Papa’s Got a Brand New Gig

This is the time of year that students busy themselves with the final details of the college application and admissions process. But perhaps for a certain number of families a different kind of college application is in order…

Did you know numerous schools offer free or heavily discounted tuition to staff/faculty as well as their spouses and children? If your family is one of those sweating over college expenses, this lone fact might make a massive difference if a job change seems like a palatable prospect.

Schools have vast armies of employees, including instructors, mechanics, lab researchers, web developers, plumbers, security personnel and counselors, to name but a few. I know several men and women who work in all sorts of positions on all sorts of campuses. By and large they not only enjoy their jobs but also the fact their kids get free tuition coverage; these parents not only receive the usual payroll benefits for their labor but also help with the burden of getting children properly educated.

So as students consider their options it might also make sense for their parents to look at various colleges’ employment sites or pay a visit to HR departments while on campus tours. Then perhaps the applications for employment should hit the mail alongside the applications for admissions. If a college takes a bite on both parent and student it might well save a family thousands upon thousands of dollars over the next few years.