Students worldwide face the controversy of either taking a job as they undergo their
studies or concentrating on their studies. Notably, the work experience and extra income gained
is often weighed against the hours of devoted study lost in the process. There is a high population
of students employed in the United States while attending their colleges, which has affected their
studies. Torn between taking up job opportunities, earning extra cash, and gaining work
experience, students often must handle the effects of working or being employed while attending
their colleges.
So many would ask the question, what causes students to go for job opportunities while
attending college? Well, there are several answers to that question, and one of the major causes
of student's employment while attending college is the financial burden that, according to
research, has been persistent since the 2008 recession (Victor B. et al., 43). The cost of studies in
the United States has gone up, and college tuition has been rising as states cut government
funding due to the economic downturns. On the other hand, parents find it difficult to cover the
costs of their children's higher studies, which is attributed to the higher costs of living. Driven by
the urge to be independent, some students are also motivated to get employment that can
generally relieve their financial stress and live a better campus life (Victor B. et al., 57). These
are generally the major causes of students working or rather being employed while attending
college.
Notably, being employed while attending college affects the student's personal life. One
of the major effects is that it denies the student the social life they much deserve while in college.
Most of these working students lack free time, so they have to neglect their families and friends,
who are critical aspects of a person's social life (Dundes et al., 111). They cannot be around their
friends and friends more often as they want to lead to psychological effects like stress to the
student. Recent research shows that 50% of students who were surveyed in a university were
sleep-deprived. Most of these students report having sleep difficulties while others have
difficulty staying awake. Most of these are students having jobs and constantly have to keep their
job as they go along with their studies. Hence, combined with the lack of free time for social life,
these students often have difficulties undergoing their studies.
Employment while in college leaves the students with less free time to handle their
academic work since in-class teachings are never enough for any student. The employment hence
negatively impacts the student's performance. Research conducted by the United States National
Research Councils shows that students who are employed working for 20 hours or more every
week have consistently got low grades compared to those working fewer hours or those
completely not working. Other numerous studies have confirmed this finding, making it a fact. It
has also been found that 40% of the students working report that job limits their class choices,
30% states the job reduces the number of classes they pick, and 26% claim the jobs reduce their
access to the library (Dundes et al., 118). Balancing between work and employment is the major
problem in this case, and so many students are unable to find a balance between the two.
EFFECTS OF BEING EMPLOYED WHILE IN COLLEGE 3
Employment while attending college also has a significant effect on the student's future
career. Most of the students who had previous job experience during their college studies have
higher chances of success in their fresh jobs after graduation (Mounsey et al., 380). Employers
love people with work experience, and this gives the students who worked in college better
chances of getting hired and perform even better in their jobs. Such students can multitask, and
this was evident while taking their studies. These students are able to not only manage their time
well but also stay organized in their line of duty. Companies never really need much time
training these students on handling certain situations as they already know. Moreover, studies
indicate that students who worked during their time in colleges are more likely to succeed in
managerial positions.
Lastly, students who work as they attend college are more likely to appreciate their career
paths. Trying different jobs during their college life gives them an insight into what they like and
what they do not really like, and so, it allows them to have their career paths clear as early as
during their college time (Mounsey et al., 386). They are hence less confused in the job market,
unlike the fresh graduates with no work experience. This is hence also another positive effect of
employment during college.
Torn between taking up job opportunities, earning extra cash, and gaining work
experience, students often must handle the effects of working or being employed while attending
their colleges. Most of the students are driven to get jobs because of the financial burden with the
ever-increasing cost of college tuition. The employment they get has both positive and negative
consequences. It denies them a social life and lowers their performance and, on the other hand,
gives them work experience and better performance once employed after graduation.
EFFECTS OF BEING EMPLOYED WHILE IN COLLEGE 4
REFERENCES
Dundes, Lauren, and Jeff Marx. "Balancing work and academics in college: Why do students working 10
to 19 hours per week excel?." Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice 8.1
(2006): 107-120.
Mounsey, Rebecca, Michael Vandehey, and George Diekhoff. "Working and non-working university
students: Anxiety, depression, and grade point average." College Student Journal 47.2 (2013): 379-389.
Sáenz, Victor B., et al. "Leveraging their family capital: How Latino males successfully navigate the