YouâÄôve likely settled into your fall classes, maybe found a student group or two to invest yourself in. Perhaps you still find yourself with too much time left over after homework. If thatâÄôs the case, consider finding a part-time job. Parents often dislike the notion of their children working instead of focusing full-time on expensive college studies. If youâÄôve found the right study balance, expand your focus. This is college, after all, and work experiences are an important way to grow your marketability. But first and foremost, work means cash. With the costs of tuition, textbooks and living ever climbing, fiscal compensation at school is always welcome. WhatâÄôs more, jobs instill value in your dollars in terms of time. ItâÄôs easy to blow hundreds at the mall when the money came as a heaping student loan, but when you have to hand over the last of three Benjamins from a back-breaking monthâÄôs paycheck, the art of frugality starts to garner your respect. Even in this economy, jobs are available. Lots of students work for University Dining Services or as security at residence halls. The Minnesota Daily even has openings for those qualified, but if college work will impede your studies, the low-paying job likely isnâÄôt worth slowing down graduation. Many students, however, can and should try both. An Ohio study found that students who work up to 20 hours per week had better average GPAs than their nonworking counterparts, 3.14 to 3.03, respectively. If you have the time, energy and ability to balance work and school, now is a great time to start looking for work.