Odd jobs ease college expenses

In the age of triple-digit priced textbooks and unpaid resume-building research work, Bert Scerbo, a junior biomedical engineering major, bargain shops online for his books.

Scerbo does what he can to help scrimp and save his way through the “priceless” college experience, which includes evading the typical $500 price tag for a semester’s worth of books by buying them online.

According to a recent eBay survey, most college students say they are struggling financially, with 55 percent saying they are either “broke” or just “breaking even” — even though the survey states that more than 80 percent of students are working while attending college.

“This time of year is much more difficult for students because … (the) break is so short in between semesters,” said Kal Chany, author of “Paying for College Without Going Broke.” “It’s hard for students to replenish their funds.”

Chany has been helping students and their parents navigate their way through the financial aid process for more than 20 years. He said he’s heard of students setting up their own businesses, running laundry services, cleaning rooms and making meals for other students, selling clothing and tutoring to make money.

Jess Hanlin, a freshman communication studies major from Maryland, donned goggles, a hard hat, work boots and earplugs to work 40 hours a week at a cement plant during the summer. All the money she earned went to help her parents pay for out-of-state tuition costs.

“Literally, we swept giant piles of cement dust and then shoveled it out of the building,” she said. “Just think construction sites, a big heap of dirt. This is what it looks like, except dust. It’s really gross.”

Chany recommends a pragmatic approach to students who are trying to save for college that includes applying for financial aid before the priority deadline, budgeting expenses, resisting temptations and taking advantage of student discounts in the area.

“(Students) need to be savvy and realize a lot of people are trying to market to them,” he said.

He also said students should look into the differences between work-study jobs and outside jobs.

While work-study income won’t reduce a student’s eligibility for financial assistance, he said other total income earned, if more than $2,650, could reduce aid about 50 cents on the dollar.

Jeremy Valtin, a freshman political science major, has a work-study job at Coker Arboretum doing yard work.

After filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, he and his mother decided he should have a work-study job instead of taking the offered loans.

He said the scheduling is very flexible — his boss knows that school is his priority, and the job gives him a feeling of accomplishment.

But UNC students might be graduating, on average, with less debt than students at other schools. John Ellison, member of the Board of Trustees, said that in the past four years, the average loan that a UNC student graduates with has dropped from $13,000 to $11,000.

For students who might have their own tuition costs covered, there are still relatives with tuition expenses.

This summer, Emmanuel Bello, a freshman Morehead Scholar, woke up at 4:30 a.m. each weekday to catch a bus from his home near Philadelphia to his internship at Goldman Sachs, an investment bank on Wall Street.

Bello spent some of the money he earned on “play,” such as dates and birthday presents, but he gave about $1,500 to his sister and cousin to help them pay their tuition bills.

“Every morning, I’d get about 100 to 150 resumes, and I literally decided who was going to be scrutinized,” he said. “An 18-year-old with absolutely no experience was holding the fate of Ph.D.s in economics … in his hands.”

Marcia Harris, director of University Career Services, said the office offers a wide scope of services that students consistently rate as their No. 1 resource for employment. The office has a part-time employment service, an internship service program and helps seniors find employment after graduation.

But until college is over and it’s time to get a real job, a lot of students are happy with part-time work that funds clothes, movies, dinners — what Harris calls “extras.”

“Many students might have family support for tuition and fees, but not necessarily for living expenses,” Harris said. “I think students want not only the basics, but also the extras, too.”

Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.