Studying engineering IS a full time job. I worked my way thru school but my GPA suffered. I would say it is better to borrow an have a higher GPA upon graduation than zero debt. It is a tricky balancing act...
This is now, when college costs reflect the padded bill enabled by enticing dumb kids to pay extra because they aren't paying it now and are borrowing it instead, and the feral government lender encouraging them to become indentured slaves.