College costs are on the rise, making it more and more difficult for college students to make ends meet without going deeply into student loan debt. As a parent, you may have set money aside in a college fund for your child only to find out that while you can pay an ample portion of their tuition, there may not be enough available to cover their room and board or living expenses.
Luckily, there are jobs that your student can do while in college that don't require many hours and can net them some money for living expenses.
Jobs Through the College
Work Study--If your child qualifies for a work study position, he should take it. Most of these jobs require 10 or fewer hours per week, and your child may get real-life work experience which can help when he graduates and looks for a job.
Resident Assistant--Your child can get her room and board completely free if she agrees to be a resident assistant in the dorm. (Some also get a small stipend for this job.) Of course, your child will need to be good at negotiating and solving problems. She also has to be available for the other dorm residents when conflicts arise. Typically she will need to work 20 hours a week and have a G.P.A. of 2.5 or greater.
Sell Notes--Many community colleges allow a student in a class to take notes for a student with disabilities who may not be able to keep his own notes. The student will typically earn $2 to $3 per page of notes and will need to write on special paper so he has notes for himself as well as a copy of the notes to give to the student with disabilities. Check with the office for students with disabilities.
Jobs Outside the College
Medical Study Participant--There are many medical studies that are non-invasive such as sleep studies that pay very well. For a week or two of sleeping in a hospital being observed, your student can earn $600 or more.
Audit a Liquor Store--Your child can join a company to audit a liquor store. All he has to do is try to buy alcohol and see if he is carded and then write a report afterward. For this, he can earn $20 to $30 per audit. Students generally have to be under 25 years old for this job.
Babysitter--You might think your child's babysitting days are over when she graduates high school, but there is quite a market for college babysitters. Your child can look in the local paper or use a site like Sittercity.com to snag a babysitting gig. In larger cities or more expensive college towns, these jobs can pay $10 to $16 per hour, and the hours are flexible.
Your child does not have to commit to a job working 20 hours or more at college. He can keep his studies as his priority and find some unconventional jobs to help him earn some extra money without a large time commitment.
What are other ways you would suggest college students make money?
** Kyle Taylor blogs about weird ways to make money at The Penny Hoarder. Connect on Facebook or join the newsletter and get his “5 Wackiest Ways to Make Extra Money.