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How do you study on campus without living paycheck to paycheck? Also if scholorships arent enough financial support is it recommended to work while in college?
I am a senior, Graduating in May. I have no work experience and have an interest in studying psychology to be either a clinical psychologist or a developmental psychologist.
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3 answers
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Yasmin’s Answer
Hi Camila👋🏻...
It’s definitely possible to study on campus without constantly stressing about money, but it takes planning.
1. Budget carefully: Track your expected expenses "tuition, housing, food, books" and compare them to scholarships, grants, and family support. Knowing your baseline helps you avoid surprises.
2. Maximize scholarships and grants: Apply broadly, including small awards. Even $500–$1,000 can add up.
3. Consider work-study or part-time jobs: Many students balance 10–15 hours per week on campus. Jobs in libraries, labs, or tutoring can even complement your psychology interests.
4. Look for flexible opportunities: Remote or campus jobs, research assistantships, or internships can help financially while giving experience in your field.
5. Prioritize your time: Working is manageable if you schedule study hours and maintain routines,don’t overcommit.
Working while in college is recommended if it supports your finances without harming academics. Focus on jobs that are flexible and, if possible, related to psychology—it’ll give you both income and experience.
It’s definitely possible to study on campus without constantly stressing about money, but it takes planning.
1. Budget carefully: Track your expected expenses "tuition, housing, food, books" and compare them to scholarships, grants, and family support. Knowing your baseline helps you avoid surprises.
2. Maximize scholarships and grants: Apply broadly, including small awards. Even $500–$1,000 can add up.
3. Consider work-study or part-time jobs: Many students balance 10–15 hours per week on campus. Jobs in libraries, labs, or tutoring can even complement your psychology interests.
4. Look for flexible opportunities: Remote or campus jobs, research assistantships, or internships can help financially while giving experience in your field.
5. Prioritize your time: Working is manageable if you schedule study hours and maintain routines,don’t overcommit.
Working while in college is recommended if it supports your finances without harming academics. Focus on jobs that are flexible and, if possible, related to psychology—it’ll give you both income and experience.
Updated
Diana’s Answer
Hi Camila!
This is a great question — and something many college students worry about, especially when scholarships don’t fully cover expenses.
Here are a few things to keep in mind if you want to study on campus without living paycheck-to-paycheck, and whether working during college is a good idea:
1. Budgeting is essential
Living on campus doesn’t always mean spending more — but it does require planning. Creating a simple budget for food, transportation, books, and personal expenses can help you avoid feeling like you are “surviving day by day.” Many students underestimate how much small costs add up.
2. Look for additional financial support
Scholarships often can be combined with:
• Work-study programs
• Departmental scholarships
• Research assistant positions
• Need-based grants
• Student support funds offered by the university
Sometimes you won’t find these on the main website — you have to ask your financial aid office directly.
3. Working while studying can be a good idea
A part-time job can help with expenses and give you valuable experience, especially if you want to study psychology later.
Just make sure:
• The job has flexible hours
• It doesn’t interfere with your classes
• It doesn’t overwhelm your mental health
Many students work 10–15 hours a week without harming their grades.
4. Jobs that are ideal for psychology students
If you want to become a clinical or developmental psychologist, these jobs give you great experience early on:
• Teaching or tutoring
• Resident assistant (RA)
• Peer mentor
• Behavioral technician assistant
• Research assistant in psychology labs
• Student ambassador
• Mental health peer support roles
These look great on future grad school applications.
5. It’s absolutely possible to study psychology without work experience yet
Most psychology students start without work experience. What matters more is your motivation, curiosity, and willingness to grow — all of which you clearly have.
Final thought
You don’t need to choose between studying and financial stability. With the right plan, many students manage both successfully. Working part-time can even help you develop skills that make you a stronger psychologist in the future.
If you have more questions about psychology careers or planning your college journey, feel free to ask!
This is a great question — and something many college students worry about, especially when scholarships don’t fully cover expenses.
Here are a few things to keep in mind if you want to study on campus without living paycheck-to-paycheck, and whether working during college is a good idea:
1. Budgeting is essential
Living on campus doesn’t always mean spending more — but it does require planning. Creating a simple budget for food, transportation, books, and personal expenses can help you avoid feeling like you are “surviving day by day.” Many students underestimate how much small costs add up.
2. Look for additional financial support
Scholarships often can be combined with:
• Work-study programs
• Departmental scholarships
• Research assistant positions
• Need-based grants
• Student support funds offered by the university
Sometimes you won’t find these on the main website — you have to ask your financial aid office directly.
3. Working while studying can be a good idea
A part-time job can help with expenses and give you valuable experience, especially if you want to study psychology later.
Just make sure:
• The job has flexible hours
• It doesn’t interfere with your classes
• It doesn’t overwhelm your mental health
Many students work 10–15 hours a week without harming their grades.
4. Jobs that are ideal for psychology students
If you want to become a clinical or developmental psychologist, these jobs give you great experience early on:
• Teaching or tutoring
• Resident assistant (RA)
• Peer mentor
• Behavioral technician assistant
• Research assistant in psychology labs
• Student ambassador
• Mental health peer support roles
These look great on future grad school applications.
5. It’s absolutely possible to study psychology without work experience yet
Most psychology students start without work experience. What matters more is your motivation, curiosity, and willingness to grow — all of which you clearly have.
Final thought
You don’t need to choose between studying and financial stability. With the right plan, many students manage both successfully. Working part-time can even help you develop skills that make you a stronger psychologist in the future.
If you have more questions about psychology careers or planning your college journey, feel free to ask!
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
1186
Answers
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hi Camila,
I'm delighted you're asking this question before you start college because it's so necessary and honest. It's quite common to worry about money while trying to zero in on school, particularly in disciplines like psychology, where graduate school may be necessary in the future. There are strategies to make education affordable without exhausting yourself, and you're not the only one who feels this way.
For a lot of students, it's important to plan for more than one source of help rather than just one. Although they are helpful, scholarships often address only one aspect of the problem. Grants, work-study, part-time employment, aid with finances, and wise budgeting all help. Although living on or close to school can seem costly, students can cut expenses by selecting shared housing, selecting meal plans that suit their actual eating patterns, and making use of campus resources like food pantries, free activities, and student health services.
Working while in college can be a viable alternative if scholarships aren't adequate, but how and how much you work counts. Academically successful students normally put in eight to twelve hours a week, particularly in their first year. Because supervisors are familiar with class schedules and tests, campus employment tends to be the best. Compared to occupations outside campus, positions like library assistant, front desk employee, research assistant, or peer mentor are flexible and low-stress.
You can be strategic about your work experience because you are interested in developmental or clinical psychology. Even entry-level positions like research lab assistant, childcare assistant, after-school program helper, or peer support jobs can help you achieve your future objectives and make money. Some positions begin as work-study or volunteer work before being compensated.
It's acceptable to have no prior work experience. Since campus jobs are meant for beginners, many first-year students begin with them. Colleges expect this and usually offer instruction. Reliability and openness to learning are more important.
Realistic budgeting is an additional essential element. Buying secondhand textbooks, preparing meals in advance, avoiding needless credit card debt, and being aware of your monthly spending can all have a significant impact. It's also important to find out if your institution provides short-term financial aid or emergency grants; many do, and students tend to be unaware of this.
Above all, working while in college should complement your education rather than interfere with it. You ought to revisit if you ever notice problems with your grades, mental health, or sleep. Your long-term objective, particularly graduate school in psychology, depends less on working as many hours as you can and more on having a solid academic record and relevant experience.
You're handling this in the proper manner. Studying psychology without living paycheck to paycheck is totally achievable with careful planning, a reasonable job schedule, and the use of university resources.
Best wishes!
I'm delighted you're asking this question before you start college because it's so necessary and honest. It's quite common to worry about money while trying to zero in on school, particularly in disciplines like psychology, where graduate school may be necessary in the future. There are strategies to make education affordable without exhausting yourself, and you're not the only one who feels this way.
For a lot of students, it's important to plan for more than one source of help rather than just one. Although they are helpful, scholarships often address only one aspect of the problem. Grants, work-study, part-time employment, aid with finances, and wise budgeting all help. Although living on or close to school can seem costly, students can cut expenses by selecting shared housing, selecting meal plans that suit their actual eating patterns, and making use of campus resources like food pantries, free activities, and student health services.
Working while in college can be a viable alternative if scholarships aren't adequate, but how and how much you work counts. Academically successful students normally put in eight to twelve hours a week, particularly in their first year. Because supervisors are familiar with class schedules and tests, campus employment tends to be the best. Compared to occupations outside campus, positions like library assistant, front desk employee, research assistant, or peer mentor are flexible and low-stress.
You can be strategic about your work experience because you are interested in developmental or clinical psychology. Even entry-level positions like research lab assistant, childcare assistant, after-school program helper, or peer support jobs can help you achieve your future objectives and make money. Some positions begin as work-study or volunteer work before being compensated.
It's acceptable to have no prior work experience. Since campus jobs are meant for beginners, many first-year students begin with them. Colleges expect this and usually offer instruction. Reliability and openness to learning are more important.
Realistic budgeting is an additional essential element. Buying secondhand textbooks, preparing meals in advance, avoiding needless credit card debt, and being aware of your monthly spending can all have a significant impact. It's also important to find out if your institution provides short-term financial aid or emergency grants; many do, and students tend to be unaware of this.
Above all, working while in college should complement your education rather than interfere with it. You ought to revisit if you ever notice problems with your grades, mental health, or sleep. Your long-term objective, particularly graduate school in psychology, depends less on working as many hours as you can and more on having a solid academic record and relevant experience.
You're handling this in the proper manner. Studying psychology without living paycheck to paycheck is totally achievable with careful planning, a reasonable job schedule, and the use of university resources.
Best wishes!