definitely doesn't hurt to indicate you're interested.</p>