<p>Wondering if anyone else had a similar experience or has any advice. Child #3 is a freshman at a state university of 11,000. Other two kids attended private schools of 4,000 and 2,000. Number 3 was awarded work study but a month into the school year has not found a job. She has enough $ for books but little left over for living expenses. (Kids are responsible for books and spending money.) We are frustrated that it has been so difficult for her to find a job. She has applied for 20+ jobs but has had only one interview. Jobs are posted on a website and the list is still changing. She contacted the FA office for help but was only referred to to the job-posting website. Other two kids did not get work study but had no trouble finding on-campus employment, and many of her friends with work study at other schools were assigned jobs. I don't know if her situation is related to the size of the school or the fact that it is a state school. Her award letter made no mention of the fact (as listed on the FA website) that a student should not depend on getting a job and that many students DON'T find employment through work study. Any thoughts? Thanks.</p>
<p>Can she apply for an off campus job? DS didn't qualify for work study, and that is what he did. DD did (two kids in college..) and had no trouble getting a job but she also applied for the jobs that were not popular (call center soliciting donations, for example). </p>
<p>My kids earned their spending money and book money working their summer jobs. Their school year jobs gave them a little "discretionary" spending money.</p>
<p>You're right, she SHOULD have earned enough over the summer but I think the idea of a "guaranteed" (we thought) job gave her a false sense of security. She is not destitute but has a very limited budget (and she's pretty frugal - not a shopper). Not a lot of opportunities to spend $ on campus, but she would like to take advantage of college-sponsored day/weekend trips that cost ~$50. Working off campus would take up a lot more time than I want my freshman so spend on a job - campus is on a busy road and she have to take a bus to get anywhere. I'm frustrated that she did not plan ahead better, but I guess we'll chalk this up to a learning experience. I'm a little annoyed that the school "offered" her a work study job, but what they really "offered" her was the opportunity to APPLY for a job. If that had been made clearer we might have approached this differently.</p>
<p>Do they have a separate listing of community service work study jobs? At my daughter's school (also a State school) there were not many WS listings on the Hire website but on the financial aid website there was a seperate link to a listing of community service WS jobs. She got one at a Govt lab which pays her more an hour than most of her friends earn at outside jobs. She does have to drive to it though so these type of jobs may require your daughter to get a bus if she has no transport - but they may also be somewhat flexible with hours. My daughter works 12 hours a week which is just right for her and gives her @ $100 a week to spend.</p>
<p>The other possibility if she cannot find a job and if she really needs the money is to have the WS converted into a subsidized loan. This is only possible if she has not already maxed out her subsidized loans for the year. For instance the maximum Stafford sub for a freshman is $3500 - if she does not already have that she can ask to have the WS converted.</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestions. I'll pass them on to my daughter.</p>
<p>There was another post from a parent of this sort which was particularly urgent as the money was absolutely needed. A call by the mom to the center resolved the problem very quickly, I remember. This happens a lot with work study, which is why I dislike the program. It's not guaranteed money, and it then takes away the ability to earn some of the EFC by working part time on campus like my son is doing.</p>
<p>Here's an odd story. DS was applying for jobs on his campus when he was a freshman. There was one job for which he was VERY qualified and he applied and they REALLY wanted him for the job. But the funds to pay for it were work study funds. They couldn't hire him because he did not receive WS as part of his package. Now here's the sad part. The job was NEVER filled. No one applied for it after DS, and it was vacant all year long. It was really too bad that the money couldn't have come from some other "kitty" because it really was a perfect job for him (and clearly, it wasn't perfect for anyone else).</p>
<p>I saw that a lot. It was almost ridiculous where we went to school, Thumper. ALL library jobs and security jobs were WS so no one who did not get such awards could get those jobs. None of the cafeteria jobs were WS.</p>
<p>My D is having trouble finding a job because all are work study, too. The reason ithe jobs are WS-only is because the government foots the bill for the majority of the cost of the WS wages. The jobs are budgeted for WS.</p>
<p>DDs at UCs had no problem finding WS jobs, D3 at a private with 2500 has yet to find a WS job, she interviewed for one which wanted 20+ hours and applied for many, began the very first weekend of orientation, but no luck. I did not think so many WS kids would be at this school which has many comfortably situated families, that she would not get a job. I assume she is still looking, but we did tell her not to take the 20 hour a week job. DD has some money to live on and the work study $ would be her spending money, so she has R&B & books and it just missing fun money, but still it would be very nice to have it. Just 10 hours a week is all we ask.</p>
<p>My D was "granted" WS also, and pretty much made up her own job. I don't know if it works this way at other schools, but since her school has the money from the Feds already, the department where she wanted to work said, sure, that's fine. Maybe your kids can do the same. Rather than apply for a job that others are also going after, can they think about what they would like to do, go to the department chair and ask if they can do it? It's not much skin off the school's back, and they already have the $.</p>
<p>Not all schools get all their WS funding from the feds. Most schools have to kick in a percentage (25%, I think) - so it won't always work to do what franglish suggests. It's worth a try, though.</p>
<p>I've recommended this to others and it worked for my D - talk to your professors. They may know of jobs that aren't posted on the website. Most of her profs hire their own TA's, graders, etc. by selecting capable students they know from their own classes. She's lined up WS jobs in advance for every semester so far this way.</p>
<p>Good suggestions. Last year my daughter was involved in a research project and the prof also let her do some paid work under WS cleaning the lab etc. It was not an advertised job. But it was sporadic so she did not make most of the WS allowance.</p>