One of the most important things for you to understand is that it is never too late to finish or even begin your college education. This is true regardless of how old you are, and it’s especially true even if you’ve already brought a little one of your own into the world. Single moms manage to find ways to balance being a great mother AND a great student all the time. It’s certainly not impossible – but it does require you to keep a few key things in mind.
Education and Single Moms: Breaking Things Down
By far, one of the best ways to support both your family and your education is to take advantage of one of the myriad of different resources designed to help you at a financial level. Not only do government programs exist aimed at assisting single moms in particular, but there are also resources directly from colleges and universities and even nonprofit and other private organizations, as well.
If you live in the state of California, for example, CARE is a program that offers everything from school supplies to textbooks to transportation AND child care assistance to low-income single parent students who have kids under the age of 14-years-old. While this particular program is exclusive to California, many similar ones like it exist all across the country.
The Custody Exchange Giving Program is another similar opportunity, awarding either $500 or $1,000 (depending on the circumstances) to single parents who A) have primary physical custody of a minor child, and who B) are a full-time student at an accredited institution, and who C) maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average during their first year. To apply, all you have to do is provide your college transcript (or your admissions letter if you haven’t attended college just yet) and a 400 to 500 word essay talking about how you will use your education to improve the lives of your family members.
There are even scholarships that are specific to a particular field you may be thinking of going into. The Women in Transition Scholarship, for example, is sponsored by the Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting and could provide up to $16,000 to single moms in need. The only requirements are that you must be a woman who is the primary source of financial support for your family, and are also about to enter a bachelor’s degree in accounting program. Many other undergraduate scholarships exist for other fields you may be thinking of pursuing.
In the end, it’s important to apply for any and all financial resources like these that you can. That money can go to not only school supplies like textbooks, but also to quality child care for your little ones, too. That way, you won’t have to worry about how you’re going to be a mom AND a student and can focus every last bit of your attention on your education – exactly the way you’ve always wanted.
To learn about even more effective ways for single moms to manage their children and an education at the exact same time, or to get answers to any other pressing questions that you might have, please don’t delay – contact us today.