Odd jobs battle books as students live down to the last dime

Most students would agree the college experience is priceless. But for students in Indiana and around the country, the knowledge and memories collected through four years of being a student seem to come at a cost that is becoming more difficult to pay.\nCollege students are finding it increasingly difficult to finance their educations. A recent study conducted by survey.com stated that while about 80 percent of college students are holding some form of full or part-time employment, about 55 percent of them have just enough money to get by.\nReflecting a growing trend of severe financial burdens that are placed on today's college students, the survey was released less than a month after the Department of Education under the Bush administration announced a tightening of the government-funded Pell Grants, which could result in up to one million students seeing their grants reduced or eliminated. \nThe study was conducted in July 2004 with 500 college students ages between 19 and 25. The results are disturbing to both students and parents as college degrees become more important in the job-market, the cost of attending college continues to rise yearly.\nPerhaps the most bothersome figure of the survey is that of those college students who are employed throughout the school year, more than 70 percent believe that their job is a significant distraction from their study time. Students are faced with a catch-22 because they are working long hours to support an education to which they are not able to commit fully while holding the job.\nThe results of the survey ring true to the thousands of IU students who must find ways to simultaneously balance their educational obligation with a job to support that education. Beyond tuition costs, many students find themselves having to hold jobs throughout the school year to pay for rent, credit card bills and spring break trips.\n"It's really hard to balance (having a job) because you also want to be involved in extra-curricular activities also," said senior Susan Liggett. "To not have your nights free, you go to school during the day and then you turn around and go to work, then you end up staying up really late to get homework done."\nLiggett has held a job during each semester since her sophomore year. Currently a server at Olive Garden, she said she believes that too much of a financial burden is placed on college students while they try to earn a good education.\nAt Olive Garden, the majority of Liggett's co-workers are IU students. One of the biggest problems for student workers is simply scheduling. Employers often want workers to work at least one day shift weekly, which becomes a difficult task for students who attend class throughout the week.\n"In order to get good weekend shifts, where all the money is, they want you to work a day shift," Liggett said. "But most classes are only available during the day."\nLiggett sympathizes with her co-workers, as the frustrations of having to balance a work schedule and a school schedule are almost always a topic of conversation at the work-place. Many students rely on their income to support them throughout the school year, but they are often forced to give up a work shift if they have an upcoming exam or extra-curricular obligation.\nWhile some students hold jobs to pay rent and tuition, others seek employment to have personal spending money after the necessities have already been paid for. Jeff Chelin is a second-semester senior who has never, until recently, held a job during the school year. While Chelin receives scholarships and loans to help fund his education, he describes his money situation as always being tight since he has gotten to college.\n"I really wanted to go on spring break this year and there was no way I could have afforded that without getting a job this semester," Chelin said. "I'm going to be working as a (teaching assistant) for a marketing class in the Kelley School."\nChelin said his main concern with being employed during the school year is time-management. Carrying a full course load of business classes this semester, Chelin faces the daunting task of having to balance school work, his job as a T.A., as well as his search for a job following graduation.\n"It's tough for students in general to have money for personal enjoyment after all the other costs that come up while you're in school," Chelin said. "I got my job so that I can make money and hopefully build my resume."\nThe struggles of funding an education and a life in college will continue to have prolonged effects beyond graduation. Senior Randall Madison is expecting to graduate in May and has spent the majority of his college career making time for homework around his work schedule. Madison is like many students in that he simply does not have a choice in the matter. Even with a constant income throughout the semester, he still expects to graduate with significant outstanding loans.\n"I work to make money to pay for rent, bills, and basically to be able to just stay down here and go to school," Madison said. "The rest is paid for by loans that I'll be paying back for years when I'm done with school."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Ron Neroda at rneroda@indiana.edu.