NPR: Why Summer Jobs Don't Pay Off Anymore

[MarkT]

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/07/25/481402473/why-summer-jobs-dont-pay-off-anymore?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20160731&utm_campaign=bestofnpr&utm_term=nprnews

[Guest]

The jobs have changed too. I was laughed at for taking a su mm er internship in my eng. major in the low 80s, as that wasnt enough to pay for the summer and the next two semesters. My male cousins worked as roustabouts on oilrigs, and many of my friends worked construction, both of which paid enough for a jalopy and the next two semesters. My son's friends in busy restaurants are getting enough in tips from summer jobs to cover their r&b, but very few are finding a job if they didnt work while in high school or arent related to the owner of a business that does seasonal hiring.

Edited July 31, 2016 by Heigh Ho

[Miss Tick]

I felt like some version of this was already true when I attended State U. back in the 80s. Although this may have been due to the fact that my family never had a frank discussion about costs, so I had no idea what they were paying for tuition, and they clearly had no idea what my costs were, since my dad gave me $20 to buy a calculator and the cheapest one appropriate for my engineering major was $50 or so. The whole thing left me feeling, even now, that 1) obviously we need to communicate better and 2) I am going to try very hard to minimize the amount of work my kids need to do while they are in college. Degree related work? Good idea! Waiting tables and bartending during the academic year? May hurt more than help in the long run.

 

The numbers in the article also indicate that taking out loans is not a knee-jerk bad idea, but that thought needs to be given to how easy/difficult it will be to repay those loans work a job in your chosen field.

[G5052]

So very true. When I went to school in early 1980's, I could earn enough to pay for college. Three summers I had above-minimum jobs with a lot of overtime, and then during the school year I worked in the dorms which both paid me and gave me a housing discount. I also did a lot of side jobs like grading papers, working security for special events at the college, etc. etc. I also had a scholarship that paid a bonus if I got a 3.5 GPA. 

 

Thankfully we can afford tuition if they live at home, but they're expected to work 10-15 hours a week to pay for books and gas. My oldest didn't this last year because he had two surgeries and months of PT to juggle, but he's interviewing now. But I told him that it must be VERY part-time. He has friends who work 30+ hours a week and take 18 credits. Their grades and health are really suffering too.