NextPath Students

8 Top-Paying Part-Time Jobs for College Students

nextpath — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:14:00 GMT

Whether you’re looking for that work-study position that rounds out your financial aid or a part-time job that’ll earn you some extra cash, here are eight of your best-paying options, both on and off campus.

1) Computer Lab Assistant (on-campus)

Typical Hourly Pay: $8–$11

Good news for computer geeks: If you know your way around basic hardware and applications, you’re comfortable with printer hookups and toner changes, and you’ve got a knack for troubleshooting, you may be able to land a gig at your campus computer lab helping your fellow students. The better your tech skills, the higher your pay will usually be. And as long as everything’s running smoothly, you’ll generally have a lot of downtime to get some studying done while you’re on the clock.

Computer Support Specialist (off-campus)

Average Hourly Pay: $21.78

If you’re really a computer whiz and can talk people through most hardware or app problems, consider looking for an off-campus job as a computer support specialist, answering customers’ questions about things like e-mail, installation, and printing. Average pay for these positions last year was an impressive $21.78 an hour.

2) Administrative / Personal Assistant (on- or off-campus)

Average Hourly Pay: $19.57

The work may not sound glamorous, but administrative assistants have some of the highest-paid hourly jobs out there. Execs and entrepreneurs frequently pay good money for reliable, trustworthy part-time talent to help them with their busy lives. As a personal assistant, you’ll need to be flexible, accommodating, and ready for anything: You might be in an office, making travel arrangements, helping with paperwork, or you might be out and about, running errands, dropping off dry-cleaning, picking up lunch, and pet-sitting.

On campus, deans and department heads often need an executive or administrative assistant to help with preparing reports, scheduling meetings, arranging conference calls, and various clerical and reception duties. Look for admin job listings at your school’s career center, in you campus paper classifieds, and on job sites like Craigslist, CareerBuilder, and Monster.

3) Aerobic Instructor / Fitness Trainer (off-campus)

Average Hourly Pay: $15.86

If you’re a workout junkie who’s spending hours in the gym anyway, why not make some good money while you’re at it? Put your workout ethic to use at your campus rec center or at a local gym, and help other people get healthy and in shape.

4) College Mail / Print Center Attendant (on-campus)

Average Hourly Pay: $12–$13

On-campus centers that feature printing, copying, binding, and mailing services are generally found at larger schools. Off-campus, you can find a similar job at places like Kinko’s and AlphaGraphics. Last year, mail clerks earned an average of $12.32 an hour, and so-called “office machine operators” (employees running photocopiers, printers, etc.) made an average hourly wage of $12.85. As an added perk, you may be able to get a discount on those costly print jobs for your large end-of-semester projects.

5) Library Assistant (on- or off-campus)

Average Hourly Pay: $11.42

Sort and shelve books, periodicals, and other materials, and help visitors check out books and operate audio/visual systems, computers, and copiers. This is another job that could give you a good deal of free time to study. The catch is your campus library will probably keep you busiest around midterms and finals, when you’d need the study time most. If your campus library isn’t hiring, try your local public libraries.

6) Bank Teller (off-campus)

Average Hourly Pay: $11.36

About one in four bank tellers work part-time, and although most teller jobs don’t require a college degree, if you’re a finance or accounting major, getting started as a teller now could help pave your way to a higher-level job in the banking or finance industry after graduation. If your school happens to have a campus branch of a national or local bank, you may even be able to score a teller job right there on campus.

7) Desk Attendant (on-campus)

Typical Hourly Pay: $8–$10

With many colleges upping campus security in recent years, schools all over the country are hiring student attendants to monitor those entering and exiting dorms and other campus buildings. If you’re used to pulling all-nighters on a regular basis, the nightshift could be perfect for you: With low foot-traffic in the middle of the night, you’ll have a lot of time to study while earning a paycheck.

Hotel Desk Clerk (off-campus)

Average Hourly Pay: $9.66

Do the job of a desk attendant off-campus and gain some valuable experience for your résumé. If you’re eyeing a career in the hospitality industry, starting as a hotel desk clerk can be a great way to get your foot in the door. The downside is you’ll typically be busier than a campus desk attendant, so you may not have as much time to study, and your manager may not want you absorbed in your econ homework when you’re supposed to be welcoming guests with a smile.

8) Babysitter (on- and off-campus)

Average Hourly Pay: $9.21 for five to nine years’ experience; $7.17 for one to four years’ experience (according to PayScale.com)

Though this job may not pay as well as other on- or off-campus jobs, you’ll usually have plenty of work, especially if you’re dependable and can build a strong customer base off word-of-mouth referrals. Start with your campus newspaper — nearby parents and professors with kids will often advertise here, and the pay can run higher, between $10 and $15 an hour. You can also try Craigslist and community bulletin boards to find off-campus families looking for babysitting services. Get night sitting gigs, and you’ll have plenty of time to study and do homework after the kids go to sleep — assuming, of course, you’re good enough at your job that once you put the kids to bed, you can get them to stay there.

Source: Average hourly pay rates from the May 2007 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates available from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Your Guide to Staying Safe on Campus

nextpath — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:20:00 GMT

In the wake of the tragedy at Virginia Tech last year, colleges across the country have been updating their emergency response tactics and putting stricter security measures into place.

College campuses, in general, tend to take greater safety precautions than the world at large, with a high per-capita concentration of security and overall surveillance. But no security system is perfect, and no campus will ever be 100-percent safe. You don’t want to be overly paranoid, and you should feel comfortable on campus, but at the same time, it’s only smart to stay aware of the potential risks and be proactive about avoiding dangerous or needlessly risky situations.

Take Precautions and Protect Yourself

8 Basic Safety Tips

Be smart about your behavior on campus, and take some basic common-sense precautions to minimize your risk:

Whether driving or walking, use well-trafficked routes and avoid dark shortcuts at night.
Never walk alone at night — this goes for both girls and guys. Walk with a friend or roommate to and from your destination, or if everyone you know is in bed, call your 24-hour campus security for an escort.
Program emergency numbers into your cell phone for one-touch dialing.
Make mental notes of the emergency phones or stations around campus.
Blasting your iPod may give you that adrenaline rush while you’re running, but it also makes you oblivious to the sound of anyone coming up behind you. Avoid listening to loud music through sound-blocking earbuds when you’re walking or running alone at night or early in the morning.
Make sure at least one other person — a roommate, friend, or family member — knows your daily schedule.
Check your school’s website daily for security updates.

In the Dorms

Never share your personal access information, even with close friends or roommates.
Report stolen or lost keys and access cards as soon as possible.
Never let anyone you don’t know piggyback on your access or sneak in to your building behind you. If you see it happen, alert your R.A. or campus security.

Living Off-Campus

Get security screen doors when possible.
Secure any backyard or side gates with proper locks.
Lock your doors behind you every time you leave or enter your apartment.
Make sure all your windows and sliding doors stay locked. If you have a sliding door and you live on the first floor, invest in a sliding door security bar.
Never open the door without checking through the peephole. If you don’t have a peephole, ask your landlord to install one.
Avoid giving extra keys to friends or significant others; you never know what may happen with those relationships over the course of a school year.

With Your Vehicle

Park in well-lit and high-traffic areas as often as possible.
From a distance, as you’re walking to your car, look underneath it and make sure there’s no one hiding.
Check your backseat and the floors before you get in.
If you don’t already have a remote, get one. If someone’s following you, and you need to get away fast, you don’t want to have to fumble with getting a key into a lock.
Avoid keeping valuables in your car. Even backpacks, CDs, cell phones, and fancy calculators can be a magnet for thieves.
Install a simple blinking light in your car that makes it look like you have a security system; it’s less expensive than an actual security system, and it may mean the difference between a burglar smashing your window or the window of the car next to you.
While you’re driving, if you think someone’s following you, don’t drive home. Drive to the nearest police station instead; if you don’t know where a police station is, go someplace busy and well-lit — a 24-hour gas station, an IHOP, a Walgreens — where you can be around people until the cops can get there.

Know What You’re Dealing With

Start by researching your school’s crime statistics so you can help protect yourself against them. Security on Campus compiles crime stats for both on- and off-campus offenses at more than 6,000 colleges and universities; you can search the online database by school name.

If there’s an emergency situation at your school, you’ll also want to be prepared for how school officials might let you know and the measures they have in place to help keep you safe. Go to your school’s website, or call the campus security office and find out which of these systems, if any, your school is using:

Emergency alert system that distributes notifications to students and faculty via text message, e-mail, and voicemail during emergency situations. These messages are meant to give a brief description of the situation and simple instructions on where to go and what to do to stay safe.
Emergency management website that posts everything from security alerts and evacuation plans to security policies and safety tips for students. For an example, check out the Berkeley College Emergency Management Master Plan site.
360-degree security cameras in lecture halls, classrooms, hallways, and throughout campus buildings. In the case of a hostage situation, security officials may be able to use these cameras to help devise escape routes or rescue plans.
“True voice” public address system that can be heard clearly even from a distance. Older PA systems can distort sound and be hard, if not impossible, to understand when you’re too far away.

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Surviving the Economy: Student Discounts and Back-to-School Deals

nextpath — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:33:00 GMT

Before you max out your student loans or shell out your hard-earned summer job money this year, take advantage of student discounts and back-to-school offers that could save you money on everything from new clothes, books, and software to cell phones, groceries, and your plane tickets home.

Get a student discount card

With the Student Advantage card, you can save on pretty much everything a college student needs: plane, train, and bus tickets; all your dorm essentials; a laptop, cell phone, and cell phone plan; books, CliffsNotes, and supplies; clothes and shoes; contacts, glasses, and toiletries; and even movies and music. Participating retailers include Cheap Tickets, Target, Linens ’n Things, Toshiba, T-Mobile, Barnes & Noble, Office Depot, Sports Authority, and Urban Outfitters.

Get a one-year card for $20, plus $2.50 shipping and handling. Add an extra year for just $10, all the way up to a four-year card for $50. Not sure it’s worth it? Think of it this way: With a 10-percent Student Advantage discount at Target, on a $200 purchase, your $20 card will have already paid for itself.

Become a Sam’s Club member

The buy-in-bulk warehouse is now offering a Collegiate Membership: For a $40 annual membership fee, Sam’s Club will throw in a $15 gift card and two membership cards — so you and a roommate can split the membership fee and each get a card. All you have to do is show a valid student ID and provide a school e-mail address (ending in .edu).

Use your membership to go bulk-shopping with your friends and roommates. Share the cost on things like snacks, detergent, and printer paper, and then split up the goods.

Book your trips through student travel sites

Whether you just want to fly home for Thanksgiving or you’re trying to arrange your travel plans for your study abroad program, sites like StudentUniverse offer discount airfare, car rentals, train tickets, hostel rates, and travel insurance. To be eligible for StudentUniverse deals, you’ll need to be an undergraduate or graduate student (part-time and community college students are also eligible) and have a valid school e-mail address (ending in .edu).

For money-saving deals and trip ideas to help you plan your spring or winter breaks, check out sites like EF College Break, StudentCity, and Student Travel Services.

Take advantage of academic discounts

Don’t buy a flash drive, laptop bag, or that copy of Photoshop you need for your Digital Media class before stopping by sites like JourneyEd and Academic Superstore. These online retailers sell software, hardware, electronics, books, and book bags to students at a discount. Right now, on JourneyEd, you can get the Adobe Creative Suite 3.3 — that includes Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Acrobat — for just $399.98; retail price is $1,199.

To qualify for an academic discount, you’ll need to show proof of enrollment: a copy of your student ID, a current class schedule, or a letter from your school on school letterhead.

Buy a Mac for college and get a free iPod

If you’re in the market for a new laptop or desktop to take with you to school, buy a Mac through Apple, and you’ll get a free 8GB iPod Touch or 8GB iPod Nano to go with it. Apple’s back-to-school deal is good through September 15 with the purchase of a MacBook or iMac through the Apple Online Store, any Apple Retail Store, or your Apple Campus Store.

The catch? You’ll have to buy and pay for your iPod upfront, at the same time you get your Mac, and then submit a rebate claim online. You’ll have until October 15 to claim your rebate. For an iPod Nano, you’ll get a rebate of up to $199; for the Touch, up to $299.

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Surviving the Economy: Rent, Don’t Buy, Your Textbooks, and Save Over 75%

nextpath — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:29:00 GMT

The average college student spends $900 a year on textbooks. But who says you have to be average? Save your student loan money and put away your credit cards: Instead of buying your textbooks this year, consider renting — and save hundreds of dollars.

Online book rental sites like Chegg and BookRenter.com work a lot like Netflix: You pick the books you need from over a million titles, you get them delivered straight to your door, and then you send them back — on the company’s dime — at the end of the semester when you’re done.

Save Money — And Go Green

Chegg and BookRenter advertise savings of up to 75 percent or more on new and used textbooks. Some of Chegg’s customers have saved as much as 95 percent by renting.

On Chegg’s “Save Big” page, you’ll find real-life examples of some students’ mega-savings: A student at Ohio State saved 93 percent on a 2005 edition of Accounting Information Systems, which brand new would have cost her $171.80 — she paid $11.27 to rent. Another student from Syracuse saved 93 percent on her General Chemistry book, which lists for $177.96 — she paid Chegg just $11.04.

By renting your books, besides saving money, you’re reducing demand for new books, which can help reduce the number of new books that are printed each year. According to Chegg, 4 million trees are consumed each year just for textbooks; 20 million trees each year go into the production of books in general.

On average, BookRenter re-uses a book five times, which cuts down the demand for virgin fiber paper, the kind used to print textbooks. Chegg goes one step further: In addition to helping you re-use books, Chegg will plant a tree for every book you rent. So far, Chegg has funded more than 100 acres of new trees.

How Textbook Renting Works

Search Chegg or BookRenter for the books you need — you can search by title, author, or ISBN.
Decide how long you need to rent each book. Chegg lets you choose between a semester, a quarter, or a summer; BookRenter offers one- to four-month rental periods. Both sites will let you pay for a rental extension if you need it.
Choose from standard (7–14 days) or priority (2–6 days) shipping at Chegg, and from standard (3–7 days), two-day, and next-day shipping at BookRenter. You’ll be charged a base shipping fee, plus a per-item fee.
Return your books for FREE. When you’re done with them, just ship them back with the prepaid label provided to you.

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Packing for College: Your Ultimate Dorm Move-In Checklist

nextpath — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 18:48:00 GMT

From how to plan, who to call, what to take, and what to leave behind, here’s your ultimate college move-in checklist. Run through this, and you can be sure you’ve covered all your bases — you’ll be packed, prepared, ready to take the dorms by storm and have everything you need to make your home away from home.

The Pre-Packing Q&A

Before you even start packing or running down a checklist, you need to have an idea of what flies and what doesn’t at your school. Most schools post their on-campus housing policies online and in their student handbook. But if you can’t find this information, call your campus housing office.

What are the dorm policies? Which appliances are ok and which are banned?
What furniture or appliances are already provided with your room?
How are you allowed to decorate your room? Is your bedroom furniture modular, and are you allowed to move it around?
Who are the resident assistants (RA.s) or others who can help you with housing or roommate questions, and how do you get a hold of them?

The Roommate Rundown

It can also help to team up with your future roomie(s) and decide who’s bringing what, so you can make sure, first of all, that you have everything you’re going to need, and secondly, so that you don’t both bring the same thing. A couple conversations can also go a long way toward starting your roomie relationship off on the right foot.

Call your roommate(s), introduce yourself, and get to know each other a little so it won’t be as awkward on your first day.
Plan who’s going to bring shared items like a TV, DVD player, Wii, mini-fridge, microwave, etc.
If there are some shared items neither of you has, plan on a shopping excursion your first week of school where you can split the shopping list.
Review the floor plan (are you living in a double? triple? quad?) and decide who’s taking which bed so there aren’t any surprises when you get to campus.

Deal With Unboxable Details

Getting ready to move isn’t just about packing boxes and suitcases. You need to make sure you’re covered for living on your own for the first time:

Health insurance. Most schools require that you have medical insurance. Before you ever set foot on campus, make sure you’re covered under your parents’ policy (verify out-of-state coverage if you’re moving out of state to go to school), or else see if you can purchase insurance through your school. Make copies of your insurance cards, have your home physician’s info in your phone or PDA, and find a physician in the city where you’re moving to.
Renters insurance. If your dorm room gets broken into or a pipe bursts, your school’s most likely not liable for anything that gets stolen or damaged. Look into a renters insurance policy, which can be as little as $10 a month for several thousand dollars worth of coverage.
Cell phone. If you’re moving out of state, make sure your calling plan doesn’t hit you with long-distance or roaming charges. If it does, either switch to a plan with unlimited roaming and long-distance, or find a different provider. If you stay in touch by text and e-mail a lot from your phone, consider getting a plan with unlimited texting and media minutes, if your current plan doesn’t already have this.
Money. If you bank with a national chain, find a branch and at least three ATMs close to campus so you can get the cash you need on the fly, without having to pay any ATM fees. If your bank is local only, consider finding a different bank close to campus that you can keep at least a checking account at while you’re in school. Open a checking account, if you haven’t already, and look into getting a debit card.
Valuables. Mark all your electronics and other valuables with your name and hometown (avoid including personal info like your driver’s license number, home address, or Social Security number that identity thieves could use). You can use a permanent marker, an engraver, or find tamper-resistant asset tags online; DataDot offers a micro-dot asset identification technology that’s pretty cool and not too pricey. Store a record of all your tagged items, along with a picture, in a safe place, for insurance purposes, in case anything gets stolen.

What to Leave at Home

Stuffed animals. You may be attached to your childhood friends, but it’s a lot of bulk to carry with you for sentimental reasons. And do you really want to run the risk of Snoopy being held hostage by the juniors down the hall?
Clothes you’ll need to dry clean. Dry cleaning will get inconvenient — and expensive — fast. Since you’re going to be doing your own laundry soon, keep it machine-washable and low-maintenance.
Candles and incense. Many schools don’t allow these lovely mood-enhancers since they’re considered fire hazards.
Halogen lamps. Halogens can be as dangerous as open candle flames. They kick out high-level heat that, when left unattended around curtains or flammable objects, can do major damage.
Illegal stuff. You know what we’re talking about here: Drugs, alcohol, knives, nunchucks, ninja throwing stars, any other implement intended primarily to bring about injury, death, or destruction.

What to Bring With You — The Checklists

Bed & Bath

Alarm clock
Bedside lamp
Blankets
Comforter
Fan
Hangers
Iron and ironing board
Laundry bag/basket
Laundry detergent and fabric softener
Laundry drying rack
Mattress pad
Pillows
Sheets and pillow cases
Stain remover
Towels

Desk & Office Supplies

3x5 index cards
Bulletin board, push pins
Dry erase board/calendar
Desk calendar
Desk lamp
Dictionary and thesaurus
DVD-Rs and CD-Rs
Flash drive or USB drive
Hanging files and folders
Highlighters
Labels
Notebooks and folders
Paper clips and rubber bands
Pens and pencils
Pencil sharpener
Phone/address book
Planner/assignment book
Post-it notes
Printer paper and toner
Ruler and scissors
Stackable desk trays
Stapler and staples
Stamps and envelopes
Trash can

Electronics

(Check with your roommate on the shared stuff so you don’t both bring the same thing.)

CDs, DVDs, and mp3s
Computer/laptop
DVD player
Ethernet cable or modem phone cord
iPod or mp3 player
iPod dock
Outlet adapters
Phone
Printer
Surge protector and extension cords
TV

Storage & Tools

Adhesive, adhesive hooks, double-sided tape
Hammer and nails
Plastic storage bins
Poster tape
Screwdrivers (Phillips head, flat head)
Tool kit

Toiletries

Acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen
Band-aids, Neosporin
Brush and comb
Cologne/perfume
Cotton balls
Cough drops
Dental floss
Flip-flops (for the shower stalls)
Hair dryer
Hairstyling products
Lotion/moisturizer
Nail clippers, tweezers
Pepto-Bismol
Q-tips
Razors, shaving cream, aftershave
Shampoo, conditioner
Shower tote
Soap
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Vitamins

Before You Leave

Make sure you’re fully packed the night before you leave.
Double-check again in the morning to make sure you have everything.
Add any last minute items that you forgot.

Plan to get to campus as early as possible, and be ready for chaos on move-in day. Hundreds of first-year students who are as new as you are moving in to the dorms at the same time usually means pandemonium.