Recently, I posted a question about including humor in a personal statement for PhD school applications. In this question, I mentioned that I work full-time as a carpenter, in addition to working towards a master's degree. A comment expressed that one possible concern of the admissions committees' may be my ability to successfully live on the stipend offered and not attempt to seek jobs outside of my TA duties (which I understand is not allowed).
Some background information:
- My master's is not funded nor do I receive any financial support from the school or my PI
- I work full time to cover the costs of tuition in order to avoid taking out loans in addition to the costs of commuting or other costs associated with attendance
Questions
Does my choice to work full-time, in addition to the fact that I work in a field far removed from my field of study, raise any red flags or make admissions committees question my ability to be a successful graduate student?
If the above is true, do I leave out this information about working in my personal statement/CV?
Currently, my statement mentions "I work since my education is self-funded" (not the exact wording). Does this statement suffice or is a more explicit explanation needed?