Being a college student is hard because getting a degree requires a lot of effort and substantial financial support. However, being a working student with a full-time job is even more challenging due to a lack of understanding for off-campus or online students who do not have enough time for studying. In addition to the lack of time resources for participation in classes and completing different assignments, working students might experience stress and anxiety from the inability to participate with confidence in the learning process. The issue raises several key questions, which can be described through descriptions of different rhetorical situations.
The first key question in the issue is why students need to work while studying in the first place. According to Cox (2019), nearly half of the college students work part-time, while more than twenty percent combine full-time jobs with full-time studying. In a rhetorical situation, a student enters a college during the pandemic, and the education process is conducted online with limited opportunities for on-campus housing. To cover the expenses of rent, Wi-Fi, and groceries, the student decides to work part-time in a nearby location. However, due to irrational planning of finances, the student’s income growth is more likely to result in even higher living expenses. Thus, to cover his expenses, the student has no more options than switch to a full-time job. This rhetorical situation is more common among students from low-income families who do not have the necessary financial literacy skills.
The following key question in the issue is, are there any other reasons students decide to work full-time besides covering their expenses? Some experts suggest that working during college provides students with more career opportunities and a faster career start after graduation. In a rhetorical scenario where a student decides to start working full-time in the chosen field of study, gaining first-hand experience can improve their knowledge and help develop necessary skills, such as time management. However, one crucial mistake for a student can result in a lack of attention to any of the two activities and a deterioration of academic achievements. Therefore, it is important for students who intentionally decide to combine working full-time with full-time studying to develop organizational skills and maintain a healthy mindset.
The last key question is how the educational process can improve to be more understanding towards students working in full-time jobs. One of the primary areas that can be significantly enhanced is attendance scores. While online education provides new opportunities for students to participate in class from remote locations, some professors count students’ attendance which is unfair to students who work full-time. Thus, in a rhetorical situation, the professors can introduce changes to the attendance system to create more fair conditions for working students. In addition, to improve the working students’ scores, it may be helpful to extend the deadlines for students who work full-time. Lastly, increasing the professors’ awareness about why students resort to full-time jobs can also improve the situation.
In conclusion, this essay explored common problems of students who combine full-time jobs with studying. Furthermore, using rhetorical scenarios, the essay explained how students resort to full-time jobs to cover their expenses due to irrational financial planning. The paper determined that to improve the working students’ grades, the professors need to be more understanding and change attendance systems. Raising the professors’ awareness about the reasons students resort to full-time jobs can result in the development of more fair conditions for students working full-time jobs.
Reference
Cox, C. (2019). This college student had to choose: Go to class, or go to work so she can afford to eat. CNBC. Web.