Should Your Kid Work In College?

... Maybe not, based on an analysis of several studies by the American Council on Education. According to the author of "Paying for College Without Going Broke," while working a limited number of hours per week tends to help a student do better in school, too much time working may actually be detrimental to the college goal. Spending time at work rather than in class or studying can extend a student's time in school, pushing graduation past four years. And more years in school leads to higher tuition costs. Additionally, if a student earns more than $4,000 a year, eligibility for institutional and federal grant money could be jeopardized.

Instead of expecting students to make up the difference in the cost of tuition by working an excessive number of hours, an article at CNNMoney.com suggests limiting working hours to no more than 15 per week, and considering loans to cover expenses above and beyond what's not covered by financial aid.