NAVIGATING THE PATH OF A WORKING

STUDENTS TOWARDS THEIR SUCCESS IN

MARIKINA CITY
A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
MARIKINA HIGH SCHOOL E. SANTOS ST. CONCEPCION UNO, MARIKINA CITY

ABELLAR, CYROSE GRACE R.

DIAZ, ERICKA JANE F.
DOMINGO, ANDREA M.
NAVAL. RIX S.

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1

GRADE 11-HUMSS A (HARDWORKING)

RODNEY Q. NECESSITO
RESEARCH ADVISER
 INTRODUCTION
This study explores the challenges and struggles of successful graduate students, focusing on their

mental and physical health, balancing work and study, and strategies to manage stress and maintain

health. The research uses qualitative methods to interview recent graduates and analyzes data to

understand policy decisions, institutional support systems, and employer practices. The study highlights

the importance of research beyond academic circles and its potential to advance social goals, empowering

individuals to realize their potential and contribute meaningfully to their communities and professions.

Many undergraduate students work outside of their studies to control tuition costs and increase

scholarship demand, but this often leads to increased anxiety and lower graduation rates. The study

recommends informed decision-making and support mechanisms for successful graduate students,

emphasizing the need for individual empowerment and consideration of unique needs in policy decision-

making, institutional support systems, and employer practices.

 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

1. What are the reasons that helped you decide to work while studying?

2. What did you feel when you started working while studying?

3. What struggles and challenges did you experience during your days of being a working

student?

4. Who inspired you to keep going on work while studying? How did they inspire you?

5. As a working student, how did you balance your academic responsibilities with your

employment commitments?
6. How do working student like you perceived the impact of employment on your academic

performance and overall learning experience?

7. How did you handle stress and maintain a healthy work-life-school balance?

8. How does the experience of being a working student influence your future career

aspirations and choices?

9. What benefits did you get in being a working student?

10. What advice would you offer to those students who are struggling to balance their studies

and careers?
 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION
 This study mainly focuses in Navigating the Path of a Working Student Towards

their Success in Marikina City that concentrates specifically on how they balanced

work, studies, and their responsibilities to their family and other acquaintances.

Thus, the data gathered will address to those working students and their

experiences and obstacles as they balanced work and education.

 This study is limited since the interview will conduct only to 5 respondents in

Marikina City. Research made question will use as a guide in doing the interview to

participants who were purposely selected.

 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
 WORKING STUDENTS. Offering them real-world insights and advice to navigate
their academic and career paths effectively.

 PARENTS. By offering personalized advice tailored to their child's unique needs

and aspirations, equipping them with strategies to support their children's
professional development.

 COMMUNITY. By fostering a skilled and successful workforce. Furthermore, the

insights and methodologies generated from this research can contribute
significantly to the broader research community.

 FUTURE RESEARCHERS. The study served as a reference and additional

information that is relevant to the study for future researchers. They can also
continue this research to improve or do more research on the topic of this study.
 DEFINITION OF TERMS
 HUMAN CAPITAL: The skills, knowledge, and experiences that gain through education and work, which

contribute to their personal and professional development.

 WORK-STUDY FUNDING: Financial assistance provided to students to help cover their educational expenses,

often in exchange for part-time work on campus.

 FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS: Individuals who are the first in their family to pursue higher education.

 STRATEGIES AND INTERVENTIONS: Approaches and actions taken to address challenges, enhance the

research process, and improve the outcomes of the study.

 LABOR MARKET: It encompasses the demand for workers, the available job opportunities, and the dynamics

of wages and employment conditions within the local area.

 EMPLOYMENT COMMITMENTS: The specific tasks and duties they are required to fulfill the number of hours

they are expected to work, and any other professional obligations they need to meet as part of their employment.

 NEED-BASED GRANT: Financial aid awarded to students based on their financial need. Typically provided by

educational institutions or government agencies and are intended to help students cover the cost of tuition, fees,

and other educational expenses.

 TRADITIONAL-AGED STUDENT: A student who is attending college or university at the typical age, usually

between 18 and 24 years old. Traditional-aged students are often pursuing their first undergraduate degree

immediately after completing high school.

 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: An individual who are pursuing their first bachelor's degree at a college or

university. They are enrolled in undergraduate programs and have not yet completed their bachelor's degree.

 STUDENTS' FULL TENURE: Entire duration or period of time that a student is enrolled in an educational

institution, such as a college or university, to complete their degree program. It encompasses the time from when

the student first enrolls until they graduate or leave the institution.
 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The literature review explores the challenges and consequences of balancing work and academic

responsibilities for working students. The review also highlighted the importance of strategies to help

working students manage stress, improve academic performance, and develop essential skills for future

careers.

Bennet (2015) conducted a study on the effect of financial stress on students' academic performance and

found that students exposed to financial stress were more likely to be employed, work long hours, and

perform poorly in business courses. It shows that the performance is extremely low. This study focuses on

the challenges faced by economically burdened students, especially women, minorities, and first-generation

students. The findings highlighted the negative impact of financial stress on students' ability to achieve

academic excellence.
Working students predominantly spend more time working than studying, and the time constraints of work

often reduce their grades and academic performance. (Greene, 2014)

Additionally, Mantle (2020) highlighted the overwhelming pressures working students face to achieve

academic excellence, participate in extracurricular activities, and maintain employment. This study

addresses the issue faced by students regarding the importance of work experience in university

admissions, creating a dilemma where they are torn between professional responsibilities and other

interests.

In general, the literature review examines the challenges that working students face in balancing work and

school responsibilities, the value of support strategies, and the unique ways in which educators can improve

the academic performance and overall health of working students.

 REFERENCES
CHAPTER 1
 Perna, L. W., Wright‐Kim, J., & Jiang, N. (2019). Money matters: Understanding how colleges and universities use their websites to communicate

information about how to pay college costs. Educational Policy, 35(7), 1311–1348. [Link]

 (Scott-Clayton, 2015). Scott-Clayton, J., & Rodriguez, O. (n.d.). Development, discouragement, or diversion? New evidence on the effects of

college remediation Policy. [Link]

 (Perna, 2019). Recognizing the reality of working college students. (2020b, February 6). AAUP.[Link]

reality-working-college-students?fbclid=IwAR28UNYvr8USK_0yI28DeQliwF_mlyTLMm4Nei8pkeCM9UZ8hNtxL_h9yFo

 (Martinez, 2014). Martínez-Jaramillo, S., Alexandrova-Kabadjova, B., Bravo-Benítez, B., & Solórzano-Margain, J. P. (2014). An empirical study of

the Mexican banking system’s network and its implications for systemic risk. Journal of Economic Dynamics & Control, 40, 242–265.

[Link]
 Bennet (2015) THE IMPACT OF FINANCIAL STRESS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN COLLEGE ECONOMICS COURSES - ProQuest. (n.d.-

b). [Link]

 Bennet (2015) Human verification. (n.d.). [Link]

McCarty/65b6bdc1aa5333d9f3c8a2aebb6388445f9d826f?fbclid=IwAR1FgNA-SKiW0_FAI2HjshUETkMw-92wyleccPizkjK84o5NYleRUzZVVH4

 Support for Working Students: Understanding The Impacts Of Employment In Students' Lives R. M. Summer, Megan McCoy, I Barrena Trujillo,

Esperanza Rodriguez

[Link]

 Darolia, R. (2014, February). Working (and studying) day and night: Heterogeneous effects of working on the academic performance of full-time

and part-time students. Economics of Education Review, 38, 38–50. [Link]

 Verulava, T., & Jorbenadze, R. (2022, January 7). The impact of part-time employment on students' health.

[Link]
 (What Students Are Saying About Having A Part-Time Job While In School, 2022)

Ross Mantle for The New York Times

[Link]

 BERHANU, K. Z., & SABANCİ, A. (2020, December 31). Factors Influencing University Students’ Academic Achievement and Strategies Taken to Improve

Their Achievement: Ethiopia as a Sample. İnönü Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 21(3), 1165–1180. [Link]

 Leland (2015) Leland, M. (n.d.). Mindfulness and student success. [Link]

Yusof (2020) Evans, C., &

 Natalia Lyz, Oksana Istratova, Elena Golubeva (2023)

[Link]

 Wang, T. (2021, April 7). How working part-time while being a full-time student has allowed me to develop beneficial skills.

[Link]

 Pedroso, J. E. (2022). Challenges and Opportunities Faced By Working Students amidst Pandemic [Link]

 Yusof, Z. N. (2020). The importance of part-time work to UK university students. Industry & Higher Education, 35(6), 725–735.

[Link]
DOCUMENTATION OF INTERVIEW
CONDUCTED
 SUMMARY OF ANSWERS
1. What are the reasons that helped you decide to work while studying?

 PARTICIPANT A:
Due to high tuition fees and other expenses, to meet financial needs.

 PARTICIPANT B:
Personal financial responsibilities such as tuition fees, and other living expenses.

 PARTICIPANT C:
Financial Problem

 PARTICIPANT D:
To gain work experience and practical skills that can complement his studies.

 PARTICIPANT E:
Lack of financial support and poverty.
2. What did you feel when you started working while studying?

 PARTICIPANT A:
He experienced mixed emotions during his first professional job — including excitement,
determination, and nervousness. He was also worried that when he started getting own salary, he
might get disinterested in studies and prioritize work over school activities.

 PARTICIPANT B:
She felt a sense of pressure to succeed in both areas of his life.

 PARTICIPANT C:
Nervous about how she would manage her time and handle the workload, but she also felt proud
of herself for taking on the challenge of working while studying.

 PARTICIPANT D:
Felt excited and motivated to be gaining real-world experience while still pursuing education.
However, as time went on, he started to feel drained and struggled to keep up with all his
commitments.

 PARTICIPANT E:
He felt the need to work hard to support himself because no one was going to help him but
himself.
3. What struggles and challenges did you experience during your days of being a working student?

 PARTICIPANT A:

Balancing schoolwork and job responsibilities. Fatigue and lack of sleep due to late nights studying after work shifts.

 PARTICIPANT B:

Financial strain was a constant challenge, as she had to cover tuition fees and living expenses on his own.

 PARTICIPANT C:

Had to juggle multiple deadlines and priorities, which could be overwhelming at times.

 PARTICIPANT D:

Dealing with fatigue and burnout from working long hours and then having to attend classes and study for exams. It was

exhausting both mentally and physically.

 PARTICIPANT E:

Balancing time between work, studying, and personal life. It was a constant juggling act trying to fulfill all the responsibilities.
4. Who inspired you to keep going on work while studying? How did they inspire you?

 PARTICIPANT A:

His late grandfather's dedication and positive attitude have greatly influenced him to

work hard and pursue education, that despite not completing his high school, he still

emphasized the importance of hardwork and education.

 PARTICIPANT B:

A close friend inspired her that hard work pays off and motivated her to stay focused on

education.
 PARTICIPANT C:
Her parents, as she wants to give them a good life and she don't want to
be a burden.

 PARTICIPANT D:
His parents encouraged him to work hard and achieve goals.

 PARTICIPANT E:
His parents inspired him to keep going on work while studying. As they
always emphasize the importance of education and hard work, and seeing
their dedication and sacrifices motivated him to do the same.
5. As a working student, how did you balance your academic responsibilities with your

employment commitments?

 PARTICIPANT A:

Effective planning, time management, and collaboration with supervisors and professors are

crucial for maintaining balance and completing tasks on time.

 PARTICIPANT B:

By staying organized and making strategic decisions, she was able to successfully juggle both

aspects of life and achieve goals.

 PARTICIPANT C:

Seeking support from friends, family, and colleagues provided her with the necessary

encouragement and assistance to successfully manage her workload.

 PARTICIPANT D:

He prioritized tasks based on deadlines and importance, focusing on completing assignments

and projects that were due sooner while also setting aside time for work shifts.

 PARTICIPANT E:

There is no such thing as balanced work and study ethics. He just disciplined himself to

manage whatever he could in a day and do the same the next day.
6. How do working student like you perceived the impact of employment on your academic

performance and overall learning experience?

 PARTICIPANT A:

Maintaining good grades while working can be challenging, but it also offers opportunities

to improve skills and grow personally and professionally.

 PARTICIPANT B:

Employment provides real-world experience and skills that enhance academic and overall

learning experience. The juggling of work and school as an opportunity for personal growth

and time management development.

 PARTICIPANT C:

It is challenging. Balancing work responsibilities with academic obligations is difficult and

stressful, leading to potential negative effects on grades and learning outcomes.

 PARTICIPANT D:

He struggles with homework, quizzes, and exams, especially when he is unsure what to do

first—work or study.

 PARTICIPANT E:

He perceived that poverty, and his weaknesses were not a hindrance to achieving and

reaching goals in life. It is a steppingstone to finishing his studies and gaining experience at

the same time.

7. How did you handle stress and maintain a healthy work-life-school balance?

 PARTICIPANT A:

Prioritizing health, take breaks, spend time with family and friends, travel, and rest when feeling burnt out to refresh and regain motivation.

 PARTICIPANT B:

Established a routine that allowed her to allocate time for work, school, and self-care activities.

 PARTICIPANT C:

Prioritizing tasks and setting realistic goals for herself. Made sure to take breaks when needed and seek support from friends and family when

feeling overwhelmed.

 PARTICIPANT D:

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle involves engaging in regular exercise, consuming nutritious food, and balancing time to maintain a peaceful mind.

 PARTICIPANT E:

Stress is inevitable. His dreams and goals in life are much greater than any stress he had in those days, and that's the reason why he kept going

and pursued to finish his studies .

8. How does the experience of being a working student influence your future career aspirations and choices?

 PARTICIPANT A:

At first, he only wanted to work independently, but as time goes by, he enjoyed collaborating with his colleagues that gained leadership and

management skills which he didn't know he was capable of. He learned the value of financial independence, that leads him to seek opportunities for

career growth and stability.

 PARTICIPANT B:

Being a working student can shape one's attitude towards work, career goals, and future aspirations, making individuals more determined and

resourceful in pursuing their chosen career paths.

 PARTICIPANT C:

Juggling work and studies can teach valuable time management skills and work ethic, which can be beneficial in any career path she chooses.

 PARTICIPANT D:

Enhances understanding of life's progression and provides him with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in life.

 PARTICIPANT E:

As a working student, he manages to meet people along the way that also helped and contributed to his choices in life.
9. What benefits did you get in being a working student?
 PARTICIPANT A:
Enhanced his communication and time management skills, provided financial
support for his education, and fostered professional connections for future
use.
 PARTICIPANT B:
Allows her to earn a salary or income to support herself financially and
reduce the burden of student loans or debt.
 PARTICIPANT C:
Developing time management skills by balancing work, school, and personal
responsibilities.
 PARTICIPANT D:
Can support his studies and provide for his needs in school.
 PARTICIPANT E:
He himself benefited a lot by means of financial support and got to support
the needs of his sisters in their studies as well.
10. What advice would you offer to those students who are struggling to balance their

studies and careers?

PARTICIPANT A:

To prevent burnout, prioritize breaks, eat healthy, stay hydrated, and create a time

management plan to ensure adequate energy for work and school activities.

PARTICIPANT B:

Communicate openly with professors and employers about any challenges faced in balancing

studies and work. By being transparent about the situation, students can potentially

receive support and accommodations to help manage their responsibilities more

effectively.
PARTICIPANT C:

Effective time management is crucial for balancing work and school, as sticking to goals and

achieving them ultimately leads to a fulfilling life.

PARTICIPANT D:

Remember that it's okay to ask for help when you need it. Whether it's requesting extensions on

assignments, seeking tutoring for difficult subjects, or talking to your employer about adjusting

your work schedule, communication is key in finding solutions that work for you.

PARTICIPANT E:

Never give up on your dreams. It's not always rainbows and butterflies, but once you survive those

storms and thunders, it's all worth it. Have faith and always turn to God, and He will never let you

down.
RESEARCHER INFORMATION
Name: Andrea M. Domingo

Birthday: July 24, 2007

Contact Number: 0912 435 8376

Email Account: andreadomingo200724@[Link]

Favorite Quotes: "The only impossible journey is the one you never be“ – Tony Robbins

Name: Ericka Jane F. Diaz

Birthday: March 24, 2007

Contact Number: 0929 725 2299

Email Account: lovelyej145@[Link]

Favorite Quotes: "Live each day as if it were your last.”

Name: Cyrose Grace R. Abellar

Birthday: December 16, 2006

Contact Number: 0992 594 8301

Email Account: cyroseabellar1216@[Link]

Favorite Quotes: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

Name: Rix S. Naval

Birthday: February 4, 2007

Contact Number: O977 287 3802

Email: rix.naval04@[Link]

Favorite Quotes: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.“

- Eleanor Roosevelt