[03hope03]

I have a part time job and I've just finished my AS levels. I was only contracted to work 4 hours a week, but a lot of the time I would do up to 12 hours, and still kept on top of my homework and revision (though I did badly in the exams for other reasons not relating to how much work I did!). I think it's fine to get a part time job, as I've found that having some money to spend when going out with friends is really useful. As long as you work hard and don't slack off, you should be fine to take a job! Just don't overload yourself. Definitely cut down on the rowing a bit if you want to take a job. What I found useful was using my holiday time during exams so that my job didn't get in the way of my revision.

[Hanvyj]

I had two jobs (£3 an hour, hell yeah!) during AS level, one was during luchtimes with the school.

I quit them after christmas though, I could have carried it on when I stopped doing Art AS though (man that took so much time!)

The main reason was that whenever paid for anything I would do a mental calculation into hours.

Bus journey = 1 hour
Mars bar = 20 min
Night out = 8 hours

I'd rather have less money and more time.

[Tabers]

I had a job when I did my A2's and it was fine. There were several of us in the same position. I found that I made the most of my free periods at school so that I could get as much work/revision done then. I had a weekend job so I also had evenings free. I found it was really useful to have a job as it meant that I could save for uni which I am really glad about as I am now using the money from that due to the loan not coming in for another month and a half. Also, I worry a lot and so to have something else to take my mind off my school work helped a lot. I enjoyed it but had to leave to go to uni. But it was good for me and I got into my first choice of uni so didn't seem to affect me in that way.

[wwelol]

(Original post by iSoftie)

wtf?

[RobertWhite]

This depends on whether you think can cope with the extra work load. If you think having a job is going to negatively affect your grades then I wouldn't suggest keeping it. If you think you can cope with it then the experience and money you'll gain is worth it. My school suggested no more than 12 hours work per week. So if you think you can do it go for it! You can always quit if you see your grades dropping

[lsaul95]

(Original post by 03hope03)
Definitely cut down on the rowing a bit if you want to take a job.

I found out today that this is definitely not an option. If I want to compete at the level I want to compete at, I have to go to every training session and extra weights session days. Rowing dramatically improves my chances of getting into Uni, as my club is partnered with 2 of the universities I'm applying for, and they have programs for sports bursaries, etc.

I have decided not to go for the job. On top of everything else, I would just be doing way too much.
I don't drink (medical problem), so it's not like I'll be going out every weekend. I hang out with friends but it's usually just at each-others houses, etc.

(Original post by RobertWhite)
This depends on whether you think can cope with the extra work load. If you think having a job is going to negatively affect your grades then I wouldn't suggest keeping it. If you think you can cope with it then the experience and money you'll gain is worth it. My school suggested no more than 12 hours work per week. So if you think you can do it go for it! You can always quit if you see your grades dropping

Yeah, I think it really will. I get social anxiety brought on by stress, and I had it all through my last year at high school because I was doing too much. I think it's safe just to stick with A-levels and sports.
Despite how good having money would be, I just want to knuckle down for 2 years, look at my results and feel like I did the best I could possibly do.

Thanks for the advice

[Laalalala]

I found that for the first year of a levels having a job was fine, but I struggled this year with a job

[TimmonaPortella]

you've got tonnes of spare time through A levels. Get a job, you'll be fine.

[RobertWhite]

(Original post by lsaul95)
Yeah, I think it really will. I get social anxiety brought on by stress, and I had it all through my last year at high school because I was doing too much. I think it's safe just to stick with A-levels and sports.
Despite how good having money would be, I just want to knuckle down for 2 years, look at my results and feel like I did the best I could possibly do.

Thanks for the advice

You're welcome. It's far more important to focus on your studies - I had three friends who took up jobs at A level and two of them pretty much failed. If you don't think you'll be able to handle it, definitely don't do it

[lsaul95]

(Original post by TimmonaPortella)
you've got tonnes of spare time through A levels. Get a job, you'll be fine.

10-12 hours of that weekly free time is already going into Rowing, I don't think I'll be able to handle a job on top of that as well! Thanks anyway though

[poiuy]

go for it! if it's too much quit. it's really hard to get a part time job; you don't wan't to find yourself in a couple of months desperately searching for one, whilst really having to budget how many nights out you can have, and budget how much you spend on clothes/stuff. A levels is hard work; but there is also way more free time than gcse's.

[Jazzeh]

I had a job, went to the gym on days I didn't work and had football twice a week during AS and didn't find it too bad at all. I took four subjects(English, History, Law, Economics) and didn't really dedicate too much time to them outside of sixth form, though I imagine Sciences or Maths might require more independent learning. You'll probably have free periods at school too, so can use that for some more learning if that is your wish.

But yeah, I'm contracted to 15 hours a week and regularly do 18, or even 21-24 hours if my free periods allow me to go to work. The only time this has been a problem was during Christmas where I had only been at the job three months and was doing over double my contract hours so didn't have time to revise for January exams.

However, your manager will probably be flexible enough around exam times to cater for you. All in all, you'll be fine.

[AishaTara]

(Original post by lsaul95)
Firstly, sorry if this has been brought up before. Finding topics on my phone is proving somewhat impossible.

Anyway, I know plenty of people do it. But what do you think about working on top of A-levels?

Im starting college in September and I have an offer for an 8 hour part time job. I also have Rowing each week and do a voluntary position in a hospital for an hour a week. My grades are obviously most important at the moment, I dont want to be weighing myself down with too many things and seeing a poor performance in grades because of that.

What do you think? Will having this job be fine, or is it too much on top of everything else?

I'd recommend you take it up if you've coped workload wise at AS. I work on Sundays and do four other extra curricular and cope with 5 subjects, so I'm sure you'll be fine, if you're determined to ensure you don't slack when you do have the time to work.

[louisjevans]

Take it. I wish i had a job

[lsaul95]

(Original post by poiuy)
go for it! if it's too much quit. it's really hard to get a part time job; you don't wan't to find yourself in a couple of months desperately searching for one, whilst really having to budget how many nights out you can have, and budget how much you spend on clothes/stuff. A levels is hard work; but there is also way more free time than gcse's.

(Original post by Jazzeh)
I had a job, went to the gym on days I didn't work and had football twice a week during AS and didn't find it too bad at all. I took four subjects(English, History, Law, Economics) and didn't really dedicate too much time to them outside of sixth form, though I imagine Sciences or Maths might require more independent learning. You'll probably have free periods at school too, so can use that for some more learning if that is your wish.

But yeah, I'm contracted to 15 hours a week and regularly do 18, or even 21-24 hours if my free periods allow me to go to work. The only time this has been a problem was during Christmas where I had only been at the job three months and was doing over double my contract hours so didn't have time to revise for January exams.

However, your manager will probably be flexible enough around exam times to cater for you. All in all, you'll be fine.

I don't drink, so I will not be going out on night outs often I have some money from the army left over for clothes/necessities. The only reason I wanted a job was money greed, and to be honest, after thinking about it, I'd rather look at my results at the end of the year and think that I did everything I could do to reach my potential. I plan to put in 5+ hours a week PER subject of self study, not including homework, so I really need all the free time I can get.
I've been told by all of my future tutors that I should be doing 4+ hours of work a week, per subject, so that's exactly what I'm going to do.
Bearing in mind, I will be spending 10-12 hours of my free time a week rowing, and 1-3 hours of my spare time doing voluntary work for my university application, getting a job would be too much.

Thank you both for your advice