Sensible Options for Moms and Dads Who Want to Earn their College Degrees

At 38 years old, I had decided to change my career. It was probably the hardest decision I had ever made. I had 3 kids (2 of them toddler twins), a mortgage, car payments, and although I didn't know it at the time, I was soon to be unemployed. It was a scary time!

I knew that in order to change my career I needed to re-educate myself and go back to school. I needed a school that could work around my crazy work schedule and allow me to be a parent as well. I knew right away that I needed a school that had many convenient campuses or online courses. I ended up choosing a specialty IT school that met most of my criteria.. Although I earned my certificates and have since started my new career, in hindsight I would have done it differently.

If I were to do it all again today, I would choose an online program that offered conventional associate or bachelor degrees. The online classes are so convenient you can tailor your program around your real life responsibilities, it's simply easier than ever to earn a degree while being a parent or a full time employee.

I still consider going back and earning my associates degree. Ivy Bridge College offers online degree programs in just about every field a mom or dad could want. Many people have concerns about being on their own when it comes to online courses. But Ivy Bridge College pairs students up with mentors and coaches for any individual attention you may need. They also offer unlimited career services for students, so you can put your degree to use right away. Imagine having an expert help you write your new resume with your freshly learned skills!

You are never too old to go back to school in today's world. Technology has made it easy and doable for anybody, even moms and dads with piles of responsibilities. I changed my career at 38 years old by re-educating myself and so can you. Although it was not an easy decision, it was by far the best one. I am now a 2 year veteran in my field and work at an excellent company with endless opportunities. Where would I be today if I didn't make the change? Doing the same old thing.

Although there are many options for your online education, Ivy Bridge College is an excellent place to start your search. Call them at 855-300-7106 for more information.

Changing Views Towards Associate, Bachelor, and Graduate Programs

In my generation, as a high school student belonging to an average "middle class" family, the philosophy towards higher education was to be accepted to the best rated school you could (Ivy League if possible), to study hard, and to enjoy the college experience.  Back then, graduating from a 4-year university was the minimum expectation (a 2-year associates degree was not good enough) and obtaining a graduate degree was preferred.  Of course, money was an issue and students turned to their parents, scholarships and grants, working part time, and student loans.  Fast forward to the present, when those high school students now have children of their own with dreams of attending college, the situation is quite different.

How can students today make their dream of going to college come true when their parents are losing their jobs, losing their homes, and the price of college tuition has not stopped rising?  Even if these students work part time, they will likely need to contribute those earnings to their family's finances to make ends meet.  In addition to applying for scholarships, working extra hours, and attending a state school, here are two things students can do to achieve their goal of a college degree . . .

1.  Consider taking online courses to earn college credit.  Many students are choosing this route because the tuition is much lower than attending a school with walls.  Yes, the experience would not be the same, but this may be a good choice for students who need to save as much as possible on tuition and decide they can forego the social interaction.

2.  Take several years to work and save up money for tuition before starting college.  This plan throws a kink into the traditional timeline of 4 years of high school, 4 years of college, and 2 years of graduate school with no gaps in between.  People have actually been doing this for decades.  In fact, the average student age of many state schools is much older than at private colleges because of adults who chose to attend school after they have been part of the workforce full time and after they have started their families.

If you have a success story about how you, your children, or someone else you know were able to get their college degree even though the odds were stacked against them, I would love for you to share it with me and your fellow-readers.  Your story might inspire those who feel like college is not meant to be for themselves or their children.


This post and the subsequent discussion were supported by Online College Classes. The site is a resource for those looking to further their education with a nontraditional program.