Tips for Working Mothers Returning to College
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You just never seem to have any spare time to do all the things that need to get done. Everything is a priority. You don't know where the time does. Now, you are also thinking of going back to school!
Home expenses are an issue that most families deal with, and incorporating a new payment for tuition is not a likely option for the monthly budget. The United States Census Bureau notes that about one-fifth of families in the country are headed up by a single parent, who in most cases is the mother. Further, 95% of the single parents earn less than $75,000 a year in income. So, returning to school is a financial quagmire.
According to a United States Department of Labor report, in addition to working full time, the average mom spends another ten hours a day running house hold activities, taking care of family members, cleaning, cooking, washing, buying groceries, playing with the children, running car pools and many other tasks and responsibilities.
There is good news for working parents! There are many programs available to both working moms and dads to support their financial efforts in returning to school. Accredited distance learning universities offer flexible learning options for working parents. Financial resources are also available specifically for this group of parents. There are many government and private programs that have funds for working mothers and single parents.
The first step is to figure what you want to go back to school for. Then, find out the available financial options from the prospective college. This information can be obtained from the college's financial aid office. In-depth Internet research will also yield you various results. In addition, going to the local library and looking through the annual scholarship books is always a good recommendation. One thing to remember though - watch for the deadlines and make sure you submit your application on time. Also determine the application materials that should be submitted such as letters of recommendation or essays and prepare those ahead of time. In addition, be sure to apply for the right scholarships. Some are quite specific in their criteria. For example some scholarships are only available for student in certain areas such as engineering or science.
The next thing is time management. With all your other responsibilities and tasks, adding school to your to-do list be daunting. So, developing and sticking to a routine will help give you and the family some structure. For example you can establish the children's bedtime and stick to it so that after they go to bed you can study without interruptions. You can also get into the habit of getting lunches ready in the evening to save you time in the morning and avoid the rushed feeling. Delegate responsibilities for your family members so that you don't have to feel like you have to do it all alone. This will help you in reducing the stress level and this means more focus in your studying. Keep a calendar or daily planner and use it to monitor events at home, work, and school.
To succeed in your classes you could apply several strategies throughout the semester. For each of your classes read the syllabus in depth and ask your instructor to clarify what will be expected from you during the semester. Next, note the deadlines, milestones, due dates, exam dates and add them to your calendar.
Do not wait for the night before an assignment is due to begin working on it or for the end of the semester to start working on the big assignment or project. Develop self-deadlines and milestones and work toward those throughout the term. Ensure that you also prioritize between your home, school and work activities and determine which items must be attended to first. Pace yourself and do not be afraid to ask for help or to ask questions. Also important, have self-confidence - convince yourself you can do it, because you can!!
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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