While some students have the option to attend the U without having to work, others have to find ways to balance school, work and other obligations.
According to a U.S. Census report, in 2011 72 percent of the nation’s 19,730,695 college undergraduates were working and 20 percent were working full time, year-round. Eighty-two percent of the nation’s 4,127,319 graduate students were working some type of job and 46 percent were full-time, year-round workers. The U does not have specific statistics on how many students are actually working while attending school.
Patrick Cone, a communication professor who teaches an evening class, said a majority of his students are working while attending school to make a living.
“Many of them are working in fields that don’t have a lot to do with what they are studying and they want to improve their lives and career possibilities, so they come to school,” Cone said.
Cone adds that students make a big commitment by attending school and working at the same time. This may involve sacrificing their social as well as family life and not getting an adequate amount of sleep. He said most of his students come to class more tired in the evenings, but believes that if school is a priority, they will find a way to get through.
For some freshmen such as Ciria Alvarez, the balance between school and work is all about making choices. Alvarez does her homework as soon as she comes home and also stays ahead in her classes to avoid falling behind. She said the most important thing she does while working and attending school is to stay off of social media, and that way she has more time to spend with her family and friends.
Graduate students may offer a different perspective on how to manage their time. Cory Haltinner, a graduate student in entertainment arts and engineering said he has a difficult time balancing school and work along with spending time with his family and friends.
“One of these things must suffer each week. I usually end up prioritizing things and seeing what I can afford to not do that week. Usually it’s social and family life as well as sleep that gets in the way with studying time,” Haltinner said.