Are loans worth it?

BrownParent
Wed, 13 Apr 2016 05:31:36 +0000

This seems a bit of a tight squeeze to me. What is the college and what are your other options?

Do not make the HUGE mistake of declining work-study. First, it doesn’t obligate you to work, it just makes the option available so you can choose to take one or not later. And you will have access to jobs only students who accepted work-study can get. This would be a HUGE disadvantage to turn down. Second, you would not have the money you earn from work-study counted against you for FAFSA it will be removed from the calculation for EFC. Again a HUGE disadvantage to turn down and find you have to get a non work study job to get by. Third, large studies show that students who work low hours, like 10 to 12 hours a week, like you were awarded, actually get higher grades–presumably from gaining time management skills.

My kid was given a grant so she didn’t have to do work study the first year at all. But she decided after one semester to do it anyway. She held many positions working with faculty and different flex hour jobs that were very useful and gave her spending money to go out and socialize with friends and buy a few extra things.