what are the statistics on teenage mothers graduating from college?

Answer 1

There shouldn't be any teenage mothers graduating from college - the overwhelming majority of college graduates are not teenagers but are instead early-twenties.

My take on the issue though:

We are at a social crossroads. Most young women who have children when they are teens are told by (supposedly well meaning) family and friends that their life is ruined and that they won't be able to go to college or even finish high school. They are told that they are now required to work in menial occupations for low wage.

Possibly, this was true in the dark-ages that were the 50s and 60s but in this present age, it's not uncommon to see men or women with families and a full-time job in a college classroom. It's actually very common. It's not uncommon to see single moms in management and leadership positions either. It's actually very common.

Reality is then that the "teen moms" have been lied to by society. You can have children and go to college - it's done every day. You can be a single parent and have a good job - a near majority of the population does that. You can have a good life and have a well adjusted child with or without the assistance of a spouse.

In fact, I've seen examples more than a few times where the single mom was a much better college student than "Little Susie" who really just wants to party; the single mom is working towards something for someone else.

I personally suspect that the increase in drop-out and the low performance of single and teen moms is not due to the fact that they are parents but instead due to their acceptance of what they are told by society. They are told "you can't" and so they don't even try. At the "teen mom" level society seems to accept the "I can't" from her and we say "it's not entirely her fault, she's a teen mom" but then a few years later, when she's about 24-25, we tell her that there's no reason she shouldn't have gone to college... We're contradicting ourselves.

A single mom with a good support structure will excel in college and in the workplace. It's been proven over and over by the single moms that were dedicated enough to make the sacrifices for the child's future. As long as she isn't beat down and defeated - she's an no more a disadvantage as a "teen mom" than the young woman who is widowed or divorced. We don't tell the widow "you can't have a good job, you have to stay poor" and we should not tell the "teen mom" that either.

Now, is her college experience going to be the same as the other late teen/early 20s "kids" in college? Nope! she's not a child any longer. Her college experience will be more like the other "adults with families and jobs" she finds in college. There are plenty of them and they do very well as students.

We have to tell these women that they can be productive members of society and that they can indeed achieve their goals. We have to start understanding that once she's a mom; she's not a child any longer and all of the rules that apply to children no longer apply to her - she has to go by the rules for adults. That means she has to work for a living and care for her family. And, if she wants to improve her lot in life, she has to go to college.

Answer 2

I hope this is just for a school project. If you are a teen mother, try your hardest to go to college and stick with it. Its the best thing you can do for you and your child.

Answer 3

it may take you 10 years but will be worth the investment.