WHY YOU SHOULD WORK IN COLLEGE
The costs of going to college is rising, so much as 8.3% last year or about $5,200 more. States have cut funding for higher education by almost 11% last year, as well as, parental contributions have decreased by 10% covering on average, 27% of their child’s tuition. This is due to in part because of the 2008 financial crisis, but it also does not help that overall the cost of college has increased by almost six-times since the 1980s. By these statistics alone and the fact that the average student is coming out of school $38,000 in debt means that you should consider everything you can while in school to keep that down, considering that on average a college graduate is landing a job that pay’s $50,000 a year, which could keep your student debt looming for years.
There are many experiences to be had while in college, but one of them that students seem to put off until junior or senior year is getting a job. But there are many benefits to getting a job while in school that will pay off in the long run. As discussed above it will help you pay off your debt quicker, or if it is a minimum wage job it could help reduce the stress of monthly family contributions to pay for living expenses, or save up for summer trips, or a car. As well, working while in school provides valuable job experiences. Why wait until senior year to start knocking off the 1,000 Starbucks runs, or creating spread sheets, start your experience now and look for a company you can grow with to not only experience real world situations, but also build up your role over four years of school. While school can sometimes be enough to fill up your plate when it comes to your free time, college is structured much differently than high school, in such a way where you have a lot more flexibility with your schedule and can set it up in a way where you can still work a few days a week or certain hours every day. There are many companies out there that are looking for young talent to handle social media, technology, design and an array of skills that millennial's are inherently well versed in, so approach a company with a desire to give them a disproportionate amount of value and you will receive a great experience and grow your career at the same time. Having that job and managing your schedule properly will create great management skills that will benefit you throughout your career. Many students find that in taking on a part-time job while in school your grades rise, because just like high school, when you had your schedule filled with sports, and clubs you only had a set time to accomplish school work, as well as, kept to a higher standard and already in the mindset to get work done. Finally, when working full-time many companies will offer benefits such as a 401k plan, health insurance, and tuition assistance while attending college. There are many reasons to consider working while in school, but the best thing to do is start early and work hard, define your future do not wait for college to be over to say — hey, should probably throw together a resume — the entire purpose of school is to prepare yourself for your future so why wait?
Sources:
https://thinkprogress.org/nearly-80-percent-of-students-work-while-in-school-2f44edacd275
https://www.thebalance.com/can-i-work-and-go-to-college-2386212
