Single income and going back to school...

Hi everyone!

I'm a newbie here, and I have been soul searching recently. I am extremely unhappy with my current job as a retail sales associate at a department store. I have a gorgeous and intelligent eight year old daughter named Brittany, and since my divorce a few years ago, I have had ups and downs in the single parent world.

Anyway, I wanted to look into going back to school. The issue is that I am allready struggling in the money department, so I don't know if I should add an extra burden. On the other hand, I know that going back to school and getting a degree would help pave the way for a more financially stable future. It's just hard to imagine doing so with my current money problems.

Did anyone here ever go back to college by getting any scholarships or grants or anything? I'm hoping to find some websites that are focused on grants for single moms going back to school. If anyone has any advice or websites to share, I would sincerely appreciate it! Thank you for your time!

Nancy

There should be a financial advisor at the college you are applying. I would set an appointment and they can help you get all the forms for grants, scholarships, financial assistance etc.

Good luck to you You should be very proud of yourself for making this decision. It might be tough, but in the end it will be worth it!

not sure where you are located.. but studentawards.com is a great place to find bursaries, grants, scholarships etc. it literally could take months to weed through everything you qualify for but it is well worth the research. there are fields that ask you specifics (like being a single mom) that you fill out and they will give you lists of what you qualify for. they are scholarships for ethnicity, hobbies, location etc... i qualified for so many it made my head spin! lol only drawback is that certain ones are only offer during certain times of the year. so i suggest getting right on it good luck!

i applaud your courage in choosing to better yourself for your sake and your child's. it won't be easy, but i am sure you will do great! what were you thinking of taking?

i am a single mom to one and i did want to go back to school next year but i cant...long story. Anyways when i do go back i am able to get living expenses because i am a single mom along with the tuition fees.. Is there somethign like that you can get whjere you are? You should lookinto that!

Being a single mom for 2 years before I met my now DH. I checked into going back to school and was told I could get a full grant that didnt have to be paid back. All because I was a single Mom. I would check with your local colleges and see what they have to say. The application process isnt to hard. I hope it all works out for you.

Lisa

Hi again!

Thanks for the amazing advice and encouragement, I will definitely be checking with the college to see what they offer for those in my situation. The student awards website seems great, thank you for sharing the link! I was doing a lot of research last night and found a website that had some links for grants for single moms. I'm going to try for some of the scholarships listed there as well!

Wish me luck, this should be some journey I think Brittany's going to have to remind mommy how to study....!

Nancy

Good luck!

Keep in mind that even if you can't get all of the money that you will need for free, student loans are one type of debt that I believe (and most financial advisors agree) is totally worth the interest you pay.
Also, depending on the program you want to enroll in, many universities have online courses that you can take while working. I received my degree in Library and Information Studies from FSU via their distance learning program while working full-time.

Hi! I know how hard it can be to go back to school or to even think about leaving our comfort zone but it would be well worth it in the long run. I am a single mom of four and I just finished my associates degree and working now on my BS in early childhood education. I'm on every kind of public assistance right now to help get me through, and money is very tight and sometimes nonexistant, but in the long run it will all work out. It has even got my children talking about going to college and getting there degrees. We work on hw together more and Im more capable of helping them as well. Im all for anyone going back to school, whatever the cost now well balance out in the long run. The greatest thing for me right now is the kids wanting to go further and seeing them try harder in school now cause they see me working for grades. Anyway good luck, fastweb is a source I use to show all grants and scholarships that are available.
Michelle

I know my repy was late but oh well! maybe it can help anyway!
Michelle

i'm a single daddy, and recently made the decision to pursue my education this past February (ok maybe not so recent). Luckily, that gave me enough time to do research and fill out the necessary paperwork for financial aid. I think the government/education funding pays close attention to single parents, so i got a big break.

tuition for every quarter is $1230, and the government approved me for $1360/quarter, which is WAAAY more than what i need to cover tuition. But given the fact that i'm working less and have a child to support, it comes out equal. It IS very stressful trying to balance school, work, and fatherhood, but i find myself to be stressed for all the RIGHT reasons. and the financially stable future doesn't look so bad either

good luck with everything! if you need any more details, feel free to ask! oh, and just a tip, start on financial aid paperwork EARLY - february is the earliest for the '06 fall quarter.. so i recommend getting on it, and hastling the advisors every month...

p.s. www.fastweb.com is an EXCELLENT site for scholarships. You fill out information on fastweb.com, and they look for scholarships based on your criteria

and the scholarship/financial aid office at your school should have new scholarships posted every week

And I am bookmarking that one.

I've been wanting to go back to school for awhile now. Keep on truckin along man. School is so worth all the stress. Now if I could JUST take my OWN advice.....?

When I was seperated from my dh a last year, I went back to school and got a government grant with paid for all my schooling, nearly all my books, and rent, and most of my bills. I also got subsidized childcare for both my children.

In total I only spent about $5000 extra that year, to cover my portion of childcare, but I owed money also. I got a student line of credit for this.

So to answer your question it's definetly possible. Good Luck