7 Critical Reasons Your Child Should Work During College

A new study commissioned by the United States Department of Labor unveiled some startling information.
Part-time campus jobs not only help students make money, but they can also help raise grade-point averages.

The study, based on hundreds of undergraduates between 1996 and 2004, found that the average GPA of freshmen at four-year universities who worked between one and twenty hours a week was 3.13 versus only 3.04 for kid’s with no work.

Information a lot of kids today might not want to hear.

Here are 7 excellent reasons you should consider having your child work during college…

1. Get better grades. The number one thing that the US Department of Labor Study concluded was that college kid’s who work one to twenty hours get better grades. Plus they have a better chance of graduating.
2. Help pay for tuition. It is no secret; college costs have skyrocketed over the years.  So any additional income kids can earn can go right towards tuition, room and board, and any other college expenses that come up.
3. Learn a life skill that can’t be taught in a class: Part 1. Gain budgeting skills.  Kids who work to pay for part of college tuition and fund their entertainment are less likely to overspend on entertainment.  Versus those kids who have a parents credit card at their disposal.
4. Learn a life skill that can’t be taught in a class:  Part 2. Gain time management skills.  Part-time jobs force kids to budget how they spend their day.  Part work, part class time, part study time, and some time for social activities. This is the way the real world works.  So, learning to juggle many different activities in one day in college gives your child a heads up on the rest of the kids their age who don’t gain this experience.
5. Connect with professors. This could help explain the higher average grades to those students who work part-time. Since a lot of on campus jobs involve working with staff at the university.
6. Avoid the wrong major or career. Changing careers later in life or even late in college can be a very costly event. By having a part-time job your child can learn what they do or don’t like. Potentially avoiding a costly mistake down the road.
7. Improve resume. Probably the number one reason to get a college degree is to improve the chances of getting a job after graduation. Working during college is a resume builder. Especially if you can get experience in a related field.

But there is a dark-side to having your kids work. This same exact study showed that while a little work was good for kids, to much work caused a decrease in grades.  Freshmen who worked more than 20 hours a week had GPAs of only 2.95.

Plus, your student’s income is factored heavily into the financial aid formulas.  So, an increase in student income could reduce your financial aid package.