Back to College: Why Should Single Mothers Consider it?

The number of single mothers is growing. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, nearly 2.1 million students (which is 11 percent of the total number of undergraduate students) are single mothers. Women of color are more likely to be single parents, and 4 out 10 women say they consider quitting college because of child-care obligations.

While child care is a demanding and challenging obligation, one that mothers take most seriously of all obligations, it should not deprive women of the opportunity to get a quality education. If you are a single mother grappling with the dilemma of going back to school, take a look at the factors below that should convince you that continuing or your resuming studies is the only right choice.

–        Scholarships & financial aid

As a single mother, you can be considered a nontraditional student, which means you are entitled to a number of scholarships, grants, or financial aid. These are available at different levels. Depending on your location and status, you can look for federal, regional, or local-level opportunities.

These financial aid instruments can help you make considerable savings on your tuition, housing, and child care. You should talk to the financial aid office of your college or university. They keep track of all current scholarship opportunities, and it is their job to guide you through them to pick the most appropriate option.

The most common federal grants include the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant and the Pell Grant. You can also qualify for special programs designed to reduce housing costs, offer special residential options, or receive free on-campus child-care services.

–        Self-esteem

Research shows that single mothers who choose to drop out of school regret the decision years later. As noted above, there are plenty of opportunities available to single parents, so it does not make sense to sacrifice your long-term educational goals when there is so much help accessible out there.

Being a responsible mother is as important as retaining a high degree of self-esteem. There is no need for self-flagellation if you can manage both academic and child-care responsibilities effectively. If your sense of self-worth goes down because you quit your educational goals, you will experience greater stress that will put your child-care efforts and capacity in harm’s way.

–        Work-study opportunities

The government runs the Federal Work-Study Program to offer part-time jobs on and off campus. As a single parent, your chances of gaining access to them are very high. If you are already employed, talk to your employer about the existing education assistance programs. Many companies offer tuition assistance opportunities to their employees. Single parents usually fall under the priority recipients in such programs.

Still, maintaining the right balance between your work, study, and child-care responsibilities can be a tall order. It is challenging to manage competing priorities on a daily basis successfully. Many single parents use the reliable and well-tested services of rogers writing to manage their academic assignments. Professional writers of this popular online writing service complete research projects with the utmost expertise and at affordable rates.

–        Role model for your kids

As your kids grow up, they wouldn’t want to see their mother fully isolated from the outside world. Trust me, they won’t like it or approve of your decision to ostracize yourself because you decided to concentrate fully on child care. Children need role models, and their parents are the first people to look up to as the best ones.

Every kid would want their mother to be a loving and caring mother as well as an educated and successful professional. By going back to college, you turn yourself into a role model your kids would want to follow or emulate.

Final Thoughts

Single mothers deal with a host of competing priorities on a daily basis. Child care is a tough challenge requiring a sense of responsibility, dedication, and perseverance. The workload can be daunting, but you should not draw an unwarranted conclusion that you need to quit college to focus on your studies. In fact, you should do quite the opposite.

Studies show that single parents who continue or return to their college studies can benefit from a range of assistance opportunities. They are more likely to succeed in their ensuing professional careers. They are also more likely to retain or boost their self-esteem and act as a role model of a successful and accomplished individual for their own children.

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Michael Carr has made a name for himself as a popular blogger, researcher, and student coach. He has carried out extensive research on the benefits of college studies for married couples and single parents. Michael is a dedicated mentor, and he loves working pro bono to help single student parents in need.