Getting a job.

[AfroMan Skeeter]

It's not finding one that's a problem, it's the parents!

Background real fast. I'm 17, just graduated high school, start college in 7.5 days, and moved into a second house my dad inherited due to my Oma and Uncle's recent decease. I'm fortunate enough to have my parents pay for my college, so long as I keep my grades up. Along with that I get a slight allowance to buy food for the week, again, if I keep my grades up.

My dad doesn't want me to have a job because he doesn't want it to take away from my studies, but I want a job so I can save for a sportbike. I figure if I keep my grades up with a job it shouldn't matter whether or not I have one, right?

So how do I convince my dad to let me get a part time job whilst attending college with a small weekly allowance for food?

[southernrocker]

Tell him if it affects your grades, you'll quit.

[AfroMan Skeeter]

I could do that, I mean I'm going to have a job one day so why not get some experience now? Landscaping and KFC aren't much experience lol.

[cassanova]

Do you have your own car? If so, then just go out and get a job.

[Acustiman]

Job playing bass...till 2a.m.?

[jazzbass_5]

More power to you my friend, Get a job and enjoy the independence. Keep your grades up!

[jokn388]

Wait a full year before getting a job during school. You won't know how school will affect you until you begin. If you can manage school THEN get a job. The sportbike can wait....

[warnergt]

Be careful about earning money as you near entering college. There
is a major disincentive to earn in the college financial aid process.
In the past (and I don't doubt it is the same today), students are
expected to use 50% of their earnings toward college. So, for every
$2 you earn, you will get $1 less of financial aid. Keep that in mind
when you may effectively end up working for one half of minimum wage.

Working toward good grades can actually pay better than working
for the dollars. I recommend going to http://www.fastweb.com/
(great online source regarding student financial aid) and doing your
research.

[Alcyon]

I'm going into second year now and with the amount of schoolwork I had in first year I could have held down TWO part time jobs. YMMV, depending on what degree you're taking, but you will probably have plenty of time.

[AfroMan Skeeter]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

If it proves to be too difficult to do school and a job, school will be my priority hands down. I know I need an education, and college is almost necessary in order to acquire a good paying job (at least one I won't mind waking up to on a daily basis).

warnergt - my parents are paying for the college portion (other than books), and I am fortunate for that. Past that, anything I want I need to spend my own money. I can't do that unless I have a job, and it will only be part time.

[MJ5150]

Follow your pop's rules and enjoy the free ride. Not many get that. The bike will be around later, the gift form your parents could disappear at the end of the quarter/semester.

If you're totally desperate for the bike, pick up some side work here and there to pay for it.

-Mike

[Stumbo]

Believe, me you really don't need a sport bike. You'll be so busy in school, when will you have time? And if you get hurt, crippled or worse, then what?

If you do get a part-time job, save your money, buy a few extra things and let it go at that. Sport bikes cost lots to insure and maintain, especially for young males, 18 y.o!

Keep expenses down, have a reserve saving for emergencies and maybe buy a pickup that can haul your gear for gigs and convenient for moving other stuff when you need to.

[ryco]

If you are a good student (know how to study, already get good grades, blah blah), then just concentrate all your efforts/energy on school (and music!!).

If your just going to mess around, then go get a job. Or join a band, throw all yer crap in a van and go!

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by Alcyon

I'm going into second year now and with the amount of schoolwork I had in first year I could have held down TWO part time jobs. YMMV, depending on what degree you're taking, but you will probably have plenty of time.

An easy degree will be worth the work that you put into it. Get a second major, or choose harder courses. Your competitors are doing exactly that. The University of Wisconsin, near where I live, has a high proportion of students doing double majors.

To the OP: Maybe after the first year is over, you could find an academic related job like tutoring. My parents also put me through college, and I also wanted a bit of spending money. My college had some sort of academic help center, and I ended up working for them as a math tutor.

[BillyRay]

Could you even get the bike insured at such a young age ? Not to sound harsh, but this is typical 17 year old behaviour. Just get a sportsbike (and why do you need a sportsbike for anyway ?) when you have payed your dues in school and you land a high (or even decent) paying real life gig. Don't underestimate what living alone costs. There's no sense in eating ramen and rice 7 days a week AND working a crappy part-time job if you don't have to just to get a shiny toy.

[tycobb73]

I would join a cover band. You'll make as much as you would at a job and it will be a lot more fun. Other than that, my plan would be to take as many classes as I could without a job the first 2 years (including summers) then go after internships after that. Think about it, a minimum wage job will give you an extra few thousand. But if you graduate a year early you'll bank an extra first year's salary since you got out a year early.

[Bassius]

turn 18 and do whatever the hell you want.

that's what i did anyway

[MakiSupaStar]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Follow your pop's rules and enjoy the free ride. Not many get that. The bike will be around later, the gift form your parents could disappear at the end of the quarter/semester.

If you're totally desperate for the bike, pick up some side work here and there to pay for it.

-Mike

+1.

[Absentia]

Concentrate on your studies, trust you're lucky enough to have someone flipping the bill for it..

[tplyons]

From someone in a similar situation... I just graduated college.

I carried my own student loans (free ride would have been nice)

And I worked most of the time through college (not as easy as it sounds)

However, temp agencies are great for this... can cater to your schedule a bit more. I worked in a Walgreen's Distribution Center cutting tops off boxes from 6-10 every night for $11 an hour. I brought home $180 a week after taxes. This was the best job I found through college as I usually wasted those hours watching TV and hanging out anyway.

If you get a job, be prepared to lose sleep. However, think of it this way:

Your dad is effectively paying you $30,000 or whatever your tuition is to get good grades. THAT, my friend, is a full time job, and pays very well.

And on the other end, motorcycle in college... I did that too. I crunched some numbers, and by giving up drinking as much as I did in college (yes, I drank about $20 a week) ... I was able to make half a bike payment. I financed my Sportster for my 20th birthday, and since then... in two and a half years, I've managed to accumulate only 5,000 miles. My bike stayed at home while I was away at school. Most of those miles are from summers at home.

Oh, and if you're only considering the price of the bike... consider leathers, helmet, riding school (highly recommend MSF classes), oh, and sport bike insurance is ridiculous. My Sportster is around $250 a year... for a sport bike, I'd be looking at $1,500 a year, as an experienced rider. You'd be more than that for a beginning rider. Just something else to consider.