The SKiNNY on Non-Traditional Students

Non-traditional is becoming the new normal, but that doesn't mean it's easy. This episode is dedicated to any student who doesn't fit the "full-time-18-year-old-freshman-with-a-HS-diploma-who-doesn't-have-to-work-and-doesn't-have-kids" mold.

Ask Isa: "Can you succeed in college while working full time?"

From the Ask Isa inbox:

Dear Isa,

I just graduated from high school and I plan on going to community college. During my sophomore year of high school my dad got deported and that led me and my mom to have a financial burden. 

In my senior year of high school, I worked 30 or more hours a week so I could help my mom with bills and etc. The reason I chose community college is because I need to work full time so I could help my mom pay rent. 

However, I know being a full time student and having a full time job will be extremely difficult but I also do not want to take a long time just to finish community college. Is it possible to go to college full time and work full time? Do I have any options?

Sincerely,

Pessimistic

Dear Pessimistic,

First of all I am so sorry to hear about your dad. You sound like an incredible and brave person. I admire the work you're doing to help out your mom, and I'm so happy to hear you've decided to attend community college and get your education.

To answer your question right away: YES. It is possible to go to college full time and work full time.

But - you are right in that it is extremely difficult. I've heard many more cases of students who drop out and get poor grades who're working full time while going to college than I have of those who've done it successfully.

I don't say that to bum you out, but I want you to know the truth, because you seem to already understand how difficult this will be. 

You asked if it was impossible. And it's not. But in order to make it possible it will take an incredibly amount of not just effort, but strategy.

Here are some things I want you to consider that I hope will help:

1) Remember that the sooner you get your education the sooner you'll have the capacity to make much more money to help out your mom than you will with the kinds of jobs you can get now. When it comes to having to choose between work and school, as much as possible for you, choose school. 

2) Check out InsideJobs.com and research some of the careers you're interested in. You need a solid plan. Think about what it is you really want to do and what kind of education you'll need to get there. 

3) Sit down with your mom and show her some of the career profiles on InsideJobs.com that interest you, especially the salary projections. You'll need your mom as a partner in this, so let her know what you're trying to accomplish both for yourself and for her. As much as possible you'll want to be in this together and you'll want her to understand why you'll be studying so hard and why sometimes you might need to work less for a longer-term payoff. 

4) Find a job that will support your college success. This is more possible than you might think. The best job I had in college was being a nanny. I actually found the job through my community college career center (a place you should visit ASAP to ask for help in finding a job that will meet your financial and college goals). 

I was a nanny after-school on evenings and on weekends, and it was the best job in college I could've ever asked for. It's really great if you can find a family who needs a nanny or babysitter for late-night outings, as then you're able to do your homework after the kids go to bed. 

Putting together a few part-time jobs that will be flexible with your college schedule can also be an option. Working on campus is also a great way to stay connected to the college while making some money - look into work study options as well as positions at the tutoring center. 

Be creative and dedicate yourself to setting up the right situation that will allow you to make the money you need while still putting your education first. 

5) You'll have to become a master of time management. If you're going to work full time and go to school full time you'll probably have to say "no" to doing almost anything else. And you'll need to make sure you set aside dedicated time for studying while still making sure you sleep at night. I recommend looking for a good time management book at the library and brush up on your skills. 

6) Do monthly check-ins with yourself, your professors, and your grades. Constantly re-evaluate if your plan is working. You'll know it's working if you're getting the best grades you know you're capable of (which is probably all A's) and you're feeling energized and excited. If you're feeling overwhelmed and overburdened ask your professors and advisors and the career center for advice. There are always creative solutions to make it work - just don't try to do this alone. 

7) Ask around for great jobs. Sometimes the best jobs come through who you know. Tell everyone you can about what you're trying to accomplish; you never know who will know someone who knows someone who can give you the kind of job(s) that can help you make money and reach your college goals. 

8) Find someone who's worked full time while going to college to ask their advice. Ask around in your classes or ask your advisors if they know anyone who has done it successfully. You'll definitely want to find a mentor who can give you monthly advice as well as tips on how to make this work. 

(If someone is reading this right now who successfully went to school full time while working full time please add your comments below with your tips and advice for this reader!)

9) Remember scholarships and loans are also an option. Work doesn't always have to be the only way to make the money you need for rent. Don't scoff at loans if you think they'll allow you to work less, get better grades, and graduate faster. Also remember that the better you do in school (and the more time you have to get involved in leading clubs and other activities) the better chance you have at winning scholarships.

If you plan on transferring to a 4-year university consider the Jack Kent Cooke Transfer scholarship. Read books on getting scholarships and make that a job as well. When you can get enough scholarships they'll not only pay for tuition but also give you extra money for room and board that you can apply to rent if you're not living on campus. 

10) Find a mentor. I know I've mentioned this already but I want to leave you with this thought. Get to know EVERYONE you can at your college. Ask them for advice, be open and honest about your situation and what you're trying to accomplish. They will want to help you figure this out. 

This will be hard and it cannot be done alone. You will need an entire community and it's up to you to build it. What I would hate is for you to do this alone. It won't work. 

Instead, visit all your professors during office hours and ask for their advice. Visit the career center often and get to know a career counselor there who might be able to become your mentor.

Ask for advice about this from everyone you can at the college and keep asking advice of whomever you really connect with. That's all a mentor really is - someone you admire who you can ask advice from and who's advice helps you reach your goals. 

Thanks so much for reaching out and of course feel free to continue reading this blog as well as check out my YouTube channel for more advice that I hope will help you on this exciting journey.

You can do this. 

Sincerely,

Isa

Take the "is my college job helping or hurting me" quiz

Working your way through college is becoming the norm nowadays. While some people still say "you will never have more free time than you do in college" and movies show students lazying around with lots of free time on their hands - that is the luxurious college experience. It is not the norm.


Most students today have to work in some capacity to help pay for college and/or living expenses. And while in some cases working your way through college is truly the only way - in some instances students who work too much during college find that it actually works against their success. 


I remember sitting next to a student in my Western Civilizations class my first semester of college. She was really excited about college and was incredibly smart. She worked long hours at a restaurant and sometimes came to class looking half-asleep. As the semester went on she seemed to lose her energy. And one day, she got an essay back with an "F" on it. As I was walking out of class that day I'll never forget my gruff professor telling her "you have to choose: college or your job - you can't have both."


This professor was a pretty extreme guy and I remember thinking that was pretty harsh at the time. Some students literally have no choice but to work and they are just trying to get their education the best way they know how. They are trying to work for it. But now as a graduate and student life professional I realize what my professor meant. He didn't mean that you should forego living expenses for college or that you are in any way less-than or "bad" if you work through college.


He meant that it is impossible for us to make two things a priority. You can have multiple priorities - but the thing about priorities is that one thing has to trump another; that is how they help you make decisions. There will be times when you have to choose only one.


And in the fight between your job and your education, in many cases choosing to focus 100% on college will benefit you more in the long-term.


Every situation is incredibly different, so I want you to think about your situation. Answer the questions below honestly to yourself (and jot down your answers on a word doc or something so you can check them at the end). If you want some help, advice, or increased accountability, feel free to copy/paste them into an e-mail and shoot them my way at advice@communitycollegesuccess.com.

1. Do the hours of this job limit my opportunities to study during the week? 

2. Is my job one that I have any interest in continuing past the moment I graduate college?

3. If it is – have I discussed any post-grad opportunities with my supervisor or someone above me in the company?

4. If it isn’t – is the money I'm making at this job good enough to trade in the potential opportunity to get a job that might relate more closely to the future profession of my dreams?

5. Is there a way that I can balance this opportunity with an internship or volunteer opportunity within my major?

6. Am I constantly and consistently looking for other opportunities to co-finance my college, even while working?


The "answer key" is at the end of this post. If your answers match then you will have a pretty good idea that your current working-in-college-situation is working for you. If the answers are different - it's time to think of other options that will better support your success - both present and future financial success.

Those who find success know that the circumstances and requirements of the present must always be balanced with the goals of the future. Because future success is merely a result of our present choices. 

If you let either overshadow the other – neglect your present grades because you had to pick up a shift at your part time job last night, or drop out for a semester because of the fear of a semester worth of loans when you graduate – then you are depriving yourself of a chance.

And you are worth way too much to take away any chances from yourself. The world is too competitive – and too many others have predetermined financial advantages – for amazing students like you to miss out on opportunities.

So keep going. Keep working hard. And never stop evaluating whether the way you spend your time and make your money in college is setting you up to reach your great potential. 

Answer Key

*if these were your answers than you are in pretty good shape with your current job. If your answers do not match the ones below (and you'd like some help/advice) feel free to email me at advice@communitycollegesuccess.com).

1. N

2. Can be Y or N

3. Y

4. Y

5. Y

6. Y

To work or not to work through college...you actually do have a choice.

*Samsonite backpack winner announced @ the end of this post! =)

With the economy in the state that it is in and many community college students having to support sometimes not only themselves but also their families, work is a growing part of the college experience for almost all students.

And while working can provide great experience and help pay the bills, too often it stands in the way of students’ goals.

In one of my first college classes I sat next to this really smart girl who worked 30+ hours per week at a restaurant. She always looked tired, was often late, and it was obvious work was her first priority. One morning she got an essay back with a big fat D written on it.  She asked the professor about it after class and as I was walking out I heard him say to her: “you have to choose – work or school. You can’t have both.”

At the time I thought he was pretty harsh, but then I realized that he was absolutely right. It’s not that you can’t work and go to college – most people have no choice. But you can’t make both the top priority. And yet sadly what often happens is so many invest their time and energy into work and then have nothing left to give to college.

That smart girl in my class dropped out of college. I’m not sure if she ever went back; I think she still works in that restaurant.

The key is to remember is that if you truly invest your time and energy into your college experience you will make more money in your lifetime than you will make in those four years working at a restaurant (or wherever you work in college). Working in college gives short-term payback. But college is a lifetime investment that will pay off more than you can imagine if….and this is a big if….you truly invest your 100%.

This is the hardest part for students to wrap their heads around – especially those like myself who come from lower socio-economic backgrounds. We did not grow up with the concept of investment. Debt is the devil. We see it crush our parents. This is not a bad mentality when it comes to buying frivolous things like luxury cars or houses before we’re ready. But it can cripple us when it comes to our education.

I had to support myself 100% in college. In my first two years at community college – in addition to financial aid – I chose to take out a few small loans that were offered to me even though my tuition was already covered. My instincts told me not to do this because of my background. But my boyfriend at the time (now my husband) told me that investing in myself and my college education was one of the only times loans really made sense.

So I took his advice and nervously accepted a $3,000 subsidized (meaning government will pay interest while you’re in school) loan.

Now I didn’t use that money to go buy fancy electronics or a car. I used it to buy gas, pay my cell phone bill, and attend to other expenses that I would have had to work to pay for. I babysat on the side and invested myself 100% in college. And the credentials and grades and student activities that I was able to engage in led to my winning the $110,000 Jack Kent Cooke scholarship. Talk about a payoff!

Now while everyone may not win a huge scholarship, there are still so many scholarships out there that you could win by investing in your entire college experience. Scholarships that could pay you what you make in a year  of working. Scholarships that you disqualify yourself for when you work too much and study too little. 

So by now you’re probably thinking – well yeah Isa that sounds all nice and great I'd love to not have to work so much but I still can’t afford college if I don’t work!

Of course – I understand. Focusing 100% on college without having to work is a luxury. But it is also an investment and it is one you should work towards as much as you possibly can. There are three options I recommend, and if you’re don’t currently find yourself in one of these 3 options – change your situation as soon as you can. I would never be so definitive if I didn’t believe wholeheartedly that this information will help you achieve your dreams, make your life better, and help you make more money. 

1. Loans

I’m not talking about choosing the fanciest private school and taking out $30,000+ loans. When you’re being smart by going to a community college and then perhaps even a public college and financial aid is covering some of your tuition, don’t discount those subsidized loan offerings when you get your financial aid package. Loans are very serious and you should be strategic about them. If you accept the loans and promise yourself to use that money to replace working so often than it will be a decision that will pay off. Most of my friends who worked tirelessly in college and avoided loans like the plague are still in those jobs making hourly wages.

The key is discipline. You cannot spend that money frivolously or you defeat the entire purpose. It is an investment. An investment in yourself. If you use that money to give you more time to invest in your studies and your college involvement you will get a huge return on your investment.

To me, making the most of your college experience is one of the most guaranteed investments for your life and your future. Especially if you use the extra time that loans can give you wisely.

2. Flexible Job

If loans don’t cover everything the next step is to get a job that is flexible and will work around your college schedule. Babysitting always worked great for me because if I had a big test to study for I could always say no. If you have to work a job that doesn’t have anything to do with your future aspirations flexibility is key. It should never affect your grades or your college opportunities.

3. Job in your Desired Industry

If you do have to work in college the best way to make the time valuable is if you are in a job that adds significant related experience to your resume and/or gets your foot in the door of an industry or company that interests you. For example, one of my students wants to be a Disney event planner, and thus working quick service food at Disney is giving her the opportunity to network with professionals in the company she desires to work for. She’s already gotten to shadow an event planner inside the Cinderella Castle!

After you graduate the hardest and most ego-shattering part of looking for a job is that no one will hire you without related experience, and you can’t get related experience if no one will hire you. If you have to work in college it is smart to start gaining related experience as much as possible. While of course you won’t be able to get the exact job you could get with a college degree, you can get experience on the ground floor and learn a lot of valuable information about the company/industry and network with people who might one day hire you.

I know this isn’t easy but it is probably the most valuable advice I could ever give you. There is nothing that breaks my heart more than watching students fail their classes and eventually drop out because they had to work too much. I admire these students because they are just trying to do their best, to support themselves in a tough economy, and are doing everything they can with what they know.  

So now I hope you know more so you can work smarter and invest in yourself during this time.

You are worth the investment. Think long term. Do not let money (yes even the lack of it) control your life and your future. You can make a better decision. You can make more money than you ever thought possible. But you must invest in yourself now. Do not let the short-term rob you of your long-term success.

You are worth it.

If you need further advice on any of the options above or want to know more about how to really invest in yourself during college feel free to e-mail me at advice@communitycollegesuccess.com.

Congratulations to the Samsonite Backpack winner Brandon Hall from Elk Grove, CA!!!

To read more about Isa's personal story & how you can build relationships to: make positive friends, be more successful in academics and work, find the right people to connect with, and access the hidden job market, grab a FREE e-copy of the first chapter of Community College Success: How to Finish with Friends, Scholarships, Internships, and the Career of Your Dreams! Claim your free copy on the Facebook page!