WORKING AND FINANCIAL AID AMONG COLLEGE
STUDENTS
REPORT TO
INDIANA UNIVERSITY NORTHWEST
IVY TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PURDUE UNIVERSITY CALUMET
PREPARED BY
THE PUBLIC OPINION LABORATORY
NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
DEKALB, ILLINOIS
2005-2006
Executive Summary
During fall semester 2005, Indiana University Northwest (IUN), Ivy Tech and Purdue University
Calumet (PUC) jointly conducted the Working and Financial Aid among College Students
survey. The purpose of the study was to ascertain the ways in which their employment affected
students’ pursuit of college degrees and how these institutions could positively impact work
considerations of their students.
Questionnaires were sent to a random sample of 1000 students from each of the three institutions
for a total of 3000 surveys. The questionnaire asked questions about students’ employment status
and their perceptions of the impact of work on their college career and relations with others. The
students were also asked about receiving financial aid from their college and how they were
financing their education. In addition, the survey inquired about the students’ post-college plans.
Of the total of 3000 questionnaires that were sent, 96 were returned as undeliverable at the
student’s address. A total of 958 students completed and returned the questionnaire, 355 IUN
students, 285 Ivy Tech students and 318 PUC students. Subtracting the undeliverables from the
3000 questionnaires sent, the study ended up with an overall response rate of 33 percent.
Listed below are major findings from the study.

The vast majority of students at each of the institutions were employed either full
or part-time, in total over 80 percent; with between 35 to 41 percent being
employed full time.

Most students were employed off-campus (82%); fewer than ten percent of the
employed students worked on-campus.

Over 80 percent of the employed students worked at one job, while 16 percent
had two jobs. Less than one percent reported having more than two jobs.

The modal response to the number of hours they worked per week was 31-40, but
over 20 percent reported working more than 40 hours per week.

Nearly one-half of the employed students reported that their job had no impact on
their school work (48%), while approximately one-quarter believed it had a
positive impact and one-quarter believed it had a negative impact.

A majority of the employed students (56%) reported that having a job while
attending college was increasing the time frame in which they planned to
complete their degree.

Approximately four out of ten of the employed students reported that their job
was related in some way to their plans for a career after graduation.

Overall, 48 percent of the employed students reported that they would increase
their credit hour load if their college assisted them in reducing their work hours.

Few of the students who were employed believed that their working reduced their
need for financial aid support from their college (12% overall).

Over four in ten of the responding students reported that they had taken fewer
credit hours due to working.

A majority of the students expressed satisfaction with their college’s faculty and
with their fellow students. There was somewhat less satisfaction with academic
advising and student services.

Nearly one-quarter (23%) of the students with jobs reported that it made it much
more difficult to schedule their classes and over four out of ten reported that it made
it somewhat difficult.

Paying for non-college expenses was the most often cited reason for working,
checked by 66 percent of the employed students, followed by spending money
(61%) and paying debts (60%) and paying for a car (60%).

Over one-half of the students at each of the colleges reported being eligible for
financial aid.

A majority of the students reported credit card debt (51%), while 44 percent had
student loan debts.

The predominant way students across all campuses were financing their education was
through college financial aid.
Introduction
During fall semester 2005, Indiana University Northwest (IUN), Ivy Tech and Purdue University Calumet
(PUC) jointly conducted the Working and Financial Aid among College Students survey. The purpose of
the study was to ascertain the ways in which their employment affected students’ pursuit of college
degrees and how these institutions could positively impact work considerations of their students. As
stated in the cover letter to the students selected to participate in the study the colleges hoped “to learn
whether working and financial aid help students stay in school.”
Indiana University Northwest located in Gary Indiana offers certificates and associate, bachelors, and
master's degrees. It has over 5,000 students. Ivy Tech Community College is a statewide open-admissions
community college with programs leading to two-year associate's degrees and one-year technical
certificates. Purdue University Calumet offers associate, baccalaureate and master's degrees plus
professional certificates in more than 100 fields of study. Purdue Calumet has a student enrollment of
over 9300 students.
Questionnaires were sent to a random sample of 1000 students from each of the three institutions for a
total of 3000 surveys. The selected students received a notification postcard, an initial mailing of the
survey, and a follow-up postcard. Nonresponding students received two full follow-up mailings. Included
in the mailing was a consent form that students were asked to return with their completed questionnaire.
The consent form would allow administrators at the student’s college to add information from their school
records to their survey responses for a broader analysis of the impact of work on academic careers.
The questionnaire asked questions about students’ employment status and their perceptions of the impact
of work on their college career and relations with others. The students were also asked about receiving
financial aid from their college and how they were financing their education. In addition, the survey
inquired about their post-college plans.
Of the total of 3000 questionnaires that were sent, 96 were returned as undeliverable at the student’s
address. A total of 958 students completed and returned the questionnaire, 355 IUN students, 285 Ivy
Tech students and 318 PUC students. Subtracting the undeliverables from the 3000 questionnaires sent,
the study ended up with an overall response rate of 33 percent. Table 1 shows the response rate for each
of the schools.
School
IUN
Ivy Tech
Purdue
Number Sent
1000
1000
1000
Table 1. Response Rates by School
Number undeliverable
Number completed
37
355
33
285
26
318
Response Rate
37%
29%
33%
Respondent Characteristics
The vast majority of the respondents were women reflecting their majority status among the student body
in each of the three colleges. Seventy percent of Indian University Northwest’s students; 58 percent of Ivy
Tech’s students and 58 percent of Purdue University Calumet’s students are women. Women are
substantially overrepresented among the respondents from Ivy Tech Community College.
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
1
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Most respondents were planning to complete their degree at that college. Ivy Tech students were
somewhat less sure than students at Indiana University Northwest and Purdue University Calumet
probably related to its being a community rather than a four-year college. Approximately two-thirds of the
students had post-college plans with substantial percentages planning to go to graduate school.
Table 2. Characteristics of Respondents
IUN
Ivy Tech
%
%
Sex
Male
Female
Plan to complete degree at IUN/Ivy
Tech/Purdue
Yes
No
Undecided
Year Plan to Graduate
Already a graduate
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Post-graduation plans
Yes
No
Can’t say
Post graduation career plans (subgroup
with plans)
Graduate school
Employment
Travel
Volunteering
Continuing education
Military
Professional school
Other
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
2
Purdue
%
Total
%
23
77
20
79
39
60
28
72
85
7
8
77
7
16
84
5
10
82
6
11
-1
16
21
14
7
2
.3
--
.8
2
18
20
10
2
2
---
.3
5
15
17
15
9
1
1
.3
.3
3
16
19
13
6
2
.4
.1
69
14
16
62
16
21
69
13
17
67
14
17
39
68
9
8
22
2
11
6
23
79
11
9
41
1
5
10
48
76
14
10
28
2
9
6
38
74
11
9
29
2
8
7
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Students who checked “Other” in response to this question about their post graduation career plans were
asked to specify their other plans. Their responses are listed below. Some of the responses duplicate items
in the original question but are still listed here to accurately reflect the students’ reports. Numbers in
parentheses are the number of students who gave the response if more than one student.
B.S in Human Resource Development
Being a stay at home mom & home maker
BS, MSN and Nurse practitioner degree
BSN-MSN-FNP
BSN
Building establishment
Certificate in personnel & Human Resources
Certification in Restoration & Conservation
of Ant
Considering continuing education, not sure yet
Continuing education for a BS degree
Degree in elementary education
Entrepreneur (2)
Get a better paying job
Get a job
Government
I plan on moving to the east coast for a job
in apparel merchandising
I plan to student teach in Australia
Law school (3)
Marriage (2)
Massage therapy certification
Masters in speech pathology
Maybe bachelors in dental hygiene, start
acting career
Mechanical Job in Steel Mill
Medical school
Mortuary school
opening a theater company
Own business (5)
Own drug rehab for woman
Paramedic/firefighter
PhD
Teacher
Try to get job w/home & security as a
supervisor
Union trade
Unsure but one of the three
Working
Working as an RN
X-ray tech-Ultrasound RN, respiratory
Majors
The students were asked to give their major. Listed below are all of the majors given and the
number of students with a particular major indicated if greater than one student.
Indiana Northwest
Accounting (3)
Allied Health
Art
B.S. Public Affairs
Bachelors in Criminal Justice
Bachelors of Science in Nursing
Bio/Fine Arts
Biology (9)
Biology & Anthropology
Biology & Psychology
BS in Health Management
BSB
Business-FIS
Business (13)
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
Ivy Tech
Purdue
Accounting (8)
Applied Science-Fire-Public Safety
ASN Nursing (9)
Automotive Technology (6)
Business (17)
CAD (2)
Computer Information Systems
(14)
Construction Technology (3)
Criminal Justice (5)
Culinary (5)
Design Tech
Early Childhood Education (6)
Electronics (2)
AA Child and Family Services BA
Criminal Justice
Accounting (15)
ADN
Architecture Technology (3)
Biology
Biology (Pre-dentistry) (2)
Business Administration (MBA)
Child and Family Services (4)
Computer Information Systems (7)
CMET (3)
Communication/Broadcasting
Communications (2)
Computer Graphic Design (2)
3
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Business Accounting (2)
Business Administration (11)
Business Administration/Fine Arts
Business and Economics (2)
Business and Elementary Education
Business Marketing
Elementary or Secondary
Certification
Chemistry (2)
CIS (3)
Coding Certificate
Communications
Criminal Justice (17)
Dental Assisting (3)
Dental Education-pre-dental
Associate Degree in Dental
Hygiene (18)
Education-mild disabilities
Elementary Education/TAL (20)
English
Financial Information Systems (2)
Fine Arts (3)
Fine Arts/Graphic Arts
French/biology
General Studies (12)
Geology
Graphic Design (2)
Graphic Design & Photography
Health care management
Health Information Management
Health Information Technology (5)
Health Services Administration (2)
Health services management;
coding specialist
Health Services Mgmt.
History
HIT to Rad. Sciences or Healthcare
Management
HIT w/medical coding specialist
certification
Human Resource Public Mgmt
Labor Studies (2)
Master in Public Affairs
Masters Business Administration
Masters in Education (2)
Education Leadership Certification
Masters public affairs-public
management
Masters social work
Mathematics (2)
MBA (6)
MBA/non-profit mgmt certificate
Medical
Medical Laboratory Technology (3)
MSN (2)
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
Human Resources (2)
Tech and Nursing
Industrial Technology (9)
Liberal Arts (3)
LPN (5)
LPN and RN
Marketing (2)
Medical Assisting (6)
Medical Assisting/Nursing
Medical Office Administration
Mortuary Science (5)
Nursing (49)
Office Administration (7)
Paralegal (3)
Phlebotomy
Physical Therapy Assistant (12)
PTA (2)
Public Safety (2)
Respiratory Therapy (5)
Surgical Technician (4)
Tech Mech Design
Miscellaneous, uncodable (4)
4
Computer Graphics Technology (4)
Computer networking
Computer Science (3)
Construction Management
Engineering Technology (4)
Criminal Justice (5)
Early Childhood Development (10)
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Technology (9)
Education (17)
Electrical Engineering (5)
Electronics Technology
Elementary Education (20)
Engineering
Engineering or construction
English (2)
Finance (5)
Finance and Accounting (3)
Fitness management (2)
French Internal Studies
History
Hospitality and Tourism
Management (7)
Human Development & Family
Studies (3)
Human Resources (5)
Journalism
Management (8)
Marketing (3)
Marketing & Finance
Masters in Education
Mathematics Education (2)
Mathematics secondary education
Mechanical Engineering
Technology (3)
medical technology
MET
MSN
Nurse Practitioner
Nursing (18)
Nursing Associate
Nutrition Fitness & Health
Organizational leadership &
supervision (11)
Political Science-Criminal Justice
(2)
Political Science (6)
Pre-med (Bio)
Pre-Veterinary
Psychology (8)
Psychology & Child & Family
services
Social Studies Teaching (3)
Sociology-Criminal Justice
Sociology (4)
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
MSW (2)
Nursing (31)
Nursing Associate
PBCA (2)
Political Science (2)
Psychology (6)
Public Administration
Public Affairs-Environmental
Policy
Public Affairs/Management
Public Management
Radiography (24)
Radiologic Sciences (4)
Respiratory Care
Respiratory Therapy (5)
RHIT
Sciences/Medical field
Secondary education-English
Secondary Education (2)
Social work (3)
Social Work MSW
Sociology (5)
Sociology/Anthropology
Spanish (2)
Spanish/Arts & Science
Graduate Special Education
Certification
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
Spanish (3)
5
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Current Employment Status
The students were asked several questions about their current employment status including whether they
worked full or part time, worked on or off campus, the number of jobs they currently had and the number
of hours they tended to work in an average week.

The vast majority of students at each of the institutions were employed either full or part-time, in
total over 80 percent; with between 35 to 41 percent being employed full time.
Figure 1. Which one of the following categories best describes your current employment status?
100
90
80
Percent
70
60
50
48
45
41 42
40
41
35
32
30
40
22
17
20
16
18
10
0
IUN
Ivy
Full-time
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
Part-time
6
Purdue
Total
Not currently employed
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
The percentages in the following figures in this section are based on the subset of students who reported
being employed. The percentages may not add to 100 percent because not all employed students answered
each of the questions; this was especially true of the first question about whether the student worked on or
off-campus.

Most students were employed off-campus (82%); fewer than ten percent of the employed students
worked on-campus (Figure 2).

Over 80 percent of the employed students worked at one job, while 16 percent had two jobs. Less
than one percent reported having more than two jobs (Figure 3).

The modal response to the number of hours they worked per week was 31-40, but over 20 percent
reported working more than 40 hours per week (Figure 4).
Figure 2. Work on-campus or off, based on subgroup of employed students only
100
90
80
66
70
Percent
74
74
80
60
50
40
30
20
10
9
5
8
1
6
7
3
3
0
IUN
Ivy
On-campus
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
7
Purdue
Off-campus
Total
Both
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Figure 3. How many jobs do you currently have?
100
85
90
82
82
80
80
Percent
70
60
50
40
30
17
20
17
16
12
10
0.7 0
0
IUN
Ivy
One
1 0.4
2 0.7
0.4 0.4
Purdue
Two
Three
Total
Four
Figure 4. Approximately how many hours do you work in an average week?
100
90
80
Percent
70
60
50
35
40
28 30
30
14
20
10
5
32
25 33
23
17 17
23
19
19
16
4
5
24
22
5
0
IUN
Ivy
1-10
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
11-20
8
Purdue
21-30
31-40
Total
41+
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Employer Educational Support
The students were presented with three ways in which their employer might support them academically
and were asked to check all that applied to their situation. They were also provided with the opportunity
to list any other ways in which they felt their employer was supporting their college career. Employers
tended to be accommodating of these students’ school schedules. Further, between ten and 17 percent of
the employers were reported to contribute financially to the student’s school expenses beyond a paycheck.
Based on these responses, we can say that approximately 12 percent of the students overall at these
colleges benefit from employer financially support.
Table 3. Employer Academic Support
IUN
Ivy Tech
%
%
Contribute financially to your school
17
10
expenses (other than paycheck)
Accommodate your work schedule to
73
70
your school schedule
Allow you to study at work
19
18
Support your college career in any
15
15
other manner
Type of support
Purdue
%
14
Total
%
14
81
75
21
13
20
15
Students who checked that their employer had supported their college career in some other manner than
the three ways presented to them were asked to tell what that other manner was. A list of the verbatim
responses is provided in Appendix A. Some of the responses were quite similar to the three items
specifically asked about in the question such as providing some tuition support which might be coded as
contribute financially, and a number of students talked about providing a flexible schedule or giving time
off which could be coded under “accommodate your work schedule to your school schedule.” The
verbatim responses were coded into six groupings which are listed below along with the number of
students who gave that response.
Other response categories and number of responses
encouragement (26)
financial help (12)
accommodates schedule (18)
provides resources (e.g., computer) (15)
work is education related (15)
negatively affects school (5)
other (10)
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
9
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Impact of Job on School Work
The survey explored a wide range of questions regarding the relationship between students’ work
and the pursuit of their college degree. First, the students were asked how their job impacted
their school work, the effect of having a job on the time frame for completing a degree, and
whether their current job was related to their career plans after graduation.

Nearly one-half of the employed students reported that their job had no impact on their
school work (48%), while approximately one-quarter believed it had a positive impact
and one-quarter believed it had a negative impact (Table 4).
Table 4. How does your job impact your school work?
Very positive
Positive Neither positive nor Negative Very negative
negative
%
6
13
9
9
IUN
Ivy Tech
Purdue
Total

%
17
20
18
18
%
48
48
48
48
%
26
13
22
21
%
2
3
2
2
A majority of the employed students reported that having a job while attending college was
increasing the time frame in which they planned to complete their degree (56%) (Table 5).
Table 5. In your opinion, will having a job while attending college increase the time
frame you planned for completing your degree? (Check only on box)
Not intending to completed a No time frame
Can’t
Yes
No
IUN
Ivy Tech
Purdue
Total
%
56
58
55
56
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
degree [at this school]
planned
say
%
2
3
.7
2
%
3
4
5
4
%
7
9
6
7
%
32
24
33
30
10
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study

Approximately four out of ten of the employed students reported that their job was related in
some way to their plans for a career after graduation (Figure 5).
Figure 5. Is your current job related in any way to your plans for a career after
graduation?
100
90
80
Percent
70
54
60
50
55
53
40
40
54
39
37
40
30
20
6
10
8
5
6
0
IUN
Ivy
Yes
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
11
Purdue
No
Total
Can't say
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
College Assistance
Secondly, students were asked if their college assisted them in reducing their work hours would
they increase their credit hour load there and the relationship between working and need for
financial aid.

Overall, 48 percent of the employed students reported that they would increase their
credit hour load if their college assisted them in reducing their work hours (Figure 6).
Figure 6. If [college] could assist you in reducing your work hours, would you increase
your credit hour load here?
100
90
80
Percent
70
60
52
48
50
40
30
30
30
27
20
20
48
45
24
26
24
20
10
0
IUN
Ivy
Yes
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
12
Purdue
No
Total
Can't say
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study

Few of the students who were employed believed that their working reduced their need for
financial aid support from their college (12% overall) (Figure 7).
Figure 7. Does your working reduce your need for [IU Northwest/Ivy Tech/Purdue]
Financial Aid support?
100
90
80
Percent
70
53
60
54
54
57
50
40
28
30
20
28
26
22
13
5
10
11
8
12
4
12
6
0
IUN
Ivy
Yes
No
Purdue
Do not receive financial aid
Total
Can't say
Employer Help
Finally in this section of the survey, students who were employed were asked what their
employer might do to help them better balance their school and working responsibilities. They
were asked to respond in their own words about their college employer if applicable and other
employers if applicable. Appendix B provides the verbatim responses to these two questions for
employed students at each of the three institutions. The responses primarily centered on
receiving more pay and providing greater flexibility in hours worked to accommodate class
schedules, including being allowed to study during breaks and down time.
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
13
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Attendance at College
Students were asked about how they had been managing their college career. Had they
transferred to another school and returned, had they taken fewer credit hours due to working, and
had they not attended school for various time periods?

Fewer than ten percent of the students have transferred to another school and then
returned to their current college.

More than one out of five had not attended for a semester and then returned; ten percent
had not attended for one year and then returned.

Over four in ten of the responding students reported that they had taken fewer credit
hours due to working.
Table 6. Since first beginning your college career at IUN/Ivy Tech/PUC, have you ever… ?
(Check all that apply)
IUN
Ivy Tech
Purdue
Total
%
%
%
%
Transferred to another school and returned
9
7
9
9
Taken fewer credit hours due to working
44
44
42
43
Not attended for one semester (excluding
25
20
20
22
summer) and returned
Not attended for one year and returned
9
7
12
10
Not attended for more than one year and returned
12
10
10
11
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
14
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Impact of Work on Education
This section of the survey explored a number of difference aspects of working on schooling including
satisfaction, impact on relationships and scheduling of classes and reasons for working.
First, students were asked to rate their satisfaction with eight aspects of their school and work life on a
five point scale from very satisfied to very dissatisfied. They could also check if an item was not
applicable.
A majority of the students expressed satisfaction with their college’s faculty and with their fellow
students. There was somewhat less satisfaction with academic advising and student services. In part the
lower rating of satisfaction was a result of students reporting being “neither satisfied not dissatisfied” with
these aspects of their colleges, perhaps because they did not engage them to the same extent as the first
two items. The biggest area of dissatisfaction was with the idea of going to school and working.
Table 6. How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your work and education?
Individuals
Very
Satisfied
Neither
Dissatisfied
Very
NA
satisfied
satisfied
dissatisfied
nor
dissatisfied
%
%
%
%
%
%
IUN
Off-campus job
12
34
14
12
7
17
IU Northwest faculty
15
48
21
10
2
3
Going to school and
5
25
24
24
7
13
working
IUN students
9
49
35
4
.8
2
Your employer
12
36
19
11
6
14
IUN academic
advising
11
36
29
13
6
4
IUN student services
8
30
41
8
3
8
On-campus job
2
3
5
.6
.8
78
Ivy Tech
Off-campus job
13
29
12
13
5
21
Ivy Tech faculty
23
41
20
7
3
3
Going to school and
8
27
20
16
7
16
working
Ivy Tech students
14
37
34
4
3
4
Your employer
10
32
18
8
6
20
Ivy Tech academic
16
33
28
11
5
3
advising
Ivy Tech student
16
27
33
9
4
6
services
On-campus job
1
1
3
.4
1
80
Purdue
Off-campus job
15
33
13
14
3
19
Purdue faculty
15
54
18
9
3
.6
Going to school and
8
31
18
21
7
13
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
15
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
working
Purdue students
Your employer
Purdue academic
advising
Purdue student
services
On-campus job
Total
Off-campus job
Faculty
Going to school and
working
[fellow] students
Your employer
Academic advising
Student services
On-campus job
15
17
12
42
34
37
31
16
27
7
13
13
1
4
8
2
15
2
10
32
37
11
3
6
5
4
3
.3
.3
72
13
17
7
32
48
28
13
20
21
13
9
21
5
3
7
19
2
14
13
13
13
11
3
43
34
35
30
3
33
17
28
37
4
5
11
12
9
.4
2
5
6
4
.7
3
16
3
7
76
Influence of Job on Relations
The students were asked how their having a job influenced their relationship with nine different groups of
individuals and how their having a job impacted on their ability to schedule their classes.

Generally the students responded that having a job had neither a positive nor a negative influence
on their relationships. Most negatively affected were relationships with friends (Table 7).
Table 7. How has your having a job influenced your relationship with the following
individuals?
Individuals
Very
Positive Neither positive Negative
Very
positive
nor negative
negative
%
%
%
%
%
IUN
IU Northwest faculty
6
16
69
6
1
IU Northwest students
5
22
62
10
0
Your parents
10
26
50
10
1
Your co-workers
14
32
42
10
2
Your employer
12
32
43
9
2
Potential partners
6
23
54
12
2
Your academic advisor
5
12
73
5
1
Your children (if any)
4
11
39
12
2
Your friends
6
23
45
22
4
Ivy Tech
IU Northwest faculty
8
18
66
3
1
IU Northwest students
5
17
70
4
1
Your parents
15
19
50
8
1
Your co-workers
13
27
47
7
2
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
16
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Your employer
Potential partners
Your academic advisor
Your children (if any)
Your friends
Purdue
IU Northwest faculty
IU Northwest students
Your parents
Your co-workers
Your employer
Potential partners
Your academic advisor
Your children (if any)
Your friends
Total
IU Northwest faculty
IU Northwest students
Your parents
Your co-workers
Your employer
Potential partners
Your academic advisor
Your children (if any)
Your friends
13
12
5
14
11
26
16
16
16
25
48
53
68
35
44
8
11
5
12
14
2
3
2
5
3
10
9
15
19
19
14
7
7
16
19
29
30
37
35
19
12
7
24
62
50
39
31
31
50
69
39
37
7
11
12
10
10
11
10
7
19
0
0
1
2
2
3
1
2
3
8
7
13
15
14
10
6
8
11
18
23
25
32
32
19
13
11
24
66
60
46
39
40
52
70
38
42
6
8
10
9
9
11
7
10
19
1
1
1
2
2
2
1
3
4
Having a job made scheduling their classes more difficult for students.

Nearly one-quarter (23%) of the students with jobs reported that it made it much more difficult to
schedule their classes and over four out of ten reported that it made it somewhat difficult (Table 8).
Table 8. How does your having a job impact your ability to schedule your classes?
(Check only one box)
Makes it
Makes it Has no impact
Makes it
Makes it
much easier somewhat
somewhat
much more
easier
difficult
difficult
%
%
%
%
%
IUN
1
2
26
48
23
Ivy Tech
4
5
19
48
22
Purdue
3
5
27
41
24
Total
2
4
24
46
23
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
17
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Reasons for Working While Attending College
The employed students were presented with 14 reasons for working while attending college and asked to
check all of the reasons that applied to them. They reported a variety of reasons for working while
attending college.

Paying for non-college expenses was the most often cited reason for working, checked by 66
percent of the employed students, followed by spending money (61%) and paying debts (60%)
and paying for a car (60%) (Table 9).
Table 9. Why do you work while attending college? (Check all that apply)
IUN
Ivy Tech
Purdue
Total
%
%
%
%
Spending money
63
44
74
61
Health insurance
34
37
29
33
I enjoy it
21
17
24
21
Related to my career plans
26
25
30
27
Part of my education
11
8
10
10
Support a family
35
69
30
43
Pay for child care
8
18
11
12
Pay for non-college expenses
69
53
74
66
Pay debts
61
63
57
60
Support my parents
5
5
5
5
Family business
4
2
3
3
Pay credit card debt
47
40
40
43
Pay for school
48
40
54
48
Pay for a car
61
53
63
60
Other
20
18
21
19
Listed below are the other reasons students gave for working while attending college. The number in
parentheses is the number of students who gave that response if more than one student gave that response.
Assist paying bills gives gas $ needed to
travel to school
Auto insurance and books
Bills (5)
Books (5)
Buy future classroom items
Buy school supplies
Car insurance (7)
Car insurance & car needs
Car Insurance, cell phone
Car insurance, gas, rent
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
Car insurance, help out my parents with
bills & phone bills
Car loan
Career advancement
Cell phone (3)
Child's college
Child support (2)
College expenses (non-tuition)
Credit care bills
Daughter going to college
Dependent higher education
18
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Education at IUN is continuing ed not prejob school
Experience
Family doesn't pay for me
Finished college already
Gas (7)
Gas & insurance
Gas money/Christmas money
Gas, food, books, etc.
General expenses
Have to work to have a roof over my head,
food on the table
Helps release energy
Home owner (4)
House, car insurance
Household expenses
Housing
Insurance
Insurance (auto) rent
Insurance (car) (2)
Insurance, mortgage
Job experience
License renewal
Life in general
Life Insurance
Living
Living expenses-mortgage payment
Living expenses
Medical bills
Mortgage (10)
Mortgage & pension
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
19
Mortgage payment and nipsco
Mortgage, car insurance, bills
Necessities
Old student loan
Pay bills, expenses and food
Pay for car insurance and cell phone bill
Pay for home
Pay for my son's school and living expenses
Pay for over-priced tuition
Pay for truck also
Pay house payment & regular bills each month
Pay rent (16)
Pay utilities & food
Paying for everything
Paying for living expenses
Rent, food
Rent, living expenses, bills
Rent, utilities, food, clothing
Retirement (2)
Save for future (2)
Save for housing
Single parent
Sole provider of household
Support my family
Support myself (7)
To survive
Transportation
Utilities, rent
Wife and daughter
Work study
You name it
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Financing of Education
In this section of the survey, students were asked a number of questions about the financing of their
college education. First they were asked about their eligibility for financial aid.

Over one-half of the students at each of the colleges reported being eligible for financial aid
(Figure 8).
Percent
Figure 8. Are you currently eligible for Financial Aid at IUN/Ivy Tech/PUC?
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
63
60
53
22
16
8
7
Ivy
Yes
No
Don't know
20
19 14
17 14
16 13
7
IUN
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
59
Purdue
7
Total
Have not applied
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Type of Aid Currently Receiving
Students were asked to check whether they were receiving any of four means of financial aid. Indiana
Northwest and Purdue-Calumet students were most likely to be receiving loans, while Ivy Tech students
were more likely to report receiving grants. Few students at any of the colleges were on work-study.
Nearly 20 percent of the Purdue University Calumet students reported having a scholarship (Figure 9).
Percent
Figure 9. Are you currently receiving: (Check all that apply)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
46
45
26
2
Ivy
Work-Study
33
18
5
IUN
36
31
21
10
3
40
11
3
3
Purdue
Loans
Grants
Total
Scholarships
Ever Eligible for Financial Aid
The students who reported that they were not currently eligible for financial aid were asked whether they
had ever been eligible for financial aid at their college. Eighteen percent of this subset of students
reported that they had been eligible at one time (18% of IUN, 21% of Ivy Tech, and 17% of PurdueCalumet students). An additional ten percent reported that they had never applied.
Thus, in total:
59% of the students were currently eligible for financial aid
9% were eligible at one time but not currently
14% never applied
13% were never eligible
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
21
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
The students were then asked if they believed that they understood the basic requirements of Financial
Aid eligibility at their college.

A majority of the students believed that they understood the basic requirement for Financial Aid
eligibility at their college (61% overall) while nearly 20 percent reported that they did not
understand the basic requirement (Figure 10).
Percent
Figure 10. Do you believe that you understand the basic requirements for Financial Aid eligibility
at IUN/Ivy Tech/PUC?
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
63
66
61
54
22 23
23
12
IUN
20
Ivy
Yes
14
Purdue
No
19 19
Total
Can't say
Student Loan Debt
To what extent were the students in debt with student loans? The students were asked to give both their
current amount of student loan debt at their college, the amount of current other student loans and the
level of their total debt.
Table 10 presents a variety of summary statistics on the level of both of these types of loans for the
students who reported having loan debts. The figures would be smaller if we assume that those students
who left these items blank did not have any loan debt. Forty percent of the students overall reported
having loan debts at their college and 22 percent reported having other student loan debt. Ivy Tech
students were much less likely to have a loan debt at that institution (28%) than students at either IUN
(47%) or PUC (42%). Debt tends to average at about the $8,000 to $10,000 range.
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
22
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
In addition, 597 students indicated having some debt from all sources, not just college debt. The mean
amount of debt for these students was $34,363. Debt ranged from about $100 to $360,000 (Table 10).
Table 10. What is the approximate total of your accumulated student loan debt?
Current IUN/Ivy/PUC student loan debt:
IUN
Ivy
Purdue
Total
$20
Minimum
$500
$20
$00
Maximum
Mean
Median
Mode
$110,000
$10,417
$6,621
$10,000
$15,000
$3,888
$300
$5,000
Number of Students
166
80
Amount of current other student loan debt
Minimum
$200
$500
Maximum
Mean
Median
Mode
Number of students
Total Debt
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Median
Mode
Number of Students
$50,000
$7,730
$6,000
$10,000
$110,000
$8,095
$5,000
$10,000
134
380
$300
$200
$60,000
$11,669
$8,000
$10,000
$32,000
$8,490
$7,500
$10,000
$65,000
$9,086
$5,500
$6,000
$65,000
$9,942
$6,425
$10,000
85
64
63
212
$290
$100
$40
$40
$360,000
$38,308
$19,000
$20,000
$265,000
$34,657
$11,500
$10,000
$217,000
$29,770
$14,000
$15,000
$360,000
$34,363
$15,000
$20,000
225
168
204
597
Distribution of Current Total Debt
Students were presented with six ways in which they could have incurred debt and asked to check all the
applied to them. They were also given the opportunity to list any other ways in which they may have
accumulated debt.

A majority of the students reported credit card debt (51%), while 44 percent had student loan
debts (Table 11).
Table 11. How is your current total debt distributed? (Check all that apply)
IUN
Ivy Tech
Purdue
Total
%
%
%
%
Credit cards
57
47
47
51
Personal loans (banks)
15
16
10
14
Mortgage(s)
20
27
18
21
Student loans
49
39
43
44
Personal loans (family)
11
15
10
12
Auto loans
38
40
29
35
Other
11
18
11
13
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
23
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Twenty percent of the students did not check any of debt items. The average number of types of debt
checked was two. Table 12 shows the number of debt items by school.
None checked
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Table 12. Number of Types of Debt
IUN
Ivy Tech
%
%
18
18
21
21
22
25
23
21
12
11
3
4
1
1
Purdue
%
23
24
26
19
6
2
1
Total
%
20
22
24
21
9
3
1
Other types of debt listed
Back child support
Bills (4)
Bills, phone
Boat
Books (credit cards)
Borrowing money from
family
Business (spouse)
Car
Car payment through
personal loans
Cash with partner &
friends
Cell phone bill, hospital
bills
Cellular phone bill
Child care
Children’s schools
Debit card
Employee dependent fund
Every month expenses
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
Failed classes
Financial aid
For my pleasure
Furniture
General
Grant
Hospital bills (4)
Household expenses (4)
Insurance
IRS
Living expenses
Medical bills (28)
Medical bills and old bills
Medical bills, rent,
utilities, food
Medical bills, taxes
Medical debt 2 special
needs children
Medical, divorce
Medical/dental bills
Monthly expenses
24
Nipsco, cable, etc.
One credit card
Parental loans
Parents plus loan
Past bills (6)
Paycheck from work
Pell
Phone bills (2)
Rent and phone bills
Rent, insurance
Rent, utilities
Rent, utilities, clothes
School (2)
School books on credit card
Stocks & bonds
Support mother’s
medication for diabetes
Time share (2)
Utilities
Utilities and house payment
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Financing Education
Finally in this section of the survey, students were asked how they were financing their college education.
They were presented with 10 ways in which they might be financing their schooling and were given the
opportunity to list other ways.
Students reported financing their education in a variety of ways. The predominant way across all
campuses was through college financial aid (Table 13).
Adding up the number of means of financing their education that students checked, the average was two
methods across all three institutions. The maximum number of methods was seven. Few students checked
more than 3 methods (Table 14).
Table 13. How are you financing your college education at IU Northwest/Ivy Tech/Purdue?
(Check all that apply)
IUN
Ivy Tech
Purdue
Total
%
%
%
%
Personal savings
26
19
30
25
Current earnings
34
21
34
30
Parental support
23
7
40
24
College Financial Aid
46
54
51
50
Credit cards
19
12
11
14
Banks/financial institution loans
18
13
9
14
Spousal/Partner support
8
9
9
9
Family support (non-parent)
3
3
4
3
Military/Veteran benefits
1
3
1
2
Employer tuition reimbursement
10
6
7
8
Other
7
11
9
9
Table 14. Number of ways students were financing their college education
IUN
Ivy Tech
Purdue
Total
%
%
%
%
None checked
.3
4
1
2
One
44
59
39
47
Two
29
21
29
27
Three
16
11
22
16
Four
8
3
7
6
Five
3
2
2
2
Six
.3
.4
.6
.4
Seven
--.3
.1
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
25
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Other Sources of College Education Financing
21st Century Scholars (3)
Basketball scholarship
Child support
Clara Abbot scholarship
COV grant is that financial aid?
and work
Decease
Direct loan
Employer scholarship (2)
Enrollment incentive award
FASA
Federal aid (2)
Fee courtesy (parent)
Financial aid
Government grants
Grants (2)
Grants, scholarships
Grants/loans-school
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
High school vocational class
Higher Education grant
KV works (2)
Line of credit on mortgage
Loans (3)
Out of school scholarships
Pell Grant (7)
PNC financial aid
Runnin' Rebel Program
Scholarship-the Times
Newspaper scholarship (14)
School loan (2)
School pay for it
School pays through program
Self-employed
Senior program
Small loans from PUC
Small scholarship
26
Staff remission
Stafford
Student loans (3)
TAA
TRA
TRA, KV worker
TRA/TAA
Trust fund
Tuition reimbursement
Vocational rehabilitation (3)
Vocational student
Work during
vacations/summer
Work study & SSI
Workforce Investment Act
Working (2)
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Parents’ Expectations
To what extent did the students’ parents expect them to work in order to pay for their college expenses or
contribute to those expenses? A majority of Purdue University Calumet students reported that their
parents expected them to contribute financially to their college education as did a near majority of IUN
students, but only 30 percent of Ivy Tech students (Figure 11).
Percent
Figure 11. Do your parents expect you to work in order to pay for or contribute to your college
expenses?
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
52
47
44
30 32 25
26
17
IUN
17
Ivy
Yes
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
28
26
27
Purdue
No
19
Total
Can't say
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Support Services
At the end of the survey, the students were asked to list any support services their college might provide
for working students to help increase their focus on school. A total of 357 students responded to this
inquiry. Some students responded by saying there was nothing special their college could do or that their
college was doing a good job. The verbatim responses are listed in Appendix c by college. The
substantive suggestions were coded into 23 categories. The coded responses and numbers of students
from each college giving the response are given below in Table 15.
Table 15. Suggested College Support Services, Number of Respondents
IUN
Ivy
Purdue
Improve class schedules
32
15
30
Internet classes/Distance learning
3
5
8
Improve counseling
6
1
11
Improve financial aid
18
9
12
Daycare
6
20
6
More financial aid
17
15
14
Better pay
3
1
0
Later hours for more campus services (e.g., library,
6
1
4
cafeteria, etc.)
Help finding well paid, flexible, applicable
5
11
7
employment
Tutoring/study groups/homework assistance
7
8
6
More staff/more friendly and helpful staff
2
4
1
More understanding professors
3
7
13
Better study areas
0
4
0
Mentoring opportunities
0
0
3
Single/working parent and non-traditional student
1
3
2
assistance
Increase academic standards
1
0
1
Improve academic programs (i.e., make
0
1
2
requirements more relevant to shorten programs)
Services to help with missed classes/meetings
1
1
2
Improve on-line services (e.g., registration,
1
1
0
orientation, etc.)
Seminars/help with managing school and work (or
3
2
5
with prioritizing)
More on campus jobs/work study
2
1
10
Decrease tuition and other costs (e.g., books)
1
1
3
Other
3
7
7
11
15
8
None
2
3
1
Good job
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
28
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Total
77
16
18
39
32
46
4
11
23
21
7
23
4
3
6
2
4
3
2
10
13
5
17
34
6
Appendix A.
Other ways employer supports college career?
A scholarship program
Affirmation
Allows me to leave 10 minutes early
Allows me to schedule around my classes
Allows me to use an extra lap top computer for my school work
Allows you to work different shifts for work but can't based on current position at work
Although they don't accommodate my school schedule they will allow me to have a day off
every now and then
Arranges my work schedule around my classes
As a hairstylist, I can study between clients
By encouraging me to get my degree in early education
Cares about my future
Cash
Checks how I'm doing
Checks how I am doing, motivating, lets me leave early if needed
Does not apply to my situation
Does not support my college career and does not accommodate for my school schedule
Encourage me to attend
Encourage you to further your education
Encouragement
Encouraging words
Feels that a college degree is a necessary item to have
For any business classes, they will give training on the job
For the area of study I'm in they guarantee a job once I complete my classes and pass my testing
and gave me a computer
Hands-on experience with major
Help pay tuition
Help with studies and encouragement
I'm allowed to use the company computer and printer on breaks
I'm in a partnership landscaping business with my brother, who is willing to work around my
schedule.
I am a nursing student, working at a hospital as a nurse technician; my employer will more than
likely offer me a job upon graduation.
I am currently working towards a certification in Education
I am hired in as a nurse when I graduate
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
29
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
I am in an apprenticeship for IBEW 531 through Ivy Tech
I can leave work a little early for class but sometimes I miss if work requires me to stay
I currently freelance
I do get help with my homework on lunch
I do medical billing and my physician would like for me to be certified
I have to accommodate my school schedule with my work schedule
I only work two days of the month
I received money assistance from local union
I work at a hospital
I work in an urgent care center and they are constantly teaching me and preparing me for a
nursing career
I work in a veterinary hospital and that's what I want to do
If I need additional days off for school related activities
If I need to leave early she lets me
If I need weekends off for projects or to study I can have the weekend off
If you go to school in a field that benefits the company they will pay for school but, you have to
work for them for one year
Increased pay with more class work
Job has tuition money offered
Medical/Dental Insurance
Moral support, good advice and positive thinking
More hours of school/more pay
My boss is always interested in how I'm doing and encourages me
My boss looks over my schedule to help pick courses
My boss supports my academic goals by understanding that my life outside of school is also very
important
My current supervisor is a royal pain in the butt. Schedules me to work on class days and makes
me find my own coverage. She does not support my college career in fact told me last week I
needed to cut down either on work or school. And she is a RN which is what I’m going to school
for.
My employer is a public school district, it requires having a license
My manager often asks me questions in relationship to my major psychology that requires me to
apply what I’ve learned to help her with her problems
No contribution financially/no accommodation for work schedule, no studying at work. Doesn't
support college
No to each question at this point
None of the above, I have to take night classes because my boss won’t let me off to take day
classes
Once in the nursing program financial provided. None currently
Only if staff permit
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
30
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Placements for teaching
Promotions
Reimbursement-partially for tuition
Requires it for advancement, holding a job for after graduation
Research and help
Resourceful in my learning, they are physical therapist
Sends me to seminars
Sometimes, if busy with homework or quiz and called into work, I don't have to go in
Support for state mandated policy, higher education
Supportive
The manager let me interview him about his job field, in my interest
They give me opportunities to get experience in my intended major
They allow me to use my work computer for school work during non-work hours
They are always asking me about school
They are encouraging
They are glad I want to improve myself and do something I have always wanted to do
They are supportive about me working on my degree
They fully support my efforts to attain my MPA
They have arranged for televised classes on site to further my degree
They help to accommodate me when I need extra time off; finals week for example
They offer money for loans and award money
They want me to finish
Through experience in my field
Through support and association with the alumni and students
Tuition reimbursement
Tuition reimbursement once finished with class
Urges to continue in college
Verbal
Virtual
Work at hospital while in nursing school
Work at Methodist Southlake, they want me to graduate with my BSN
Work related-I am a LPN-RN
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
31
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Appendix B
What might your employer do to help you better balance your school and work responsibilities?:
College Employers
IUN
Allow employee to take classes during lunch hours
Allow more flexibility in scheduling, as in scheduling to work in four hour blocks. I had to
refuse work study because of UN inflexibility
Be more flexible with my scheduling allow me to study in down time
Employee better, quality teachers
Get more workers to help out so it would be less frustration on my part.
Give Health Ins.
Give me different hours
Give me more time off the schedule
Help in financial aid
I would rather work at the school
If the on campus jobs paid more money like Purdue Calumet do I would work on campus which
would help me manage work and school better
Increase in pay
It's not possible, I am a paralegal-my job is very important to me, as well as school
It would be beneficial to have more free time to study and do homework
Let me study there
More cooperation
My job is a work study opportunity
Nothing really, they work around my schedule at school. They let me study at work I couldn't
ask for more.
Nothing, works with school schedule and convenient
Pay for schooling or pay for college as long as the education is in the same field as work
Pay more
Schedule more Saturday classes
The hours are late, so when I get home I'm too tired to study, so maybe change the hours
There hasn't been any thing denied me that I've needed
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Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
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IVY Tech
Accommodate my school schedule
Allow for scheduling of classes
By not giving me overtime, on days I have classes and understand that I do need time to do
homework in.
Contribute, encourage, and adjust work hours so that I can participate in class schedule
Do not work for Ivy Tech
Flex time
Get me in the nursing program
He doesn't need to change a thing, because everything is just fine. Things are working out just
fine.
Help in study groups or one on one session to help me understand my school work
It is up to the student to balance education and work responsibilities by using time management
More time for work to be turned in. Understanding the life of students outside of Ivy Tech
My employer understands why I am going to school and works with me, but I also have two
children (eight and two) and I am a single mother so I need to work as much as I can.
Needs to give me a flexible study schedule, allows me to take test early before schedules
Not so many large projects
Won't work it out
Would like to receive financial aid so I didn't have to work as much and could do better in school
Purdue-Calumet
Accommodate leaving to go to class when needed
Allow me to work only on the weekends
Already doing a great job
Better than most school employers
Electronics shop does help me with work and flexible hours
Everything is already good
Give me some slack in regards to student status
Have a daycare for babies three months and up
Have a more flexible schedule
I am not currently employed
I think that a person like me who is a supplemental instructor should get credit for the hours (SI
sessions) like tutoring.
I would've done work/study if I could do it after 7pm
I would not change anything. My employer is a great person
Let me do homework when there is no work to be done
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Letting us do work when the children are napping
May adjust the working hours and the schedule according to school load
More classes after 4pm, less "test" classes like standard testing
More distance learning courses available
More pay, less hours
My employer has us all make one week goals. We assess their importance and accomplish each
task. I do the same at home when I have a lot to do.
My superiors are very supportive in regards to work availability due to class schedules
My work/study responsibilities are very balanced because I am allowed to work in between class
which decreases the amount of hours I work after I am done with classes.
Pay more money
Provide more on campus jobs or ways to find them
PUC is not a very good place to work at while attending classes. I was very stressed working
twenty hours per week as apposed to the forty hours per week I work now, plus the PUC pay is
very low and they crap on there student workers, morale is law.
The employers I have had at PUC always allow me to schedule work hours that are the most
accommodating to my course schedules. They always remind me that “I am a student first”.
There isn't anything. My son and I have to eat
They accommodate my needs very well
They allow me to schedule around my class schedules and exam weeks
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
What might your employer do to help you better balance your school and working
responsibilities: Other employers
IUN
A lot more time during tests and finals to study
Accommodate my school schedule and be more considerate and able to work around my
schedule
Accommodate my work schedule to my school schedule
Allow a flexible schedule, as long as work is computed
Allow a little study and homework time when needed
Allow grandfather time to be included in balancing years of experience on the job
Allow me more lead way in getting to work
Allow me to come in later so I can take morning classes
Allow me to leave at 4pm instead of 5pm in order for me to get to my 5:30 classes in a timely
fashion
Allow me to leave early to catch earlier class sessions
Allow me to leave early to get to class, I can have more hours
Allow me to study at work, cut down hours or pay me more
Allow me to study at work
Allow me to work half days or be off if I have a test or important project coming up, even if
scheduling is done as long as I ask within reasonable time. (Right now our schedules are done 1
month ahead
Allow more hours for times when I do not have class
Allow more time off to complete school work
Allow study at work
Allow to work only part time
Allow us to work on school work on our downtime
Allowing me to study during down time-after all work related tasks are completed
At the present, my school and working responsibilities are well-balanced
Be able to study at work on downtime
Be courteous about my availability
Be more flexible with hours
Be more flexible with the schedule
Be more understanding when things come along that I cannot control, and be more flexible with
the schedule
Be understanding about days off to study
Better pay so I do not have to work as much
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Better work hours
Comply with my class schedule, once one is done with pre-reqs, my work hours need to decrease
Contribute more financially
Contribute more money for students who are working full-time
Cut my hours
Do not care
Eliminate late closing on schedule
Everyone in general has bills and responsibility to take care of. I go to school and work. My
employer does whatever they can to work with my weird schedule for school
Except, allowing me to put in hours after or between classes
Financial support- repay for college
Flexible work schedule where I probably take a class during the day and make up the hours on
another day and help pay part of school expenses
Give me a raise-I'm going to school and working full time while being a single mother
Give me a raise and lessen my hours
Give me days off when I have school. But working probably makes me reduce credit hours each
semester
Give me mid term week off also finals
Give me more studying allowances
Give me more time to study at home and not work as much
Give released time to attend pm classes as scheduled
Give shorter days at work, working nine hour days is too much stress and it wears me out.
Give shorter shifts five-six hours instead of eight-nine hour work days
Give some kind of financial aid for students
Give time for school study
Give time to take study and work around school schedule
Good at giving me time off when I need to study
Have at least one day off for school work
Have me work less than fifty hours a week which will allow me time to study
Have steady days which I work a set schedule so I can better schedule study times
He does as much as he can for me
Help me by being supportive
Help me pay for college-I depend completely on student loans
Help pay be flexible in hours worked
Help pay for masters
Help paying for education to make it somewhat less stressing. Getting financial aid is pretty
stressing
Higher pay, I could work less time and have more time to study
Hiring a more reliable staff; too many call offs that I have to cover
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
I'm having problems with my employer accommodating my schedule for school. It’s forcing me
to leave after seven years
I currently have a good balance
I don't believe they could do anything different
I have very few days off; it would be nice to have a day to catch up everything
I need to find different job, nothing my employer can do other than cut my hours and that’s not
an option
I think nothing because I work with the public and taxes
I work at night, so I am ok
I work my school classes around my job
I would need to work part time to take more classes. But I need medical insurance and my
husband isn't working
If a lunch is not taken then the employee should be able to leave an hour early from work
If I didn't have to work swing shift hours and worked a straight shift and not forced to work over.
If I was able to study at work; this would never, never be possible
Increase their tuition reimbursement contribution
This is an interesting question. My employer has no interest in my education and it is not the
employer’s responsibility to help me balance school responsibilities. They pay me to perform a
job and they expect me to do it (the job). Letting me study at work would be great but that’s not
what I’m paid for!
Is already accommodating
Keep working around my school schedule and allow me to study and do school work while
working
Fewer hours around tests/exams
Lessen my hours
Let me cut my hours a little more
Let me do school work at work
Let me have two days off during the week
Let me study at work/do homework at work
Let me work a steady shift
Manage my hours better
Mandatory overtime, schedule
More days off to study
More study time
My employer accommodates me as much possible
My employer actually allows me a lot of scheduling freedom for school work at this time
My employer could pay more for fewer hours
My employer tries to work around my school schedule if possible to get all required hours in per
week
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
37
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
My first job is with the Indiana State Prison. I am a supervisor in the recreation department. I
have nineteen years on the job. I work forty hours. My second job is with a sub contractor in
food service. I am a line supervisor. I work thirty hours a week.
My hours are flexible. It is difficult to have enough hours in a day for work and study
My job has been very accommodating I could not ask for anything more
Need to be able not to work in order to devote more time to school
Not involving personal life with work
Not much, he helps out as much as he can
Not schedule overtime on school days
Not sure because I'm full time so I have to maintain forty hours of work a week and I can't afford
to be part-time and I take twelve credit hours of school
Nothing-very good employer
Nothing else-already accommodates schedule
Nothing really, my employer accepts suggestions on my schedule and she is very
accommodating
Nothing works with school schedule
Nothing; does a good job already
Nothing, I work around my school schedule
Nothing, my boss accommodates me very well
Nothing, they are supportive
Nothing; I choose to work both jobs because they are related to my field of study in education
and to fill some of my spare time. The first job I work from home and the second is only four
hours one or two days a week
Offer flextime, increase salary and eliminate reimbursement
Offer time off for midterms and finals
Offer tuition reimbursement upfront a couple of days out of the week work half day
Only allow me to work days
Only by working around my school schedule
Only schedule me two or three days a week
Pay better wages so that I could afford to work less hours and still complete my courses
Pay for school
Pay higher wage and I could work less
Pay higher wages, contribute more towards school, and be more accommodating as far as
scheduling
Pay me for going to school
Pay me more money, let me leave early and not have to make up hours
Pay more
Pay more so I can work less
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Pay me more so I wouldn’t have to work as many hours. Besides that there is nothing they can
do. I could quit but I have tons of debt
Place me on a straight shift
Provide a higher hourly pay
Provide flexible work hours
Provide more flexibility for weekday work schedules. Allow “doubles” on the weekends again
provide a “learning to work” incentive.
Raise my pay! Lessen my hours
Reduce number of cases assigned on weekly basis; allow flexible schedules
Reduce work load
Schedule better work hours
Self-employed-can only do so much
She schedules me around school
Some classes can only be taken during the day. I need time to take those classes
Sometime I am allowed to leave fifteen minutes early, but I have to make them up
Sometimes I will have to work over at last minute which makes me run late for class
Stop having people work till 1am in the morning then having school bright and early
Stop the mandatory stay overs
Study when not busy at work
Support school
The ability to work four-ten hour days to have one free day to do school work; I currently work
five-eight hour days.
There is nothing else they could do. They work around my school schedule well.
There is nothing she could do. Small business
There is nothing that can be done
There is nothing they can do
There is really nothing my employer can do
There is really nothing she can do
There isn't anything that can currently be done; for the most part, my employer is very
accommodating
They're doing just fine
They already meet my schedule for school, so I am not sure
They are completely fair about it in every way
They could not call me on my days off. Otherwise my job is much too busy to allow me to do
homework
They do a great job accommodating my needs and wants. I just have to communicate carefully
They don't care! Get insurance and little pay or leave.
They work well with my school schedule, so everything is fine
To give me less hours
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Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Try their best to reduce the stress level from work
Tuition assistance
Tuition reimbursement-even a small percentage would help
Tuition reimbursement
Tuition reimbursement (even if it was partial)
Understand and appreciate how important and hard education is
Understand that my school comes first
Very willing to work around my school schedule
Went to school as non-traditional student, took twelve years to complete simple degree. There
needs to be scholarships for this type of student who has family and work responsibilities. Not
your employer.
Work around my class schedule
Work around my school schedule when midterms and finals are coming up do not schedule me
that much
Work around school schedule
Work around school schedule, be less demanding of hours
Work better with school schedule
Works with my school and activity hours
Ivy Tech
Adjust my hours
Allow me to do homework at work
Allow me to do my homework at lunch or breaks by using my work computer
Allow me to switch my work schedule each semester
Allow me to take off to study for big exams
Allow me to work-school at work sometimes
Allow me to work lesser hours
Allow some study time
Allow students to study during down times
Allow time off to attend classes during the day if they are not available at night or on Internet
any jobs going to take time away for school/studies. There is nothing we can do it is just life
Arrange schedule better for study time
At this point, I'm not aware of anything else my employer can do to help me. I'm presently
allowed to study my textbooks in between performing duties on my job.
Be flexible with hours of work
Be flexible with work schedule
Be more cooperative and understanding of my school schedule and study time
Be more flexible and understanding
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
40
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Besides letting me leave work early to get to my class on time which I'm allowed to do now, I
can't of anything else my employer could do.
Better scheduling for school days
CDA
Continue to adjust my schedule so that I can better myself educationally
Contribute to educational expenses
Current employer encourages college time and willing to accommodate my needs
Employer is very flexible
Employer is very flexible and allows me to work around school schedule very supportive in
furthering education
Employer will not accommodate anything I would need to help with school
Everything is alright as it is
Everything is balance alright
Flexible work hours
Give bonus or time-off for attending school if it is in the field you are working in already to
better your training.
Give breaks or longer lunch hours more employees so I'm not over worked
Give me a raise so I can cut back on my hours
Give me time off to attend classes on campus vs. taking distance learning classes
Give me time to get off work early to study or do homework
Give time off to get too classes
Have me come in after 3pm because of school
Having consideration about students who go to school and work
He gives me flexible hours that coincide with school
Help financially would be good
I'm a CNA and there is a great need for nursing. At my job we have to stay over a lot, so that
ruins my plans to do homework, etc. But since they are short there’s not much that can be done.
I'm not sure I only work a few hours a week
I might need held financial wise later
I sub-teacher so I am able to say I can't work on certain days
I wish they can allow me to study at work when not busy
I work three days a week-required to maintain health insurance. It would be nice to cut down
without losing the benefits
I work night shift so that is a help to me
I would like to study at work whenever I could
I would need to work fewer hours in order to study more
I wouldn't ask work for anything
If going to school full time allow less hours at work for full time employees
If I was paid more I could better afford to work one less day and use that day to do homework
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
41
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Increase in pay, less hours same money
It is not their responsibility
Lengthen breaks
Let me complete homework and study while working
Let me study at work
Let me study at work when business is slow
Make me exempt from overtime
Make schedules accessible to you and work your schedule around school. Be more positive then
thinking they are doing you a favor by giving you the days off for school.
Many times I had to miss class due to unexpected corporate visits. My employer made me feel
bad about leaving at my scheduled time to leave.
My education is first, my employer also my friend. I’m working to help them as well as helping
me, be able to pay the bills. But they know my school is first.
My employer does allows us to go to school if we have appropriate man-power, if not we have to
pay someone
My employer does not encourage education to improve on their employees
My employer helps me in anyway they can. If I need to do work, they let me do it.
My employer is very understanding and willing to adjust my work schedule including cutting my
hours
My employer understands my school situation and they give me what days I need off for school
My job is good at scheduling around school and would let me out early if I needed to study
My job should accommodate employees wanted to better themselves by letting them alter their
schedules
My job sometimes requires me to work extra hours for projects. There is really no way to adjust
my hours to balance both in my life.
My work is very supportive and will work around my schedule if needed
Needs to give me a straight days, evenings or midnights whatever they want
None, they work very will with my schedule
Not have to stay at work until 11pm
Not sure
Nothing
Nothing, I schedule my work around my school. I wish we had a scholarship
Nothing, I was given a job to do. My job isn't school they'd say
Nothing, they are wonderful and work around my schedule
Nothing, they have already reduced my hours and I have nights of when I have school offer flex
time for school days so a wider range of classes are available to me
Offer more tuition money and lighten up the work load
Pay me more
Pay me more money and work around my school schedule
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Pay me more so I could work less and concentrate on school
Pay me more so that when I have to work less hours, my bills can still be paid, but I can still
study for tests.
Pay me to go to school
Pay me to work at home
Pay more
Pay more so I wouldn't have to work so much, and could devote more time to my studies
Pay more/less time on the job
Pay tuition
Provide a scholarship
Put me on midnights
Reduce my work schedule to three-four days a week
Schedule changes for study
Schedule work hours with school hours
Schedule accommodation, tuition assistance
School and employment is balancing very well
Set up work schedule around school hours
Shorter hours a couple of days out of the week
Staff better, so that the overtime isn't required
Start earlier so I can attend class on time
Study at work after work is done I get more quiet time here than home, enjoy having job because
I can study
Take me off shift work
The employment that I am at right now, my hours can be flexible somewhat if needed
There is no involvement
They are very supportive to my school schedule
They used to have a program that paid you for your school contact hours-this allowed you to pay
full-time wages but only work part-time.
To have flexible hours during my school schedule
To pay me more money and to work around a full time school schedule
Tuition reimbursement
Understand about my fieldtrips and let me off work early or before 2am
Unsure
Work around classes
Work around my class schedule and schedule less hours
Work around my school schedule
Work around school schedule
Work with schedule each semester instead of against it. Do not recommend to anyone to work at
Methodist Hospital-Merrillville or Gary. It’s awful there.
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Work with me on my work and class schedule
Purdue-Calumet
Accommodate my work schedule to my school schedule
Accommodate work schedule to school schedule
Allow access to the Internet
Allow employee to work less hours
Allow flexibility in schedule; allow me to go to another department that has less strenuous work
Allow for time off to complete clinical work requirements. Pay for all tuition. Allow times to do
homework from full time hours.
Allow me not to have to make up hours worked seeing that my degree pertains to my
professional career
Allow me to call off when necessary without prior notification and without penalty
Allow me to only work on certain days so I can go to school
Allow me to schedule week to week instead of two to most time for weeks in advance
Allow me to study at work
Allow me to work from home
Allow more flexible hours for school
Allow more flexible time and hours
Allow school work to be done while job is slow
Allow studying at work
Allow you to study at work
Allowing studying during slow times
Already helping to my satisfaction
Although I did not take the option of seeking employment outside of PUC during my
undergraduate studies, if I have to for graduate school I hope they will be flexible with my
course loads.
At this point it's up to me. I have to make a decision to decrease my hours financially not
affordable
Balance is in order
Be a bit more flexible with scheduling for unexpected school activities
Be flexible with hours
Be more accommodating in working around my schedule. Understand I need time to study
outside of class
Be more flexible every semester with my school schedule so I can attend more classes
Be more flexible on my working hours
Be more flexible with my work schedule
Be more flexible with schedule. Allow days off when needed
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Be more understanding and try to work around my school schedule or schedule me around
school
Be more understanding. I go over my schedule with them at the beginning of the semester and by
the end of the semester-they are complaining about it.
Better pay, provide aid for schooling for part time
Better shifts
Give better working schedule hours, be more flexible when mandatory meeting comes along,
allow student to study during very slow hours.
By doing a better schedule, not scheduling back to back days and nights no time to sleep or study
Change hours
Contribute financially to my college expenses
Create a customize schedule to help reduce the school work load
Current employer is already quite accommodating
Does good job of helping me balance both
Don't care about my education. All they care about is production/budget; try to make me work on
days off
Ease work load during finals
Employer cannot do anything about this I must work to support family
Encourage a flexible schedule in order to attend classes
Expand the hours of work
Find me a job closer to school
Flexible hours (3)
Give me fewer hours
Give me more days off when having to study for exams and giving me fewer hours
Give me more time off
Giving me less hours to work so I can do my homework and assignments
Have me work longer hour’s amount fewer days in the week
Have me work on days that I have school so the days I don't have school, I can focus on my
school work
Have on site childcare
He is doing his best to work around me
Help pay college tuition
Help pay the cost, also would be nice to be able to study at work
Help pay tuition or reduce tuition
Higher pay
I'm pretty balanced already
I'm satisfied with my employers
I am a supervisor on my lab. I supervise from ten-seventeen people at times. I see no way my
responsibilities can be changed.
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
I can't think of anything other than allowing me to have off Tuesday and Thursday, which are the
days I attend school.
I don't have a problem
I get any day off I need
I only wish they would compensate me more
I think they do all they can. They have always scheduled my work schedule around school
I travel for work, so there is not much they can do
I work in Monee, IL. so on top of needing a job that is closer it seems that it would be best to
reduce.
I work retail they could let me bring my books to the break room so I could study during breaks
that’s just for starters.
I would like to be reimbursed for school, since I am a manager
If in need of study time, I'd hope my employers would accommodate me. Being that I am on call
for work twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Increase wages
It already well balanced
Jewel-Osco (Dyer)
Just be understanding
Keep everything the way it is
Keep giving me the hours that work around my school schedule
Less hours
Less hours more pay
Less hours so there is more time to study
Let me off at 3pm
Let me work less hours
Let me work on my school work when we are not busy at work
Looking at school schedule when scheduling
Make my work less stressful
Making higher salary so I don't have to work full time and go to school full time
Maybe contribute to my college expenses
More flexible hours
More flexible hours, allow request off days when exams are coming up
More friendly work schedule for school
More hours a day with less days a week
More money
More money/more night hours
More pay, less hours
More tuition reimbursement
My boss just works around my schedule
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
46
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
My employer does enough, but only because he is my father
My employer helps in any way they can
My employer is already flexible with my responsibilities
My employers are working around my school work. My schedule is great as it is, my work can't
do anything more.
My job status is working perfectly; I do not think anything needs to change
Not have us stay so late
Not much, very flexible with my school schedule
Not their problem-they would if I asked to change hours other family responsibilities add to
problem
Not their responsibility
Nothing because everything balances great so far
Nothing really; supervisor is accommodating
Nothing, except provide college students with more money to be able to afford school, since I
pay for school by myself and am only able to get a loan.
Nothing, they are fine
Nothing, they are fine in accommodating my needs
Nothing, they are very flexible and understanding
Offer a tuition reimbursement for any courses taken pertaining to the job
Offer benefits to part time employees. I could then qualify for financial aid and still have health
insurance
Offer great work schedules plus offer many days off as needed
Offer tuition reimbursement
Pay for tuition
Pay more and offer health insurance
Pay more per hour, allow me to study at work, place me in position which can be completed at a
convenient time.
Pay more so that I can work less
Pay us more money, so I don't have to work as many hours
Place I'm employed is opened 6:15am-6pm. Main reason why I can't work more hours. Classes
offered at day time
Problems are not because work, because faculty I encountered under mind set we have no
responsibilities outside of education
Proof read my papers
Provide some kind of financial support
Realize that work is not more than school
Reduce the amount of hours that I am scheduled
She does enough by allowing me to study at work, she lets me leave early
Shorter hours/same pay
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Since I am a caretaker for two children, I am allowed to briefly look over my homework or have
access to a computer if everything is in order at the house.
Steady shift would make things a lot easier. We change shifts (days and midnights) every couple
of days
Straight shift
The days I have school my employer doesn't put me on the schedule
They already help to balance my school and work responsibilities by letting me request time off
for any major assignments. I also get the time off for any days that I attend class.
They already work around my schedule. They could let me study more
They already work around my school schedule so I don't think there is anything else they can do
They are doing quite well. A raise would help, but nothing more is necessary
They are very accommodating
They are very helpful and supportive. There is nothing more they can do.
They do a good job
They do all that they can/I ask by giving me the work schedule I need/want
They work around my schedule. That’s all I can ask otherwise I shouldn't have a job
They work around my schedule pretty good
Things are fine at work
Tuition reimbursement
Understand that while Christmas is busy its also close to finals
Very flexible hours
Well I need to work full time to support me and my family, if I asked my employer to reduce my
hours they would, but I cannot afford it. I wish I could go to school full time and work part time
so I can get my degree faster.
With giving me the flexibility it makes it a lot easier to do. I am also a mom of four and a wife
Work around my school schedule (4)
Work less hours, give days off if I need them, or more hours if I need the money
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Appendix C
Please list any support services IUN/IVY Tech/Purdue Calumet might provide for working students
to help increase their focus on school.
IUN
Accommodate in-class testing-dates. Provide personal counselor to make periodic checks on
students progress and help if students having problems
Add more night classes for students that have or can only work days
Add more night classes! Specifically for those who work! Plus add more internet classes
Advising appointments should be scheduled for all students
Being a commuter school, I'm not sure how much could be done. I live an hour away and if I can
avoid making a trip to Gary, I will
Better help with financial aid. Most of the people that work there can be somewhat rude and
don't thoroughly explain the process that can be very discouraging for new students
Better hours for financial aide and the ability to apply from home via the Internet or phone
Better more involved academic advising even at graduate level also up date the internet
Better pay
Better scheduled classes; have more classes available at various times and days especially for
classes that are required for the major
Bigger loans-this would allow people to be able to focus more on school. You could offer loans
to students who go to school full-time that they could use to pay for other bills (rent, care, food,
etc.)
Both day and evening classes for concentrated degree classes; they seem to be only available for
evenings
Christian graduate club
Classes scheduled at various times, in various time frames.
Courses offered on Monday-Wednesday should also be offered on TR even if it’s without
different professor. Scheduling can get tricky when trying to schedule classes on only two
days/week
Daycare for younger children while parent is in school (my daughter is 16 months)
Decrease tuition rates. Give financial bonuses for dean’s list students. Narrow down req. to only
focus on classes that directly affect the major. Ex. why science courses for accounting or
business majors
Earlier classes
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Extended hours for daycare for working individual (without increase in pay) law abiding with
quality and safety-I know there is a need for this as well as on weekends
Financial aid for working students
Financial aid officers should be more helpful and give reasons as to why things are happening
with your personal aid. In the past I personally have felt my questions were worth nothing and
my answers back were unclear and brief.
Flexibility with schedule; I have worked while going to school. The first three semesters I have
worked and it took a negative effect on my grades and GPA. I tried to cut my hours of working
but it still had the same effect on my grades. Now I don’t work and it still hard to pay for my
school and life, but it is easier on my study time. Therefore, I just work a summer job and
financial aid.
For non traditional students with dependent children: free child care for full time students so they
can have time to study and go to school and go to work without worrying about how they can
afford the child care to do this. Make your (IUN’s) academic advisors accountable-they’re not
helping the allied health students and some others.
For those people who work maybe get government aide; just because you live with your parents
does not mean they pay for college and that’s what’s looked at in order to apply
Free day care-I take fifteen credit hours, but can't work because I can't afford anymore daycare.
Free tutoring has really helped
Give accurate information about financial aid and that changing my major and accumulating
credit hours would stop my financial aid. Even if I don't have a degree
Give them or us financial aid to help our better focus on school; some can instead on focusing so
much in money while we are studying. And finish our major quicker without worrying in all
those payments.
Grants to pay for school instead of loans
Have instructors consider working students when developing an attendance policy
Have more on campus jobs so we can study at work
Have organization meet in the evening. Having certain offices stay open later maybe two days
out of the week (financial aid, bursar, and enrollment)
Help all together stuff is very rude. I think financial aid shouldn't be about your parent’s income
my parents do not help one bit
Help were with companies with better paying internships so I can have more experience
pertaining to my degree, instead of having a job that has nothing to do with my degree
I'm not really sure what the university should do. My main problem revolves around my
employer and the hour that I work
I am a forty-five year old with children and a husband. We have average income, but am
studying to get grants scholarships-don't know how to pursue them.
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
I am not the traditional student. I am a forty-eight year old African American divorced mother of
two with a Bachelors degree in Arts and Sciences, (major Political Science) and a Masters degree
in Public Administration (major Public Sector Labor Relations). I have worked in human
resources for twenty years with the last fifteen serving as a Director of Human Resources.
Recently, I decided to return to school and pursue math education. In February I left the field of
Human Resources and recently began working full-time at a university. During the past two
years, I’ve taken classes at Indiana University. I can make a comparison between the two
employers-one private sector the other a university (public). The private employer, while
providing tuition reimbursement, did not encourage further education among those with advance
degrees. The professional positions required degrees, therefore, many employees pursued
bachelor degrees. Those individuals were encouraged to continue their education. However, in
the university setting, employees are very much encouraged to pursue academic goals. They
permit the following conditions: 1-Courses taken at the beginning or end of the work day; 2Study time during work hours-as work load permits; and 3-Fee waivers for courses at this
university. I am attending classes at IU Northwest, therefore, I do not benefit from the fee
waivers from this university. I have not been employed for a year, therefore, I have not inquired
about tuition reimbursement programs offered by the university.
I am very appreciative of the special academy school that I am presently receiving
I feel that it is not up to the IU support services. All of us got ourselves in debt. That is why most
of us are here to get better paying jobs so that we won't be in debt. Also others have families.
I quit my job so I can bring grades up
I really don't know, I'm up for suggestions and help financially for paying my schooling
I think student services is doing a great job
I would like a better understanding of the financial aid process and my eligibility
I would like to have more academic advising
I would like to quit work and go to school full time
I would like to see more access to scholarship information on campus. There should also be more
evening classes available
Improvements in our financial aid office would be beneficial (as of now workers don't seem to
be very knowledgeable) this would take away a lot of the stress associated with school
Increase library hours, increase computer lab hours
Increase number and variety of swing shift and courses
Job placement
Larger summer programs
Later classes "beginning at 8pm". Later baby care services for working mother for later classes.
Later cafeteria hours for students who must work, support home, take care of children and eat
dinner
Later classes, more online courses, self study
Later daycare hours at daycare center
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
51
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Less student loan’s (if possible) and more night undergraduate courses
Let students have a better understanding of different loans they may be applicable for. It took me
three years and to awful guidance in the financial aid office
Longer hours for child care if possible
Math and writing lab, computer center
Maybe have more classes available on the weekend Friday and Saturday
Maybe we could do fundraising for those who need money for school, like me, so we could get
extra money we needed without wasting eight hours a day working making only forty dollars
Money that may go toward personal experiences; volunteering or deferment plans for credit
cards or other bills I'm not real sure because I have to pay bill which means I have to go to work
More chances for independent study courses or directed study courses
More evening classes
More evening classes for daytime workers and families
More financial aid-I have not received one penny besides loans-which have contributed to my
high amount of debt. My parents can barely pay the bills-however I don't receive any grants
through IUN
More flexibility with class times; most of my core courses are only available one time through
the whole year
More grants given and affordable health insurance
More help finding better paying jobs
More help finding good, well paying employment that has already agreed to schedule around the
student’s school schedule
More money!
More night classes and Saturday classes
More night/evening/weekend classes
More one on one conversation’s with counselor and teacher; better guidance through difficult
courses
More opportunities for financial aid
More scholarships
More scholarships, financial aid, etc.
More tutoring, more online and Saturday classes
More updated interaction with financial aid process/status (PIN and Staff/automated line), easier
financial aid process for guest students
More user friendly methods to correct email problems; some student workers in support services
need to go to attitude improvement classes
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
More work study jobs that pay more
My income is too high to get AID however, because of our high medical debt we only net around
40,000 per year a family of five. No one has a program to accommodate this problem
Not that I can say; IUN's services have not really helped me
Not sure but my grades have gone down since I started working full time I was on the Dean's list
and now I don't know
Not sure if this is possible, but allow more students to be eligible for financial aid because even
though my step-dad makes $100,000 a year, my family struggles greatly because of child support
he must pay
Off-campus tutoring
Offer entire degrees at night, that's been very hard for me. That's why I left. Harder acceptance to
school; some of these kids do not belong in a university and they waste class time. This is
another reason I left. I only came back because of cost. I think IUN limits itself by accepting
everyone.
Offer more evening classes especially during the summer for people who work during the day,
provide more help during busy times like registration. It's always horrible and there is never
enough help
Offer more on-line classes
Offer more political science night classes
Pay more than minimum wage
People (volunteers) to call upon people who need help in school to remind them to study and to
check up and make sure they are doing their work
Perhaps assist students to receive job opportunities that cover their daily expenses and provide
experience that will be beneficial to them in their career
Provide a more flexible schedule of classes, particularly on weekends and nights
Provide classes on several days/times per week, so that if a student has to miss school because of
work, they can attend an alternate class without falling behind, which may increase student dropout rate
Providing more information to students on financial help
Right now I do not know of any. I am about three-four credits from my certificate but the class I
need is not offered during the evening? What should I do?
Scholarships or grants for tuition
Services or support for non-traditional students
Some evening hours for most departments; undergrad and grad programs that allow for full time
workers (esp. programs that require field work, esp. on grad level)
Student support and Professor Hicks has been very helpful to me the entire time I've been at
IUN; Dr. Hicks have supported me and helped me this far
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Study groups
Supplemental funding for intensive programs like nursing; nursing administration advise
students not to work during their academic career and work load at school which is very leery
Targeting south lake county for classes; offering more night and weekend classes for the nontraditional students and classes at those times that are not prerequisite classes
Teachers to have sympathy because you don’t have a lot of time to do homework, projects, write
papers, etc. Occasionally, you need more time
There's really nothing unless you're going to give me money!
Time management course
Try to work a job that helps you to stay focused in school and make good grades
Tutoring, online help with classes and extra points through some kind of online advance
Very importantly to offer courses at night and day not just one or the other
Well, what helped me focus more on school was quitting my job.
Work study has no jobs available. They don't tell you how work study works I taught myself. Yet
I'm still looking
Work with students who work, maybe allow more money to full time students who are full time
workers so they can work part time or not at all. If you work forty hours a week go to school full
time and study at home you wouldn’t have time to sleep
Ivy Tech
A quiet place besides the library
Advisors and staff need to understand that adults returning to school have other responsibilities
outside of Ivy Tech; family, children, and work. This by no means should be an excuse for not
completing assignments but an understanding for general respect.
Better access to child care and better library and/or areas to quietly study
Better tutoring
Can't think of anything to add to the services already offered by Ivy Tech
Cannot get enough financial aid for entire year and nursing classes books and required eqpt
Child care
Child care at school; I am a student who does not have the money to send my child to daycare so
I can go to school full time
Child care benefits/resources
Child care for summer semester for when children are out of school
Child care information on health benefits. Please explain what student services is
Child care or day care
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Child care, more internet classes, more library and computer time
Childcare service
Day care
Daycare facility, gym, weight room
Employer assistance-working with employer to find time for class
Everything I've need has been offered
Feel student from other counties should be considered for scholarships. Example I live in Porter
Co., attend MC. campus, but wasn't considered for the Porter Co. School because Valpo campus
gave it out. Program not offered no where other than M.C.
Financial aid for those that work full time and still can’t afford to pay for school. For those who
get financial aid and do not work they should be required to work at least part time
Financial support service
Find me job or grant to complete my education
Flexible schedule-allow to do exams early or later-offer more online courses
Give more aid so they do not have to so many hours to make ends meet. Possibly in the form of
more Pell grant, especially for single moms
Have more options for class hours and days
Have not attended any school yet graduates 2006
Having teachers respond to emails, etc. quicker for students that work-maybe often work hours
Help find more get out of debt programs to help lower hours required to work
Help finding better paying jobs for less hours
Help more people to receive financial aid of some sort to work a little less while going to school
Help with job, more hours for nights, also expect more nurse a year in the program
Help with other things like child care, etc.
Hire some competent people. I tried to withdrawal from classes and no one was there to help me.
It was 2pm on a Monday, because of this; I was not able to return for a week and missed the
100% reimbursement so now I owe all my tuition. When I finally got it taken care of, the staff
was not helpful at all. They were rude and negative.
How about someone in the financial aide office that would help you, instead of just telling you to
do it online when you don't even have the internet or an email address which is required for
financial aide online
I am in the distance learning program. I have had a very hard time communicating with my
PSY101 teacher-she is horrible at responding. It makes continuing with this program frustrating
if the teachers do not respond. I know that if I did this at work, I would lost my job. (She has still
not told me why a major paper I wrote was not graded which resulted in a grade of D in this
class). She does not respond and follow up when contacted. It’s hard enough to balance study
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
and work-good dedicated teachers are a must with distance learning. This needs to be a priority
for those teachers involved. My other two teachers were excellent communicators.
I belong to Phi Theta Kappa and because of my work hours, I can't attend meeting, maybe
having them steam on the web would allow me to attend and maybe participate
I can't say at this time (services which helps you receive free grants throughout the year to focus
on school but yet be able to support your family)
I can't think of any off the top of my head at this time, distance education however, has been a
great help in allowing me to work and get a degree, especially in the time I have been able to
graduate
I don't know of any support services but more Saturday classes and later school library hours
would be beneficial
I don’t know if there is any
I feel that my professors are NOT understanding about me and others having jobs. One teacher
has even told us we may as well quit our jobs in order to graduate! Very unprofessional!
I feel that students should be able to focus on school without the support services having to hold
their hand
I have no idea because I am not working but I am seeking employment at this point
I honestly can't add to what you are doing. I can tell you Michigan City campus so far has great
teachers. The ones in Kokomo and Lafayette were wonderful also. Valpo so far sucks. The
ANP201 M, W 8-10am class-god I think she is bipolar. She raves and rants like we (adults in
the class) are her 5 yr old children. No one can stand her. She does NOT teach. We teach
ourselves and not well I might add. No one is ding well in her class. Most are barely making it of
flunking. Everyone is ticked off at here. Thanks for letting me vent.
I think if more companies were to recruit form Ivy Tech
I think if students are working and attending school they should be eligible for financial aid. It
seems people who really don't need help seem to get financial aid
I think you have that well in hand
In response to #8 yes I would increase my credit hours if Ivy Tech could pay for my hours lost. I
have bills to pay.
Internships you get paid for
Ivy Tech helps a lot already. I do not think there is much more people can do. People have to
work and make a future and Ivy Tech helps considerably
Job assistance-job placement in interested field
Job placement, better open enrollment procedures, online help and orientations for online courses
and college procedures; to help those of us who have been out of school for any amount of time
Jobs and financial aide
Less work more schooling and more financial aid benefits
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Making grants easier to receive
Maybe offer financial aid to students who really need it. My parents can not afford to send me to
university. So I am paying for my school. It makes it really stressful
More aid for nursing students freshman
More available funding, for school for those of us who "make to much money" supposedly and
who is raising a child, working and trying to go to school to better ourselves
More classes offered in the evenings
More convenient tutoring times
More financial aid for working mothers
More financial aid with different requirements such as older students
More financial aide
More grant and scholarship help/support-more financial aid stuff
More night classes
More night classes availability, less load on homework, positive feedback from faculty, more
efficient professor at hand
More Pay at work so I can work less
More Saturday classes or more evening classes
More scholarships and motivational speakers
More work study-there just don't seem to be very many
Nothing at this time
Offer classes at night that are needed to graduate faster
Offer more classes at night that I need to graduate
Offer more online courses
On-site babysitting (N/A to myself)
On campus child care
On campus child care more flexible and understanding instructors for parents such as Halloween
On site babysitting at a discount
On site child care
Pay or reduce tuition for single parents
Paying internships for the MOR Program
Please get me qualified for financial aid so I can quit one of my jobs. Somehow I didn't qualify
Possibly Ivy Tech could offer more classes or the "internet". Make some classes shorter in times
Ivy Tech could arrange to have more "programs" available to students
Provide child care services or affiliation with a local child care center. Expand parking area
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
57
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Provide more adequate times and people in department. It can be difficult to get in to see
someone and past experience with office employees not good they were rather rude and assume
you know what needs to be done
Put more students into jobs, if you don't. But if you do you need to do more.
Reminding students that the harder they work the closer they become to getting the degree and
the financial security all of us look forward to after graduation
Self study options- when necessary, offering all of the classes need at all times
Shift worker-accommodate working hours-day and evening classes
Single parent assistance/on site child care
So far my job and classes are working together
Sorry not much help, my high school pays for my classes
Student career services, advisors
Study groups
Study groups lead by student counsel members whom are studying the same subjects as other
students, more flexibility with tutoring
Study hall, people that help you with your classes, computer lab
Supplemental income, child care, jobs that pay more than minimum wage
Support services for stay at home parents (we work too!)
Teachers need to help there students understand the work and stop rushing through it all the time.
And the school gives to much homework and the students don't understand it because the
teachers don't take time to go over it correctly
The school needs to focus more on internet classes for working students. If it were not three web
classes, I would be further behind. Complete degrees should be offered on line, some classes are
not available putting me behind
The weekend programmer at the Indy campus Friday-Sunday, if that could be offered here in
NW Indiana
To have clinical hours during the evening for LPN or RN program
Try and help senior citizens buy books
Try hard and harder
Tutoring
Tutoring when needed
Tutors/your tutors have a hard time explaining the classes I need help in with math class they
make you feel stupid for asking questions and getting help. All the students who ask for help feel
the same way.
Unsure right now since I can only afford to take one or two classes a semester. I haven't looked
into financial aid with my current schedule
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Would be great if Ivy Tech had program to place students in job of what they are studying for
after they enter program; like apprenticeship. That way we could be learning and earning at the
same time to help out people and families, open daycare at school
Purdue
A few extra minutes with working students to understand their needs and not there is an opening
in this class, here you go, it costs this much and out the door
A person just needs how to learn time management and learn how to list out priorities
Academic Counseling
Advisors and teachers who care about students and their situations
Affordable child care
After college placement programs
Allow more distance learning courses and make homework more internet friendly. Also,
attendance should be more lax and flexible to student absences.
Assistance with child care services
At this time I can think of nothing for myself. However, I know of a need for LPN to RN
program as several LPN's are struggling to get to next level-could distance courses be developed
to meet the needs of these nurses like the RN to BSN
Audio and visual recording services to students who are unable to attend one-two classes due to
work commitments; doesn't have to be free service, but really helps if I'm going to miss class.
Someone can record lecture so wouldn't miss the content
Automatic semester appointment set up with counselors to discuss graduating, the current
semester, paying for the semester, even if it’s a phone conversation
Better academic advising/classes geared toward non-native speakers (Foreign Language
Department)
Better distributed class schedule; the higher the course, the more likely it will be scheduled at
night only
Better professors during evening classes
Better range of times and days for required classes
Better schedule of classes (more than one offered per semester)
Better student placement into on campus jobs, better student acknowledgement of campus jobs
that are available, more help managing student loans and general understanding of how much
will need to be paid, start us when
Campus Employment Increase
Class specific tutoring
Counseling for all working students and single mothers/fathers that work
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Day care, availability of tutors, FYI-note foreign language should not be a prerequisite for
students over forty, who also have to work. This adds to the difficulty
Don't have three hour night classes-too long! By the time you get off work, you're at school until
9:30. I would make night classes two one in a half hour classes a week
Easier access to loans (process), more monetary awards, more career opportunities at school,
greater variance of course times and days
Employee me at the school
Evening classes that start at 6pm
Extended library hours! Increased grants-with loans you feel like working, maybe too much to
ensure repayments is necessary. It adds stress and reduces focus
Financial aid for students who excel academically
Finding more jobs that pay more and better hours, plus flexible time
Flexible schedule and available work study programs
Have a job board specifically for companies that offer tuition reimbursement. Also, educate more
faculties (advisors) about financial aid. It's so hard to get straight answers about it. It was too
much of a hassle for me and my husband to go through the whole process and find out what was
available to us, so he just kept working full time to support us, pay tuition and books.
Have a more flexible scheduling process; that opens more classes and their time slots. More
distant learning’s, because professors can't make sure rules for certain students; more variety
with scheduling.
Have advisors actually advise instead of discourage, it's very hard to get an answer without
running all over campus. We pay a lot of money to go to school here and are required to do
everything ourselves.
Have classes more often to give students more taken any time
Have later hours to study at school maybe have the computer lab open twenty-four hours and
open on Sundays
Help pay some of the bills that we may have
Help them find jobs that work around their schedule better. Not everyone lives on or near
campus People need more guidance
Help working students to realize that school is their job. Working should be a second priority,
unless that student is in graduate school
Higher academic requirements so that I feel that I am working hard and have something to show
for it
Hire better Professors
Hire friendly and approachable academic advisors
Hire more teachers so there are more classes available. That way students could graduate sooner,
especially education majors
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
I'm satisfied with the current status
I am taking courses for Continuing Ed and Professional CEU's. I received my BS in 1999. None
of the questions pertain to my current situation.
I currently quit my job because I am a mother of three and do not have accommodations for my
children to be able to work/school and find baby sitting-why don't we have a day care?
I don't get work study but a job on campus would be nice. More flexible times for classes; more
assistance so I could work less
I don't know
I feel that more information needs to be provided to students regarding grants or scholarships. It's
sad that I owe close to 10,000 dollars in student loans for three semesters
I suggest that you offer more evening classes
I think PUC should help students financially who work full time to pay for school, but don't
qualify for financial aid because their parents make too much. I pay for all my own expenses and
it is extremely stressful. It is starting to show in my grades
I would definitely like to attend more classes in Crown Point. It would help in so many ways
I would like to see a group that could give cliff notes on certain subjects. At least give an
overview or have more student instructors for more classes
If Purdue Calumet could offer scholarship money for the students that carry high GPA's it would
motivate other students to focus and prioritize
Increase in available financial aid for out of state students, increase in support for working
parents
It's hard to say; right now I am more satisfied with my job than I am with school. I'm doing well
with both, but there is a lot more stress involved with school than with my job.
Job placement at Purdue on areas of student experience
Less group work I came to Purdue Calumet to learn and go home. I don't have the time or energy
for this
Less school time, more homework than class work
Loan deferments and none grants
Longer library/computer lab hours; after hours study rooms. PUC line at credit; pay tuition and
books on a monthly basis throughout your program
Making more than one course available per semester and possible on different days, making
easier to schedule necessary courses; reduced tuition for courses students receive A/B while
working full time
Maybe, narrow some expenses, like the book cost, etc.
Mentoring older students helping the younger ones in their major; example teachers who take
best classes meet others from same major
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Mentors in the computer related department. Open the Gyte labs for after class use with the same
hours as the main lab
Might assist in carrying out work
More available online courses or half classroom half online courses
More career development services. List of job or careers you can do with your degree. More
internships
More classes geared toward my major on the schedule at more convenient time and days
More classes offered later in the evening
More evening classes in the engineering field to accommodate for those who work
More financial aid
More flexible night classes and distance learning classes
More flexible schedules, more sections less restrictions-most students are in a rush to graduate,
not finding delays to achieve graduation
More friendlier attitude from PUC employees, they must provide customer service as if we are in
the private sector. As a full time worker, student and father I accept superior treatment when I
enter the campus from a long days work. I am pay
More grants for straight A students
More help with school work and more study sessions at more available times
More info about Reilly center; more information/help about scholarships instead of loans
More information during your career
More jobs for those who don't receive financial aid
More loans for adults returning to school
More mentoring programs-such as Perkins Program and McNair PBAP
More on campus job opportunities and internships
More on campus jobs; more assistance with childcare; more scholarships
More online classes, accommodations for shift workers
More online classes, more choices for class times
More online courses
More online courses, more evening courses, more summer courses
More range in times of all of the classes necessary, teachers that actually teach the courses rather
than just lecture and advisors that truly advise on scheduling not just type it in
My counselor has been a pain at times. Academic requirements are unclear. Placement tests were
unrealistic, so I'm a second year freshman who could ease my workload if I didn't have to pass a
math course far beyond my actual abilities (I’d receive more aid).
Need a better financial aid dept. must their do not know what they are doing.
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Northern Illinois University
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Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Never looked into it, but sounds good
No idea available
No time to seek any help from support services when working full-time, taking classes and
studying and doing everything else myself. One thing I thought of having a department to search
for scholarships since I don't have the time
Not sure, I’m an older student (thirty-two) and have had a difficult time with working and
keeping up with school work. So I keep dropping classes, not good, but I have to do what I got to
do to make sure I have a roof over my head, it’s difficult
Nothing can be done it is just life for some people
Offer more sections of some classes (those that usually only have one or two) on a greater
variety of days and times
Offer more things and days for classes and also mail letters concerning important dates and
deadlines more often. I do not have time to check my email
Offer more time frames for classes
On campus childcare
Pay for part of their tuition since they are out there doing their part in the working world
Please find some understanding towards those not living a perfect life. College is not for only
rich or poor, stuck in the gray often put in more work than most people, reduce restriction on
financial aid making life difficult for me and others
Please hire people that want to work in the financial aid office, know what they are talking about
and do not have an attitude. It is frustrating when you have limited amounts of time to spend
figuring out your aid and the people that you deal with give you a different answer every time or
are rude. You could learn a lot from the people in W. Lafayette on how to treat people and their
financial needs.
Please offer more classes in my major care classes over the weekend. They go out of the way to
offer weekend classes to MBNA students; I need to get my BS first.
Poll students for available classes to see when a class should be scheduled
Provide as many on-campus jobs as possible so that students are always in the school
environment
Provide more access to scholarships, financial aid available
Provide more night courses to accommodate the schedule of working adults
Purdue needs to accommodate the students who have to take night classes by offering more
classes at night. Most of the classes I need I have to end up waiting a semester to take until it is
offered at night.
Purdue University Calumet might provide more night classes for the students who work. More
professors who understand the stress with working and going to school
Reconsider the out of state policy and revise the amount of fees related to that
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
63
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Reduction intuition/textbook discount
Rid tuition charges for "academic plan" I am paying for a program that is not available to me.
Isn't that unlawful...to pay for something you don't receive?
Right now some faculty are understanding of and work with adult learners with family and jobs,
however many are not/do not. At a commuter campus, all faculties should be geared toward
working with those dynamics. Advisor Barbara Osmon is great
Some form of service that would allow students who live at home, but do not make enough
money and parents or in my case parent who makes too much to get some form of scholarship or
grant, because I in general could use way more help
Students that work in the financial aid and admissions office need to be more supportive. The
students I've dealt with are rude which give low moral to other students
Teachers should understand that most students that take night classes work and should be more
lenient
Tell some of the professors that not all kids have time to do seven projects, only for one class
The only thing they can do is try to assist student with finding a job that works with school
The school seems to do a good job. They might just make sure students know of all available
work options on-campus or perhaps to maximize on-campus work options for students
They really isn't anything they could do that I could think of
Tutoring
Tutoring/understanding faculty; I am a mother of two small children. It gets tough to work, go to
school and spend time with family
We should get more money back for our books; that money helps out a lot
We should have a program that would allow students to go to classes once a week, all on the
same day and still be considered a full time student. An advanced program
Work only if absolutely necessary. School is first future earnings are very important and increase
how much you put into school
Working parents and students that help elderly parents
Workshops
Workshops on staying focus, balancing school and work seminars, credit for life experience,
after syllabus before class starts and have workshop on criteria’s, business schedule
accommodating to in line with syllabus. I don't like that Purdue don't adjust students financial aid
packet according to need. I have one semester left and I don’t know how it will be funded. I’m
trying to avoid loans.
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University
64
Indiana Student Working and
Financial Aid Study
Working and Financial Aid
Among College Students
Directions
Directions are included with each question. Please complete all items in this questionnaire and return it in the enclosed
self-addressed envelope as soon as possible-. Feel free to attach additional pages containing any comments you may wish to pass
along. If you have questions, send an e-mail to: mfischer@iun.edu or call 219-980-6684.
1. Which one of the following categories best describes your current employment status?
a.  1. Full-time
 2. Part-time
b.  1. On-campus at IU Northwest
 3. Not currently employed [If not currently employed, go
to Question 14.]
 2. Off-campus
 3. Both
2. How many jobs do you currently have?
 One
 Two
 Three
 Four
 Five or more
3. Approximately how many hours do you work in an average week?
 1-10
 11-20
 21-30
 31-40
 41+
4. Does your employer: (Check all that apply)
 a. Contribute financially to your school expenses? (other than your paycheck)
 b. Accommodate your work schedule to your school schedule?
 c. Allow you to study at work
 d. Support your college career in any other manner? (please specify): ___________________
______________________________________________________________________________
5. How does your job impact your school work? (Check only one box)
 1. It has a very positive impact
 2. It has a positive impact
 3. It has neither a positive nor a negative impact
 4. It has a negative impact
 5. It has a very negative impact
6. In your opinion, will having a job while attending college increase the time frame you planned for
your degree? (Check only one box)
 1. Yes
 2. No
 3. Not intending to complete a degree at IU Northwest
 4. No time frame planned
 5. Can't say
7. Is your current job related in any way to your plans for a career after graduation?
 1. Yes
 2. No
 3. Can't say
completing
8. If IU Northwest could assist you in reducing your work hours, would you increase your credit hour load here?
 1. Yes
 2. No
 3. Can't say
9 Does your working reduce your need for IU Northwest Financial Aid support?
 1. Yes
 2. No
 3. Do not receive Financial Aid
 4. Can’t say
10. What might your employer do to help you better balance your school and working responsibilities?
a. IU Northwest employer(s): ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
b. Other employer(s): _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
11. How has your having a job influenced your relationship with the following individuals?
(Circle the number that corresponds to your opinion using the scale below.)
1 = It has a very positive impact
2 = It has a positive impact
3 = It has neither a positive nor a negative impact
4 = It has a negative impact
5 = It has a very negative impact
a. IU Northwest faculty ..................................................................... 1
b. IU Northwest students ................................................................... 1
c. Your parents .................................................................................. 1
d. Your co-workers ........................................................................... 1
e. Your employer .............................................................................. 1
f. Potential partners ........................................................................... 1
g. Your academic advisor .................................................................. 1
h. Your children (if any) ................................................................... 1
i. Your friends ................................................................................... 1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
12. How does your having a job impact your ability to schedule your classes? (Check only one box)
 1. It makes it much easier
 2. It makes it somewhat easier
 3. It has no impact
 4. It makes it somewhat difficult
 5. It makes it much more difficult
13. Why do you work while attending college? (Check all that apply)
 a. Spending money
 b. Health insurance
 c. I enjoy it
 d. Related to my career plans
 e. Part of my education
 f. Support a family
 g. Pay for child care
 h. Pay for non-college
expenses
 i. Pay debts
 j. Support my parents
 k. Family business
 l. Pay credit card debt
 m. Pay for school
 n. Pay for a car
 o. Other:_______________
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
14. Are you currently eligible for Financial Aid at IU Northwest?
 1. Yes
 2. No
 3. Don’t know
 4. Have not applied
a. If Yes, are you currently receiving: (Check all that apply)
 a. Work-Study
 b. Loans
 c. Grants
 d. Scholarships
b. If No, have you ever been eligible for Financial Aid at IU Northwest?
 1. Yes
 2. No
 3. Never applied
15. Do you believe that you understand the basic requirements for Financial Aid eligibility at IU Northwest?
 1. Yes
 2. No
 3. Can't say
16. What is the approximate total of your accumulated student loan debt?
a. Amount of current IU Northwest student loan debt: $_________________
b. Amount of current other student loan debt:
$___________________
17. How are you financing your college education at IU Northwest? (Check all that apply)
 a. Personal savings
 b. Current earnings
 c. Parental support
 d. IU Northwest Financial Aid
 e. Credit cards
 f. Banks/financial institution loans
 g. Spousal/Partner support
 h. Family support (non-parent)
 i. Military /Veterans benefits
 j. Employer tuition reimbursement
 k. Other (please specify)
_______________________
18. Including all sources, how much total debt do you now carry? Total debt: $__________
19. How is your current total debt distributed? (Check all that apply)
 a. Credit cards
 b. Personal loans (banks)
 c. Mortgage(s)
 d. Student loans
 e. Personal loans (family)
 f. Auto loans
 g. other (please specify): _____________________
20. Do you plan to complete your degree at IU Northwest?
 1. Yes
 2. No
 3. Undecided
a. If yes, in what major?_______________________________________
b. If yes, in what year do you plan to graduate? _____________________
21. At this point in pursuing your college education, do you have post-graduation career plans?
a.  1. Yes
 2. No
 3. Can't say
b. If yes, what are your career plans? (Check all that apply)
 a. Graduate School
 b. Employment
 c. Travel
 d. Volunteering
 e. Continuing education
 f. Military
 g. Professional school
 h. Other (please specify)
______________________
______________________
22. Since first beginning your college career at IU Northwest, have you ever: (Check all that apply)
 a. transferred to another school and returned?
 b. taken fewer credit hours due to working?
 c. not attended for one semester (excluding summer) and returned?
 d. not attended for one year and returned?
 e. not attended for more than one year and returned?
23. How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your work and education?
(Circle the number that corresponds to your opinion using the scale below.)
1 = Very satisfied
2 = Satisfied
3 = Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
4 = Dissatisfied
5 = Very dissatisfied
NA.= Not applicable
a. Your off-campus job (if you work) ............................................ 1
b. IU Northwest faculty.................................................................. 1
c. Going to school and working (if you work) .............................. 1
d. IU Northwest students ............................................................... 1
e. Your employer (if you work) .................................................... 1
f. IU Northwest academic advising ............................................... 1
g. IU Northwest student services .................................................. 1
h. On-campus job (if you have one) .............................................. 1
24 Are you:
 1. Male
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
 2. Female
25. Do your parents expect you to work in order to pay for or contribute to your college expenses?
1. Yes
 2. No
 3. Can't say
26. Please list any support services IU Northwest might provide for working students to help increase their
focus on school:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
27.  I would be interested in participating in a group discussion about these topics.
Thank you for your time, interest and support!
Be sure to include your signed consent form with your returned questionnaire!
Please return this questionnaire in the post-paid envelope to:
Public Opinion Laboratory
Northern Illinois University, 148 No. 3rd Street, DeKalb, Il 60115