My freshman year was spent in a constant balancing act between school, work and trying to maintain my sanity. I held two jobs and worked more than 35 hours on certain weeks.

There were days where I had to choose between sleep after a long day of work and being prepared for class the next morning. It was a struggle to say the least.

But I was not alone. There are nearly 14.6 million college students who are working their way through college just like myself.

According to Census Bureau data, 19.7 million students were enrolled in undergraduate coursework and of those students 72 percent worked. The Bureau breaks that number down further: 20 percent were employed full-time, year-round.

Working through college has become the common plight of a vast amount of American college students.  

The majority of these students are not working, “just because.” It was reported in a recent American Council on Education study that only 14 percent of students say their job helps them with coursework and 33 percent say their job helps with career preparation and advancement.

For many of us, employment is a necessity. 63.4 percent of working college students do so in order to pay tuition, fees or living expenses, according to data gathered by the ACE.  

Experts universally agree that students who work more than 15 to 20 hours per week tend to preform worse academically. Working through college also limits the opportunities that students have to build and sustain lasting relationships among peers. This is because the students who work are likely to be less involved.

These missed opportunities are crucial because they can enhance intellectual, emotional and social development.

The story of the working student is not all negative. Students who work have shown to be better rounded and posses better time management skills. Studies have also shown that the working student is much more confident as stated on the College Board website.

Working in college teaches students responsibility that is reinforced by their need to work while pursuing their college goals. There are both pros and cons for working while in college.

It is not easy fulfilling the role of a working college student, or students who must work out of necessity and are determined to succeed academically tend to find the balance they need.

It all comes down to personal determination and superb time-management skills.