High school is perhaps one of the most stressful times in the life of practically anyone. It is in the hallowed halls and corridors that most students face the challenges of rigorous courses, social conflicts to bullying, first romances, and the idea that they are rapidly approaching one of the biggest changes in their whole lives: entering the workforce.

The current percentage of high school students in the United States who hold a part-time job is just a mere 16% (Washington Times), nearly half of what the number was in the 1990s: 32%.

Though today’s percentages are small compared with historical numbers, what is it about working in such a demanding time in an adolescent’s life?

Well, for one thing, the cost of a college education is on the rise, with the debt and financial hardship families are facing also increasing steeply. Jobs, though on average here in the state of Florida only paying $8.05 an hour for minimum wage, are an opportunity for students to gather funds prior to entering school and helping to lessen their own future loan-based debt and the burden put on their parents.

Even having a small job that pays just the minimum wage of $8.05, and assuming that the student begins work at 17 and works a solid 20 hours a week for a full year, they could earn $9,016 if they saved every dollar. If the student is deciding to attend an in-state university, with an average tuition cost of approximately $12,000 a year, this makes a significant dent in the first year they attend.

Working also can help to boost the status of a high schooler’s college application. Colleges are beginning to look beyond the test scores of students and more at the complete profile of the student, including their work history. These jobs can give students an upper hand in their applications, as demonstrating the ability to balance a job and their grades in school assures the college of a student’s dedication and ability to work hard.

However, there is no such thing as a job that comes without its drawbacks and difficulties.

The current high school start time for Lake Nona High School is 7:20 a.m. Along with the fact that teenagers on average cannot biologically fall asleep until around 10 p.m., most closing shifts at major restaurant chains have many teenagers working well past even their average bedtime, closing often at 10:30 and 11 p.m. These late hours of closing for most teenagers at their jobs can severely lessen the amount of sleep that they get before school each day, reducing their ability to focus on classwork and tests, and possibly causing their grades to drop.

And what about the “high school working experience” that is so widely talked about by parents as teaching kids respect and valuable work ethic? Well, this aspect really depends on the profession that the student is pursuing. If you hope to work in the hospitality industry, gaining experience working at the chain restaurants and learning the craft behind both the management and service ends can be beneficial in the pursuit of your work. However, if you are planning on becoming a pilot and working in this same profession, it seems more as if your experiences will not be applicable to you later in life. Having this job and working in an industry that you may not have any further interest in after you graduate, losing sleep, and dealing with the pressures of school itself seems more like a waste of your time than a benefit for yourself.

So, is a job in high school really worth it? In all, it seems like that’s something for the student to decide on an individual basis. After all, no matter what choice they make and experience they gain (or do not) teach them valuable lessons that prepare them for a life full of choices of their own – minimum wage or not.

$8.05, please?