Working Parents Returning to School: Tips for Successfully Completing your Degree
May 19, 2009 by Sophia Peters
Filed under Online Colleges
You just never seem to have any spare time to do all the things that need to get done. Everything is a priority. You don’t know where the time does. Now, you are also thinking of going back to school!
Home expenses are an issue that most families deal with, and incorporating a new payment for tuition is not a likely option for the monthly budget. The United States Census Bureau notes that about one-fifth of families in the country are headed up by a single parent, who in most cases is the mother. Further, 95% of the single parents earn less than $75,000 a year in income. So, returning to school is a financial quagmire.
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.
The good news is that there are many programs available for working parents (both moms and dads) through accredited distance learning programs as well as financial resources such as scholarships and grants to support working parents. Government and private foundation programs are available specifically for single parents and working mothers.
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 thing is time management. With all your other responsibilities and tasks, adding school to your to-do list be daunting. So, developing and sticking to a routine will help give you and the family some structure. For example you can establish the children’s bedtime and stick to it so that after they go to bed you can study without interruptions. You can also get into the habit of getting lunches ready in the evening to save you time in the morning and avoid the rushed feeling. Delegate responsibilities for your family members so that you don’t have to feel like you have to do it all alone. This will help you in reducing the stress level and this means more focus in your studying. Keep a calendar or daily planner and use it to monitor events at home, work, and school.
As far as succeeding in your classes, there are a few strategies that you can employ. First, find out what each of your instructors expects from you early in the course. Then, ensure you read the syllabus thoroughly and ask any questions sooner than later. Write down due dates for assignments and exam dates and study ahead of time.
Dont 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.