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I'm going to have a job during college, do you guys have any suggestions on how to juggle both school and work?

I've heard that getting a job during college is extremely hard, and was wondering if you had anyway to help lift that load of both classes and work. #jobs

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Karen’s Answer

I advise a lot of students who are trying to do exactly what you describe. It is challenging, but you can do it. I would suggest the following:


When it comes time to register for classes try to pick classes that will make for a balanced school, homework, work, life, and sleep schedule. For example, some of my students like to have "school days" on Tuesdays and Thursdays which frees up MWF for working. This is not always doable, especially with when major courses are offered. Schedule appointments with your academic advisor during their office hours often throughout the semester.


Schedule in homework time into your weekly schedule. Try to schedule homework time at the same time as a professor's office hours (especially in courses that you believe you will find challenging) and do your homework close to that professor's office.


Always understand what your priority is. If you are working to keep yourself in school then school is your priority, so if your grades are slipping you need to cut back at your hours at work. If you barely make it through school with low grades it can be more difficult to land a job even though you made it through. Be vocal with your employer so they know that you have outside obligations.


Consider your timeline. Is it more feasible to work fulltime for a year to save up to go to college the following year? Many 4-year colleges have a full-time student status and a part-time student status. For example, at my institution it is common to take 5 three-credit courses per semester over 4 years, but some students take 4 three-credit courses and over 5 years. These students are still considered full time students (can live on campus and other full-time status benefits) but have more "extra" time to concentrate on their courses and/or work.


Consider attending a community college to reduce cost. I have students who take 4 three-credit courses at the 4-year college during the Fall and Spring semesters then take 2+ community college courses over the summer, transfer the courses in, and are still on track to graduate in 4 years.

Karen recommends the following next steps:

Seek help from your academic advisor
Meticulously plan your schedule
Keep your priorities straight
Consider your timeline
Be practical about reducing cost
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Terence’s Answer

A lot of this will be schedule dependent. Grouping your classes would help if that's an option, that would help minimize downtime. Largely, it's about organizing your time and having a level of discipline. If you're in your first year or two in college, time management and that discipline cannot be taken lightly. For most college students, it's probably their first time managing your own time and load. It's really easy to be all over the place with your time and not get a lot done.

If you're going to work, you need to think of your schedule in at least 4 parts - classes, schoolwork, job, and downtime. You really can't discount the downtime, as it plays into your mental health.
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