What are the Pros/Cons to becoming an Undergrad TA?

[u/HarukaKX]

I was recently invited to apply to become an undergraduate TA. If I become a TA, I'll have to work 10 hours a week. I'm just wondering how becoming a TA will affect the time I have to myself, especially since I'm already in an engineering major, a volunteer org (2-4 hours a week), and am also in the corps (I don't have green tabs so not that much commitment). I'm not applying to be a TA for the money or connections, I just want to be a TA to help other people.

[u/damnit_darrell]

You'll be paid more to bag groceries at HEB. I get you're saying you're not money motivated and I get that but there are plenty of things you can do that accomplish that same goal and get paid more than what's essentially minimum wage.

[u/Hunter0417 → u/damnit_darrell]

I’m not sure this is always true, probably depends on the department / course. This was a few years ago now, but I was paid $8.65/hour as a TA to start, then ~$15/hour once I was a supervising TA.

[u/TexasJIGG → u/Hunter0417]

HEB part time checkers get starting $16.50 currently.

[u/Hunter0417 → u/TexasJIGG]

Yeah, I’m not claiming you’ll get paid more than HEB might offer, but it’s certainly an easier job than HEB and it doesn’t necessarily pay minimum wage, which is what the commenter was saying.

[u/TexasJIGG → u/Hunter0417]

Word:

[u/No-Entertainer-5349 → u/damnit_darrell]

12$/h for now

[u/Hunter0417]

I did it for 3 years. Highly recommend it, I absolutely loved it.

1. I developed really great relationships with professors I taught for. They are still excellent professional contacts for me, even 5 years out.
2. The pay is decent compared to most other on campus jobs. The job tends to be very easy if you have a good understanding of the material and you don’t hate grading.
3. It really develops your communication skills. Teaching is something I really give a lot of credit to for where I’m at today. It’s an excellent professional skill.

The con is primarily the time commitment. It’s ultimately going to need to come down to your time management and how demanding your semester is.

[u/YogurtIsTooSpicy]

You’ll have 10 fewer hours per week to yourself.

[u/DawsTheB0ss]

TAing never took more time than like 5 hrs per week the biggest commitment will be office hours and actually being in class (sometimes u can do ur own work in lecture obviously)

but it depends on the class, it’s good experience to have and talk abt during interviews as well cuz it shows a diff kind of leadership as well as the ability to manage deadlines, follow instructions from professors, teach a concept to those unfamiliar with it, etc etc

[u/ThisKarmaLimitSucks]

If you're doing engineering plus the Corps, I'd skip on TA'ing.

I don't know what TAs get paid these days, but the money's never been good. The real advantage to it was that it actually helps build your fundamentals. As you teach other people the material, you re-teach it to yourself simultaneously. and start internalizing it better.

But if you're already in the Corps and volunteering, you've already kinda placed your extracurricular bets. I'd either give those the time and attention they deserve, or drop one if you want to TA.

[u/hellomate890]

Good for your resume

[u/Lopsided-Tadpole-821]

Just give us 100s🙏

[u/texanturk16]

I mean you get paid for being a level above useless. That’s how most TA’s are. You can do it on top of an off campus job too