Going back to school as a single mom can be a real challenge. Beyond the money issues, there is juggling time for the family, kids getting sick and a myriad of other issues to conquer prior to even setting foot in the college door. Unlike younger students, the working mom has seen a bit of life, is used to living and working within a family framework, and has to "make room" for pursuing higher education.
That is not to say, it isn't worth the time and effort. It's not easy but how rewarding it is when you graduate and improve your job standing as a result. In today's world, with technology so prevalent, a decision needs to be made prior to even starting the college hunt - are you going to go to school online or are you going to physically attend a college or university.
Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. If attending a virtual college, the interaction and time spent with the teacher is non-existent. It is all done virtually, so being comfortable in a virtual world is essential. Mastery of some web basics is necessary, and the ability to be self-disciplined and work alone is vital. There are now a number of Universities available online including the University of Phoenix and Drexel University to name a couple. Simply "Google" online college and take your pick. What you lose in real interaction, however, you gain in freedom and flexibility. Flexibility comes in the form of being able to work on a project or subject in the middle of the night after the children have gone to bed.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is the traditional college which involves travel, scheduling and valuable time spent away from the family. It means that you will be gone on certain evenings and that in order to pass the class, you must attend consistently. What's gained here is that you are able to interact with others, have immediate access to the teacher, and if you are an auditory or kinesthetic person, these interactions are vital to your success because you need to hear and feel what's going on in order to gain a clear understanding of the subject matter.
After deciding on which type of school you'd like to attend, the fact of funding is the next step. Unless you are independently well off, you are going to need grants, scholarships and loans in order to get through to the end. If you are working full-time, funding is still available. The best place to start is with the FASFA form which you can fill out online. Financial Aid from U.S. Department of Education is the way to go, and if you are interested in receiving federal student aid, submitting the FASFA is the logical step to begin. But this is only a beginning where you can assess your financial status and how much money you are going to need in order to meet your chosen school's tuition.
Some quick tips to get you started:
1) Get your financial documentation organized like your income tax returns and the like. There is a helpful list at www.fafsa.ed.gov/before001.htm to get you started.
2) Local groups, clubs, businesses, churches, and organizations are all a potential source for scholarships and because they are local, your chances are much higher than with the national funds. These scholarships are not widely publicized. Which means fewer applicants and higher odds of winning. Check out regional scholarships or at the state level. Again these are not widely publicized and your chances are better. Be careful to avoid scams. There are plenty of them out there just waiting for you to stumble into. Check it out here, and while there check out Sallie Mae funds. Learn more about the most common scams at www.salliemae.com/plan/freemoney/scams.html and how the Sallie Mae funds can help you with your college expenses.
3) Check out regional scholarships or at the state level. Again these are not widely publicized and your chances are better.
4) Be careful to avoid scams. There are plenty of them out there just waiting for you to stumble into. Check it out here, and while there check out Sallie Mae funds. Learn more about the most common scams at www.salliemae.com/plan/freemoney/scams.html and how the Sallie Mae funds can help you with your college expenses.
5) Raise The Nation is another great organization to look in to. They have a "Child of a Single Parent Woman Scholarship" designed to reduce the financial burden of paying for college that single parent women face when they still have minor children.
Raise The Nation
P.O. Box 8058
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198
Phone: 505-265-1201
Website: www.RaiseTheNation.org
Going back to college as a single mother is both doable and a pleasure if you know how to accomplish it. Always check with your college counselor. They are there to help you before you ever enroll. They can quickly and easily guide you through the funding process to get you off to a good start. While you are doing that, continue to read the papers, surf the web and talk to friends who have been where you are headed. They will have tips and advice and probably new sources of funding for you to research.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_Hickey
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