College Training Tips For Single Moms

Posted by: faithshouse on: January 20, 2011

• In: college | Community resources | Georgia | single moms
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Happy New Year everyone!

As I look back on my first blog I notice I’ve already tweaked mygoals! After reviewing my existing commitments and priorities I’ve decided not to re-join the women’s group I referred to, although I truly miss meeting weekly to discuss relationships and goals it’s just not something I can fit in to my already busy schedule of school, homework, mom,wife, Non-Profit Director and Girl Scout leader (it is a very long commute).

Instead I’ve decided to get together with a few local women once a month and try a new restaurant. I realized that what I was missing was girl time and this new avenue will fill that need without adding a new hard commitment. As for the professional goal I’ve also decided to change that; after reviewingmy new class schedule I see that if I take one extra class each semester I can get my Associate’sDegree by the end of the year as opposed to May 2012. I think that is a much better goal and I’mvery excited about it!

With that being said I would like to talk about education, as it is at the heart of our mission at Faith’s House, which is; “Faith’s House will be a place for single moms with Limited life choicesto live while pursuing their educational dreams. The Home will provide a safe, nurturing,& spiritual environment- empowering women to create better lives for themselves and their families. We believe when you educate mothers they see the value & educate their children,which changes family legacies and the world.”  In a research paper conducted though the CensusBureau bachelor’s degree recipients earn an average of $26,000 more per year than high school graduates, which can move your family from struggling to making ends meet!

A few tips for starting your educational journey as a single parent:

1. Visit gacollege 411.org to do research on possible career choices and to find out what colleges offer the degree or certification you are interested in.

a. When thinking about career choices keep in mind that certain careers are moretaxing on a single parent than others, such as; medical, restaurant, retail – they usually require long evening and weekend hours.

b. When choosing a college, things to consider might be: on-site childcare, evening classes as well as a large variety of on-lines classes.

2. Visit the GA Dept. of Labor to research future top jobs and wages for specific fields.

3. As soon as you get your taxes done visit the FAFSA website and fill out the form to see what aid you will be eligible for, you might also be offered a student loan which can help you pay for childcare, rent and other necessities while in college. There are a few types of  loans so do your research before you accept. For the FAFSA application you’ll have to have a school picked out which is why I suggested you visit gacollege411 first.

4. Most colleges have their admittance applications online as well as a check list for formsneeded before acceptance is granted and deadlines for these forms. My advice is to start working on this checklist ASAP, sometimes it can take a while to get transcripts and other needed forms.These tips will get you on your way, if you have questions or other suggestions please leave acomment to share with other readers.

5. The Faith’s House website has many links and resources that can also be of help.  Check it out.

Feel free to post your advice or experiences here as well.  Single moms need all the help they can get!