INTRODUCTION

Education is the key to success. Students strive hard to finish their studies to have a better

future. While they are studying, their parents are guiding them and supporting their financial

needs. There are some instances that their parents cannot support them in school because of poor

household income. As a result, some students cannot pursue studying just to help their parents to

make a living.

According to CHED or Commission on Higher Education (2010), two out of five high

school graduates did not proceed to college. Some of the students chose not to finish their studies

because they are not financially stable. Students, who proceeded to college despite their financial

problems, chose to work as a part-time worker to provide their needs in school. According to Fng

(2013), approximately 80 percent of students work while still studying. This shows that many

students are eager to finish their studies despite their social status. They want to finish their

studies hoping that they will be successful in their chosen field.

Balancing roles of being a student and being a part-time worker is a challenge that is

faced by working students every day. College students are prone to different stressors that can

affect their academic performance. They may find their academic experience very stressful.

Working Students have responsibilities in both school and their job that they need to fulfill.

Quiatchon et al. (2014) stated in their study that aside from stress from school works,

occupational stress can also put another burden on working students particularly on their

psychological well-being. As a result, they might have a failing grade in some of their subjects

because of their busy schedule.

 Riggert et al. (2006) suggested that colleges and universities can no longer assume that

majority of students will be able to give their full-time attention to their academic studies. There

are lots of working students nowadays, which is why many students cannot just focus on

studying. Working students divide their time and effort between their job and school works. But

there are some students who can still excel academically in spite of being a working student.

Some people perceive working a part-time job will be detrimental to the students

academic performance. But the National Center for Education Statistics in U.S. Department of

Education, in the year 2016, found that students working 1-15 hours weekly have significantly

higher GPA or Grade Point Average than both students working 16 or more hours and students

who don't work at all. Working more than 20 hours a week can cause negative effects on

students grades. It might cause them to decline their studies because of longer working hours.

In relation with the previous study, Lederman (2009) said that working for more than 20

hours a week also contributes to a higher likelihood that a student will drop out of school before

receiving a degree. Their time for doing school activities is fewer than those working less than

15 hours a week. There are some cases that they are busy doing their job that they neglect their

school works. As a result, they drop out from school because they cannot balance their time well.

The researchers want to know how the working students keep up with their academic

performance while they are having a part-time job. This study aims to discover the different

coping mechanisms used by working students in tertiary level of First Asia Institute of

Technology and Humanities in maintaining their academic performance. Upon discovering the

different coping mechanisms, the researchers will then analyze the results and give conclusion

and recommendations about the said topic.

COPING MECHANISM OF WORKING STUDENTS IN TERTIARY LEVEL OF FIRST

ASIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITIES IN MAINTAINING THEIR

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

1. What are the challenges being faced by working students?

a. How do they cope with those challenges?

b. How do they maintain their academic performance while working at the same

time?

Abenales, Alyssa Jane

Borrega, Dan Jay

De Grano, Rosel Francheska

Manaig, Rica Angela

Nuez, Marie Joyce