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Students sacrifice classes to afford college

By WTOP Staff

Tiffanie Reynolds, special to wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Scotty Scott would love to spend her day studying and writing papers for her classes. Instead, she works two jobs to earn enough money to afford books and loan payments for this coming school year.

On top of working 40 hours a week as a paid research intern and part-time at a dog day camp, the American University senior also juggles classes, school work and a social life. It’s not what she wanted or planned as part of her college experience, but after enrolling in college after the 2008 recession, she realized she needed to start earning her own money earlier than she expected.

“When you actually get there it’s like, ‘Oh yeah, I got some scholarships, I got financial aid,’ but I’m sort of screwed because there’s still a lot more,” said Scott.

She is part of the 38.8 percent of college students who are working along with attending classes, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Working in college used to be a way to just earn extra spending money, but it’s become the gateway to gaining internship experience in the field and, students hope, a job by the time they graduate.

That’s what kept Jack Herron, a second year grad student at George Washington University, going to his job while studying full time as an undergrad at the University of Georgia. He had to drive a commute as long as 1 hour 15 minutes from the university to his job as an import assistant at a supply chain management firm in Atlanta.

Classes during his freshman year were easy enough to balance, but in his sophomore and junior years he started to feel the strain. He had to decide which one was more important, and follow a detailed schedule to get all of his work done.

“I had weeks that were literally planned down to half-hour time blocks,” said Herron.

“You have an hour and a half to work on this paper, and then you had to switch to working on a paper for a different class.”

Time management also is what kept Scott afloat as she started taking higher-level classes. Going into her sophomore year, she quickly realized that last-minute papers wouldn’t be enough for the grade she wanted.

“The difference on a paper between a B and an A is time management,” said Scott.

But, for both Herron and Scott, their job experiences and work with college groups earned them their internships. The skills Herron gained working as an import assistant were exactly what a non-profit organization was looking for in an intern.

Scott utilized her university resources and job-searching skills to get her research internship.

This trend of college students looking for jobs and internships earlier has increased competition and taken some employers by surprise. Tom Moore, co-founder of Responsible Outgoing College Students, an organization that helps college students in the D.C. area land jobs and internships, couldn’t believe the young ages of the students who attended job fairs put together by ROCS.

“Sometimes they fool me and I think they’ve graduated or about to graduate, and they’re like, ‘No, I’m just a freshman,'” said Moore. “It just blows my mind.”

Scott has money saved for college loans, and Herron made the money to pay for his apartment in D.C., but their futures are still uncertain. Both can only hope their resumes will help them get jobs or additional internships once they graduate.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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