By Kevin Ford
Student Reporter
College is expensive. Once you are enrolled in college, you will notice very fast how much responsibility you have for your own progress. Chasing a degree at the university level is at least a four year commitment. This commitment demands patience and above all else good money management.
Athletic scholarships, financial aid and other kinds of aid help many students pay for college, however, this is not the case for everyone.
Many students at Northwestern work off-campus jobs to help pay for their education.
Many students chose to live off campus, this equals bills and more expenses added to the tuition students already have to pay.
Northwestern is a particularly small campus overall. Many students have on-campus jobs, but some students strive for higher pay and seek jobs off-campus.
If we look at the Northwestern school website, online tuition fees for undergraduates are 305, 25 $ per credit hour for Oklahoma Residents and 542, 50 $ per credit hour for Non-Oklahoma residents. We rounded up some student workers to see how they combine work with school.
First, Kylee Prom, a sophomore nursing major from Iowa. Kylee works as a Private Care CAN (In home, help aid) off-campus.
How long have you been working as a CNA? “About a year now”. How did you get this job? “I stayed active and hunted down this position”. Part-time or full-time? “Full-time”. How do you balance work and school work? “I am able to do all my homework at work in between my hours”. Why do you work full-time in college? “I have to keep a roof over my head and pay my bills. Working also helps pay for my education”.
Second, we interviewed Madeline Jacobsen, a junior business administration major from Denver, Colorado. Madeline is also a member of the Northwestern women’s track team. Where do you work, Madeline? “Shepherd’s Diner”. How long? “About six weeks now, since the start of the semester”. How often do you work? “30-40 hours a week, weekends included”. How do you balance school and work? “I do most of my homework in between my classes, I also have track practice early in the mornings 5 days of week exactly. I don’t really get that much free-time, but work doesn’t affect my school work”. Why do you work? “I am paying for school and saving my earnings”.
It may be hard to manage school and work, but for these two students it’s all worth it. After you complete your education you will also have a great deal of experience in the work force already. Students work hard, and it is important to recognize and appreciate what you do for yourself and your personal growth.