Time never seems to be on your side! You can barely make time to do all the extras after talking care of the kids. You don’t know where the time goes and now you have to entertain the idea of returning to school or completing your college degree.
Finances are an issue now adding a tuition check to each month’s budget does not seem like an option. What do you do? The US Census Bureau reports that about 20% of American families are single-parent households, and in most case the breadwinner is a mother. In addition 95% of the single parents make less than $75,000 a year in income. So, for many going back to school without some form of financial aid is not an option.
The US Department of Labor reports that most mother who work have full time jobs. When they get home they spend another ten hours cooking, cleaning, running errands, running car poolings, playing with the kids, washing and doing laundry in addition to their other responsibilities.
There is good news for working parents! There are many programs available to both working moms and dads to support their financial efforts in returning to school. Accredited distance learning universities offer flexible learning options for working parents. Financial resources are also available specifically for this group of parents. There are many government and private programs that have funds for working mothers and single parents.
The first step is to figure what you want to go back to school for. Then, find out the available financial options from the prospective college. This information can be obtained from the college’s financial aid office. In-depth Internet research will also yield you various results. In addition, going to the local library and looking through the annual scholarship books is always a good recommendation. One thing to remember though – watch for the deadlines and make sure you submit your application on time. Also determine the application materials that should be submitted such as letters of recommendation or essays and prepare those ahead of time. In addition, be sure to apply for the right scholarships. Some are quite specific in their criteria. For example some scholarships are only available for student in certain areas such as engineering or science.
The next step has to do with time management. Given all your responsibilities, adding classes to your list can sound quite daunting. Develop a routine and stick to it. Make your family stick to it as well. For example ensure that the children’s bedtime is well established so that you can study without interruptions after putting them to bed. Also, you can prepare lunches the evening before to save you time in the morning. Delegate responsibilities to the family so that you don’t have to try and do it all alone. This will help you feel less stressed and help you focus more on your school work. Keeping a daily planner and using it regularly will also help you have an idea of your home, class, and work activities without making you feel flustered.
To succeed in your classes you could apply several strategies throughout the semester. For each of your classes read the syllabus in depth and ask your instructor to clarify what will be expected from you during the semester. Next, note the deadlines, milestones, due dates, exam dates and add them to your calendar.
Don’t wait until the last minute to start working on your big class project or term paper. Creating self-deadlines is a good strategy get this going. Be sure to prioritize your assignments and your work or home activities ensuring nothing gets pushed back. Pace yourself and do not be afraid to ask for help. It is also very important to be self confident and to tell yourself you can do it.
