For many college students, long hours and packed schedules are an all-too-common complaint. But San Jose State University professor Amy Leisenring noticed that her students seemed more overworked than usual.

“I noticed how many students would say they couldn't finish a paper or couldn't even come to class because they were working,” she says.

Leisenring really wanted to know how college work schedules impact particularly minority students, who are far more likely work while in college.

Her study, “Higher Tuition, More Work: and Academic Harm,” surveyed 163 minority students at California State University, asking them to assess how their work habits affect their education. To Leisenring’s surprise, 86 percent of students reported having to work to pay for college, a far greater percentage than previous studies had found.

The report is part of a series, “The CSU Crisis and California's Future,” commissioned by the UCLA-based Civil Rights Project. The series examines the impact of recent budget cuts on the California State University system.

Tuition hikes coupled with dramatic reductions in financial aid have driven students to work longer hours, often at the expense of their grades, says Leisenring.

Previous studies have found a negative correlation between work and school. Students often begin seeing a decline in their grades if their work schedules surpass 15 hours per week, says Leisenring.

“The large majority of these students are working well over 15 hours a week,” she says.

Sixty-two percent of students anticipate taking a longer time to graduate because of their work schedules. Seventy percent report lower grades, and at least 30 percent are considering dropping out of college. Most are non-traditional students who either live with their families or off campus.

“A lot of students are actually helping to support their families,” she says. “So they're not just paying for school but they're helping to pay for their families as well.”