How can I fit in going back into college? What is the best career choice?

Question

I am now a single mom. I work full time and care for my children the rest of the time but I really want to go back to college. Not just a community college. I married young and I feel that I missed out on a lot. I want to go to a four year college. I know a older woman who said that she lived on campus with your baby boy but that was like in the 70's...could this happen in this day and age. I have no support system so how would I pull this off. Please give serious answers...I want to do whats best for my family and change the path of our lives. How can I pull this off? Anyone been here? Thank you in advance. :-)

Answer 1

I will be 40 in a few weeks, and currently attend a four-year college at night and on Saturday mornings. I love it. Most of my classmates are younger than me, but they treat me like I belong with them, and I love all of them. Even though I attend a four-year college, it is the kind of school with degree programs in the most demanding fields, like Paralegal, Nursing, Computer Science. Since you have children, I would recommend you attend either a two-year college or a four-year college and enter an associate's degree program. The reason is not only cost, but also when you are tired and feel like you can't go on, it's easier to see the end of two years than it is four. After the first two, then you can do your last two whenever you want. Since your ultimate goal is a better life, the fastest way to get there is a two-year degree, and then do your last two years.

When you start checking out colleges, you will find that they have career counseling services, which are free, and they also provide free testing to help you determine your interests and your strengths. I do know that paralegals and nursing are great careers, and so is anything with computers.

You don't say how old your children are or how many you have. Please keep in mind that to get financial aid you have to attend school half-time, which is a minimum of six credit hours or two classes. I have two classes, and attending one evening and one Saturday always works great for me.

Please keep in mind that you are the only mother your children will ever have, and you will never get another chance to raise them. I admire your goals and your ambitions, and I know you can do this, but please make sure that you are willing to sacrifice and that you are willing to make your children sacrifice time with their mom. You cannot be replaced, and you are their world.

It would be great if you have family nearby who can help take some of the load off of you while you get your degree. Children love their relatives, and most relatives are a great influence on kids.

Oh, before I forget, I take the most financial aid I can each year, which is about $6,000. After tuition and books, I have between $700 and $1000 left over each term in cash, which helps pay bills. Forget about living on campus. Even if you could, which I doubt, your kids would hate it and it's way too expensive.

Almost all colleges, except for the major universities, are very accommodating to working adults who are getting a degree, and I promise you that you will find a college that is very supportive of you and your schedule. You will meet lots of young people, and also lots of women just like you. You may be able to make friends with other moms who will share child care duties with you, and you with them.

This is a big decision, and a wonderful one. You can make it work and you can succeed. Please, please put your children first in everything though.

I wish you all the best.

Answer 2

I started back to College when my daughter was 9 months old. I would pump my breast milk in the restroom or car and save it in a lunch box filled with ice. That was NOT easy or fun, especially when someone walked past my car! I didn't live on campus with my daughter or anything, we had an apartment. We were on the university bus route and lived around a lot of other college students so I was right there in the middle of it all. I just walked out of my door and onto the bus. Some university's have married housing, but I don't think you always have to be married to live there. I think people with kids can live there with their. A lot of universities also have childcare that you can get grants and financial aid for, and you loans will usually pay the rest. As a single mother you can get a lot of money for college in the form of grants and loans. That's what I live off of right now. Where I go to college I can get my cell phone, Internet, cable, and home phone through the university at a discounted price and it just comes straight out of my financial aid so I never have to worry about paying it on time or anything. If you are wondering, I go to Miami University in Oxford Ohio. Here is the address if you want to check it out. It's a great University. I forget it's national ranking, but it is really high. www.muohio.edu. It was around long before Miami Florida. Well, good luck wth going back to college, you should definitly do it! Make a trip to your financial aid office and councilor and they will help you through it all. Don't feel guilty for them helping you and asking questions. Thats their job and this is your life that you are trying to better. Ask all othe the questions you can and get all of the help you need. Have a great night and good luck!

Answer 3

I'm currently attending a 2 year college until my second child is born and then will be transferring to a four year college to get my bachelor's. I didn't want to go to community college, but it was cheaper and I could stay closer to home while attending. I receive Pell Grants, government funding, and scholarships because I'm a great student and a single mother. The university I'm going to attend after I get my associate's this spring provides special housing for married couples, people with children, and other people it similar situations. You may need to apply ahead of time because sometimes there is a waiting list, but most schools will provide housing and funding for single mothers. Contact the school you'd like to attend and talk to someone in admissions. They could tell you more about programs they offer.

Answer 4

I know a single mom who is going through something similar. First of all, do not discount a community college... a good community college is well equipped for "non-traditional students", has lots more night class offernings, can get you a 2 year degree along the way (and higher pay after with that 2 year degree) and the classes should transfer (research the particular community colleges record on this) to a big 4 year school for you to complete the upper division courses for your 4 year degree. One way to get it done is to have a "live in babysitter"... you can get a college girl to live with you rent free in exchange for watching your kids when you've got to be at work/school. You'll have a lot of sleepless nights for a few years, but it should open up the world to you.

Answer 5

Need to know what you want to Study, that have a lot to do with Grants and other Financial Aid. Some Colleges have Day Cares, if that what you thinking. Age not matter, today people of all ages are in college. Sometimes you can get a part-time job on campus and may qualify for Grants. Go and have fun. All I know to do is go to the Colleges in your area and "check the scoop". It different everywhere I guess.

Answer 6

I'm kind of going to go with Charles on this one...it is hell being a single parent and a college student. My mom did it (but we were a little older, able to care for ourselves).

If you do, you probably would want to keep your job, maybe go to night school part-time. This is not ideal, because college will drag out forever, but money is important. You will have to find a trusted soul to care for the little one.

They have campus housing for single parents usually (at least at the bigger colleges), but you have to check to see if you need to be full-time to get those, then you have to quit your job...which creates a whole set of other issues.

Good luck. Remember that if you want it, you can get it.

Answer 7

Been there, doing this. If you really care for your family and still want a degree, then you may have to sacrifice. I have two boys and am going to a community college I am majoring in science, taking a phlebotomy program and trying to get into nursing. The bottom line isn't where you go but, when you're done, is it worth it to you and your family? Good Luck

Answer 8

Just do it.

Don't discount Community Colleges. The price is right and they are much more flexible for those of us "with a little too much on our plates."
Whatever keg party's you feel you missed out on not going to a 4 yr college is a little silly at this point. Do you really have any thing in common with 20 yr olds whose most pressing issues are "which shoes go with this outfit?"

Also, as a single parent, CAsh in on every possible form of financial you can.

Good luck.

Answer 9

Your main priority is your children.

As a daughter of a mother who went back to college, my mom also agree's that you should start out easy and work your way into more classes as you learn to juggle it all.

Being a newly single mother (a full time job in itself) and working full time, you have to take on a very small load (one class to start off) and gradually get to know your work load limits. That means, you will see where you can work, hour times that won't conflict with work nor children, be flexible to take off or miss if child is sick or emergancy etc and see how this can affect your family.

You can go back to school. Because you are a single mother doesn't mean you can't full fill your dreams. Just means you need to start out at a reasonable level and build yourself up with out it affecting your children's lives. I see parents going back to school in each semester class I have. I have some who were teen mothers, some who newly divorced with or with out children and some who still trying to get out of their parents house to get on their own.

It can be done.

I know you said you want a four year college. Hun, you need to take what works and if that means 2 year college, then go with 2 year college. Least expensive than 4 year university. You can do your transfer class's while working towards AA or A.S degree (as I am getting A.S degree at the end of this semester).

What best career choice?

That is your question to ask yourself. You need to find your interest and what you can see yourself doing: medical field, what type? Accounting field? Child development field? Biology field? Computers? Media? Art? etc.

Talk with the counselor/career advisor to help set up.

Answer 10

You should first consider not being a single mom anymore. I know it sounds like a lame answer, but I look at me, my wife and my child, and I have no idea how we would get along without each other. No idea whatsoever. To develop a really really good life takes a team of people - a family. Right now, you don't have that. Go find that first, then consider getting your degree. That is the order of priorities that will help your child the most.