Work Study: Is It Worth It?

Olivia Wicik 

School’s back in session and some of us are wondering how we’re going to get through this semester financially. Many take advantage of Financial Aid, student loans, government loans, our parents, part-time jobs, and so on, but aside from all of that, C.W. Post offers, for those who qualify, a program known as Work Study. Basically, Work Study is a resource that allows you to make a set amount of money for the year from an on-campus job.  You are paid bi-weekly by check and this is considered as a form of financial assistance. Job locations vary from the Library, the Pratt, Hillwood, to campus academic departments, among many other options.

In order to find out if you are eligible for Work Study, you can go to the Financial Aid Office and then from there, staff in Career Services (both offices are located in Kumble Hall) can guide you towards a job of interest to you. After this process, you meet with the manager of the department where you would like to work, and hopefully get the job! It all sounds very promising, that is until pay comes into effect, which is minimum wage for most positions.

Marissa Poggio, Junior International Studies major, thought that getting a job on campus would be convenient and easy. Once she found out that she would only be making a meager $7.25 an hour, she reconsidered her decision. “I live an hour away, so it would basically only pay for my gas, and I would have to come here on Fridays too, even though I don’t have class,” said Poggio. The positives did not outweigh the negatives for her.

On the other hand, Junior Nicole Pitone, an Electronic Media major, was offered a Work Study position and decided to stick with it. In her case she was offered $1,500 for the year, which means she can only work enough hours to get to that sum, and no more after that.  However, Pitone found a loophole. Most students think that you have to split that money between two semesters, but Nicole found out that you could make it all in one, and choose not to do Work Study the next semester. “I wouldn’t really recommend it to anyone else.You are limited on how much you can make, and how many hours a week you can work,” said Pitone. Nonetheless, it does help pay for gas, and that’s something that can’t be turned down so quickly.

So although Work Study may not be for everyone, it is a resource that students should know about. Junior Public Relations major Liza Gumelski, wishes that she was in fact an eligible candidate for Work Study. “I live right off campus and it would be so convenient, plus the hours are good,” said Gumelski. Every situation is different and if you feel like you’re short on cash these days, check out Work Study.  Who knows, it just might work for you.