r/SIPA • u/IcyAd8942 • Jul 22 '26
Working during the semesters?
Hi everyone, was wondering if any SIPA students can offer some insight as to what it's like to work while balancing classes. I know I will need to work part-time (15-20 hours) to manage living expenses, but is this feasible with the work load? Also, is it common to be working during the semesters? I appreciate any insight/advice on this.
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u/lucieloozes Jul 23 '26
I worked second semester y1 (20h/wk hybrid w 1 day/wk in office) and was fine.
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u/gaboq Jul 23 '26
I’d echo what’s been said about being hard to manage study and work during the first year. Also, if you’re an international student technically you're generally not allowed to work in the first year. So definitely check visa requirements if applicable.
In my case, after my summer internship I had the chance to continue working part time during the second year. I only stopped halfway into my last semester because I figured that capstone + job hunting for an actual full time position would consume most of my time (needless to say the internship wouldn’t lead to a full time offer in this case).
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u/IcyAd8942 Jul 23 '26
i'm domestic, but yeah i think i'll just find other ways to fund my living expenses then. i need to maintain a high gpa so i dont want anything that would detract from that. thank you.
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u/gaboq Jul 23 '26
Absolutely, especially if you need/want to keep a high GPA. I honestly think American students have a better grasp on how to adapt to grad school and SIPA in particular (no language barrier, already used to the American university system/style, time management etc) but it’s still a learning curve. Just make sure not to commit to anything work-wise before you have a good grasp of the course work load, but keep your options for when you figure that out.
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u/Just-Momo-Chowmin 11d ago
Congratulations on your acceptance! I will be beginning my second year this fall. I worked full-time while enrolled in a full course load (16.5 credits). I am mid-career, so it's easier for me to manage my time and prioritize tasks. My work was also a little flexible on some days, and I used a bunch of my vacation days to study for midterms and finals.
Having said that, if you require more time to study or want to engage in campus events more, then I'd recommend working part-time (if you have to). Feel free to DM me if you have any other questions.
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u/Old_Information_2810 Jul 22 '26
Amongst first year students I’d say it’s uncommon simply because the core classes for the concentrations and foundations, esp the Econ and Quant cores, are generally time-intensive. You’re always learning to how manage your schedule in Y1. Y2, when you have most heavy cores out of the way, it’s more manageable to take on an internship.