“I’m going back to school.”
After two long years of pre-recession, recession, and more recession, “I’m going back to school” is becoming the number one “recession expression”. Whether unemployed, expecting to become unemployed, or just wanting to move forward in your career, pursuing a graduate or post graduate degree is a respectable decision in these trying times, but it is a difficult one.
It’s a difficult decision to make for anyone to go back to school, but it is an especially challenging road for parents. Parenting is a full time job. So splitting up time between work and family is like, well, having two full-time jobs. Adding even one night course to that mix is nearly impossible for an already jam-packed working family schedule. And that’s just one course we’re talking about, not even counting the study time and extra cost associated with classes.
So what resources are there for parents who want to go back to school?
Well, there is online learning, which is becoming the most feasible option for a lot of people who need to find a flexible, self-managed continuing education option. Online learning has changed a lot in recent years. These days, the reputation of an online degree has the same prestige as a university-based degree. In fact, a recent analysis by the U.S. Department of Education has found that, on average, online learning conditions produce better results than students receiving typical on-site classroom education.
So, how to find the best online option for parents?
1. Find an online program designed to meet your needs:
Three online universities offer scholarships for working mothers: Walden University, DeVry University, and American Intercontinental University. All three universities are enrolled in a program called “Project Working Mom: Putting Education to Work”. The program grants at least $2 million in full scholarships to working mothers. Not bad, eh?
2. Find money:
Two words: FEDERAL GRANT. The US government is there for you to use and they have money for your education. Yes, its true. Look into Pell Grants State Grants, Private Scholarships, etc. The Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, (FSEOG) gives money to undergrads with exceptional financial needs. LOOK EVERYWHERE!
3. Save Money and Time:
Once you have decided to enroll in a program and have found a scholarship that pays your way, what do you do with the kiddies? You will need to find time to hide away with your computer to watch seminars, to study, to write papers, etc. And really, no crying kid is gonna help you concentrate and baby-sitters are expensive. If you have a partner, it might be a little easier changing baby-sitting roles. But what about single mothers? What are you going to do with the kids when you need to study? Why not buddy up? Find (or convince) another mother who also wants to go back to school and switch off baby-sitting. While you are “in-school” she can watch the kid and vice versa.
4. Patience:
Although an online degree program is more flexible to a working parents’ schedule, it doesn’t mean that it is going to be a piece of cake. These programs are just as intensive and competitive as any other university program. So you are going to have to work hard and work often. So it’s important that you find the time to concentrate, focus, and prepare for your classes. Always remember that you are doing this for a reason. You are investing in your and your family’s future.
