If you’re a single parent, you’re probably concerned about how you’re going to take care of your family. There is only so much money that you can make even if you have a college degree. When you think about having to pay for food, medical bills, clothing and everything else that it takes to raise a child, you can only come to one conclusion. That conclusion is that you need to get your masters degree in order to make more money. Fortunately, you can get your master’s degree online just like you can get an undergraduate degree.
Where Will You Find The Money For School?
Each year, hundreds of students who are getting their master’s degrees are getting some sort of assistance to do so. Getting a scholarship, grant or fellowship award allows you to get a head start when it comes to paying for your educational expenses.
This article gives you a great overview of some of the scholarship opportunities available to anyone who is pursuing a master’s degree online. If you’re a single parent, you know that having enough money to pay for school can be a huge obstacle.
When you have the chance to have your schooling partially paid for, you have less of an excuse to not go back. Keep in mind that scholarships and grants do not have to be paid back. You are truly getting free money to go to school. Therefore, it is important to aggressively pursue these opportunities.
You Don’t Need To Sign Up At A Special School To Take Classes Online
Many people believe that the only way you can get your degree online is to sign up for a school such as Phoenix. However, many traditional colleges are now offering classes online as well as online degree programs. This means that you can take classes from a school near you with professors that actually work for that school.
This means that anyone who has an issue with not being able to ask for help offline will be able to get that help. If you don’t have access to a computer, you can go to the library or school campus to use their computers. You may be able to even meet with your professor while you’re doing your work. Need child care? There may be a daycare center at your school.
If you have labs, student teaching or other internship obligations, you can easily complete that work in your local area. This will help you save on gas as well as make it easier to coordinate childcare while you’re completing course requirements.
When you sign up for online classes at a local school, you’re going to be able to pay the same tuition as any other student. It also increases the odds that you’re going to an accredited school. If you’re taking classes at a state school, you may be able to get a discounted tuition for being a resident of that state.
Free Yourself Up To Do The Work On Your Schedule
A young child may not understand that mommy has to finish her test. A working parent may not have time to go to class at 5 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday. With online learning, you have no such obligation to be in a classroom when it is not convenient for you.
No longer do you have to choose between your degree and your job. The best part about getting your degree online is that you may be able to work at an accelerated schedule. While master’s degree programs generally take longer than undergraduate degrees to finish, you still have a good chance of finishing your degree sooner than you would through a traditional school timetable.
If you’re someone who just likes to stay up at night, you can do your work while everyone else is sleeping. This gives you time to just sit in a room by yourself without any distracting you. Busy adults understand how hard it is to get anything done without someone or something distracting you. If no one is awake, no one can bother you while you work.
Get Your Boss On Board
Nothing is harder than trying to do well at work and at school. However, if you get your employer to get behind you, it doesn’t have to be so hard. Your employer may be willing to offer you a flexible schedule to accommodate your need to study during certain days and times.
A good employer will even suggest courses that you can take to make yourself more valuable to the company. If you’re getting your degree to help you move up within the company, you should certainly tell your employer that you’re going to get your advanced degree.
There may even be an employee assistance program that will lessen the financial burden of going to school. For those who may not be able to get money for school, see if there is any way that your employer will help pay for child care. Knowing that your child has somewhere to go will make you feel better when you have to buckle down and finish a paper.
If your boss really values you, he or she may be willing to give you an assistant to help lessen your workload during the day. Employees who have a master’s degree can be very valuable to the company in terms of the knowledge that they bring to the table combined with their prior experience. Try to work this to your advantage.
Going to school while trying to raise a child is tough. However, you can certainly get your master’s degree if you put your mind to it. Taking online classes can give you much more flexibility as you attempt to graduate as soon as possible. Be ready to look into scholarship opportunities, let your boss know that you’re going back to school and don’t worry about leaving your child alone when you don’t have to. Set your class schedule for when it is truly convenient for you.