Dear Campus Advisor:

I am a college student who switched my major last year. I feel much better with my major in nursing. I am on a partial scholarship, but I must work to help pay for my other expenses. I have been working 30 hours a week at a home furnishings store since I was in high school and my supervisor is very understanding when I have to change my hours for exams and things. But it is getting harder and harder to work this much and keep up with my classes and lab projects. I feel under so much stress. I have to take 18 credit hours, to avoid being too far behind, since I am a transfer student. But, I need to work. I could look for a job that is only 15 hours a week. If my pay was the same as what I am making now, it would be tight financially, but I could make it. I could drop one of my classes, but I’m not sure about that. What do you think I should do? Quit and find another job with fewer hours or drop one of my classes before I get into academic trouble?

Kerri Washington

Dear Kerri:

The answer lies somewhere in between the two options you have considered. To make a more informed decision, discuss your concerns with your academic advisor or one of the staff in your Nursing program. Get a clear understanding of the courses that are offered sequentially, meaning - if Nursing 101 is only offered first semester and Nursing 102 is only offered in second semester and they cannot be taken out of sequence, then these courses have to be given special consideration. If you are taking sequential courses, these may not be the classes to drop, since you cannot take them again for an entire year. But you may have other courses that might be less problematic if you drop them. But first ask your academic advisor to help you examine other alternatives and the pros and cons of the various options.

On the other hand, you need to think differently about being “behind” as a transfer student. Behind what? Remember, most students do not graduate from college in four years anymore. So it is not in your best interest to try to put arbitrary time perimeters on your matriculation and graduation. Once you transferred to a new academic program, you needed to have readjusted your expected graduation date to avoid setting difficult or unattainable goals for yourself. As a transfer student, you are once again a first year student, even if many of your credit hours transferred. Set your graduation time clock realistically, based on your new program, to avoid putting undue pressure on yourself.

You are so fortunate to be on even a partial scholarship. Have you consulted with the Financial Aid Office for any supplemental aid that might be available to you? This might assist you in increasing award and managing tight funds, if you decide to reduce your work hours. How many years does you scholarship cover? Be sure to get a clear understanding of the number of years you can be on your scholarship, so that you can set a realistic academic schedule and graduation date.

With regard to your work schedule, why should you consider quitting before exploring with your “understanding” supervisor your need to reduce your hours? Sounds like you have been a reliable and valued employee. Why not go to your supervisor, tell him/her the changes in your academic program and the stress you currently are under. Ask for advise on alternative, reduced hours, work schedules that he/she would agree to consider. I feel certain that your supervisor would rather keep a good employee than to have to waste time and money searching the tight labor market for a good replacement.

Once you have consulted with your academic advisor, your financial aid advisor and your work supervisor, you should be able to develop a new game-plan for school and work that is more informed, more balanced and that reduces the pressures on you. Please do this as soon as you can. Procrastination could result in decisions being made for you, because poor performance in college adds up very quickly and excessive stress can cause you significant health problems. You are too blessed to be stressed. So get busy!

Linda Bates Parker is your Online Campus Advisor. She has authored the Campus Advisor column for THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine for over 13 years. Parker is the director of the Career Development Center at the University of Cincinnati and president of Black Career Women a national organization.

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