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ADOLESCENCE AND WORKING
( DO NOTUSE ANY OUTSIDE RESOURCES use the ones I included
http://children.webmd.com/news/20110203/working-long-hours-bad-for-high-school-students
http://www.ehow.com/list_6741608_effects-jobs-high-school-students_.html
http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=29968
http://www.ascd.org/publications/researchbrief/v3n14/toc.aspx
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/16/study-overworked-high-school-kids-suffer-class/
What are the pros and cons of high school students’ holding jobs? Would you encourage a teenager who did not have to get a job to wait or, by all means, to get a part-time job now?
The majority of high school students are members of the workforce, and “having a job” currently has more status than athletics or academics. In fact, some educators are worried about the number of students who do not have school as an important priority; they find that these students have had to cut back on homework assignments because their long working hours keep them from completing the school work at more than a poor level.
Many people feel that teenagers should go to work in order to increase the family income. Interestingly, more middle class teenagers than low-class teenagers are working. More part-time jobs are available in the affluent suburbs, and poor teenagers have more difficulty arranging transportation to work.
Some individuals maintain that teenagers should work because working teaches responsibility, reliability, teamwork, and the value of the dollar. Others disagree and believe that work disrupts the students’ planning for future careers by encouraging them to devalue school learning. Because many working teenagers do not need money, they may learn “premature affluence” rather than the dollar’s valuethey learn about spending and immediate gratification rather than economy. Some experts even believe the availability of money and the stress that arises from having a job contribute to the high rate of alcohol and drug use among teenagers.
One definable position would be to suggest that work is a positive growth experience as long as the teenager keeps his or her work hours down to a reasonable level, such as 12 hours during the week and 6 more hours during the weekend. The state of Florida has officially taken an “all things in moderation” approach by passing in 1986 a law that limits high school students to 30 hours of work a week. What do you think?
Effects of Employment on Student Academic Success
Compiled December 2006
BYU Employment Services
The average yearly costs of education continue to increase around the country.
According to the College Board’s “Trends in College Pricing”, the 20062007 average
total costs (including tuition, fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation,
and other expenses) are $16,357 for fouryear public colleges and universities; and
$33,301 for fouryear private colleges and universities. These costs represent nearly a
6 percent tuition increase from 20052006. Inflation during that same period was
approximately 4 percent.
As anxiety rises concerning the escalating costs of schooling, students are left with the
decision of how to fund their education. Some take out loans, or qualify for grants or
scholarships. Others, however, are left to pay their own way by means of fulltime or
parttime employment. Approximately 80 percent of all college students are employed
while completing their undergraduate education (Riggert).
Many studies have been conducted to determine the effects of fulltime and parttime
employment on the academic success of college students. The purpose of this paper is
to summarize some of the general findings and implications of these studies, and to
provide suggestions regarding how university studentemployment offices may utilize
these data.
Effects on GPA
A major factor in determining the positive or negative effects of employment on the
academic performance of students is their GPA. One would intuitively conclude that,
because time and energy are finite resources, jobs would detract from studying and be
harmful to a student’s GPA. Most studies conclude that this is only the case when the
student’s number of hours worked per week exceeds 20 hours. In fact, students who
work fewer than 1520 hours often report higher GPAs than those who do not work
at all (Dundes). The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which is run by
the U.S. Department of Education, found that students working 115 hours weekly
have a significantly higher GPA than both students working 16 or more hours and
students who don’t work at all. The NCES is the primary federal entity for collecting
and analyzing data related to education.
Dundes and Marx (2006) reported that 74 percent of studentworkers believed that
employment forced them to become more efficient. However, 64 percent reported
that employment also increased their level of stress.
Many sources concluded that working had little or no effect on GPA. Following an
indepth study of the topic, included in the Journal of Human Resources, Ehrenberg
and Sherman (1987) stated, “We do not find any strong evidence…that hours of work
during the academic year in the range that students worked significantly reduced
grade point averages.”
Other studies concluded that only oncampus employment had a positive influence on
academic performance. Astin (1975) reported that the effects of oncampus
employment were characterized as positive in nature, while offcampus student
employment is associated with lower GPA. The positive effects of oncampus
employment are due to enhanced integration with the institution, including
involvement with other students and with faculty (Furr). In addition, oncampus jobs
often include responsibilities with academic components.
Effects on Time to Graduation
Again, given that time and energy are finite resources, one might assume that in order
for a student’s GPA to not be negatively affected, time to graduation would have to be
increased. Ehrenberg and Sherman (1987) agreed with this. They concluded that this
is caused by the perception that students would need to reduce the number of credit
hours they carry each term in order to make time for employment.
Working more than 20 hours a week off campus contributes to a higher likelihood
that students will drop out of school before receiving a degree. Fulltime workers are
10 percent less likely to eventually receive a degree than parttime workers or those
who do not work at all (Orszag). However, working 20 hours or less per week on
campus did not seem to have an effect on dropout rates compared to nonworkers. In
fact, Astin concludes that having a parttime, oncampus job strongly increases the
student’s chances of finishing college.
Effects on Future Earnings
Recent estimates reveal that academic success in school has a smaller effect on post
school wages than older models indicate. Student employment, however, has an
additional, positive effect (Light). Other studies indicate that although working in
college does not appear to have a direct effect on postcollege earnings, there is an
indirect effect on persistence (completing a degree) and GPA. In addition, working on
campus was associated with a higher probability of enrolling in postgraduate
education (Ehrenberg). This, in turn, results in higher future earnings.
As mentioned earlier, oncampus jobs often include responsibilities with academic
components. These opportunities will improve their academic experience and
enhance their résumé through meaningful, applicable work, resulting in improved
marketability to higherpaying jobs.
Conclusions
Although working a large number of hours (20+) can be detrimental to students’
academic success, parttime (specifically oncampus) jobs can be very beneficial in
many ways. Working a moderate number of hours often correlates with higher GPA.
These jobs help students be more effective and organized and provide important skills.
Oncampus jobs often lead to greater integration into the university and provide
applicable work experience.
Students should be very conscious of the number of hours they work. Although the
line at which working becomes detrimental is ambiguous, overworking may decrease
GPA and increase time to graduation and dropout rates.
Suggestions for University Student Employment Offices
Much of this data, especially regarding the effects of parttime employment on
students’ GPA, is counterintuitive. Without knowing these facts, students will
naturally assume that working will be detrimental to their academic success. They
don’t understand that working in moderation may increase efficiency and
organization, and teach important skills that will augment their postcollege
marketability.
Brigham Young University has a limit of twenty hours that students can work on
campus each week. A limit like this is highly suggested. Between fifteen and twenty
hours a week appears to be the point at which working starts to become more
detrimental than beneficial for students.
University studentemployment offices should encourage students looking for
financial aid to consider parttime, oncampus job opportunities. Student employment
offices should also provide students with resources to learn time management.
Student employees who learn time management are most likely to excel in both school
and work, which will benefit them in their postcollege endeavors.
Shawn Hammond
References
Astin, A.W. (1975). Preventing Students From Dropping Out. San Francisco: Jossey
Bass.
The College Board (2006). Trends in College Pricing. Trends in Higher Education
Series.
Dundes, L. and Marx, J. (2006). Balancing Work and Academics in College: Why do
Students Working 1019 Hours Per Week Excel? Journal of College Student
Retention, 8(1) 107120.
Ehrenberg, R.G. and Sherman, D.R. (1987). Employment While in College, Academic
Achievement, and Postcollege Outcomes: A Summary of Results. The Journal of
Human Resources, 22(1), 123.
Furr, S.R. and Elling, T.W. (2000). The Influence of Work on College Student
Development. NASPA Journal, 37(2) 454470.
Light, A. (2001). InSchool Work Experience and the Returns to Schooling. Journal of
Labor Economics, 19(1) 6593.
National Center For Education Statistics (1994). Undergraduates Who Work While
Enrolled in Postsecondary Education: 19891990. Statistical Analysis Report: June
1994, 4347.
Orszag, J.M, Orszag, P.R. and Whitmore D. M. (2001). Learning and Earning:
Working in College. Commissioned by Upromise.
Riggert, S.C. et al (2006). Student Employment and Higher Education: Empiricism
and Contradiction. Review of Educational Research, 76(1), 6392.
