subject: Mothers, Should You Get a Junior College Degree? [print this page] Mothers, Should You Get a Junior College Degree?
Junior colleges frequently get a bad rap. If you're a hard-working mom, however, the junior college environment may be exactly what you're looking for. Community colleges welcome bright students, and they have many benefits to offer. Earning money to go to school is also an important but not impossible task. Despite the jokes and put-downs, community colleges do have something to offer students who are ambitious. The truth is that junior colleges are a welcoming environment that is usually close to home, relatively inexpensive and full of challenging course offerings. This is perfect for young moms who are recently out of high school as well as older working or stay-at-home moms who want to return to school. The federal education grants for mothers are helping ambitious mothers take the classes they need to earn degrees. Earning $5,000 to help pay for school is a very attractive offer. The most important reason for many who attend a community college is the lower costs. A $5,000 Pell Grant doesn't remove financial burdens, but it can certainly alleviate them. Usually the tuition and fees at a junior college are more than 50% less expensive than many colleges and universities. At a 2-year college, an exceptional SAT score and GPA could earn a full scholarship. A young mom could greatly benefit from being rewarded for her efforts in high school. Even with some expenses paid, the scholarship for moms can be used to pay for travel expenses, childcare and other school-related expenses. At many schools the gap is closing between the classes that 2-year colleges offer and those that are offered at big liberal arts universities. Many 2-year schools give their high-achieving students the chance to enroll in the school's honors program. Many also have study opportunities that reflect the opportunities at big liberal arts universities. Some schools allow students to study subjects like philosophy and cultural art in places around the world. These quality academic opportunities can help students as they work toward further degrees and as they develop their careers. The federal grant money for mothers will give an important boost to the women who want to go to school. The local college scene is a great place to make use of the $5,000 Pell Grant for moms. Going to school in a less pressurized environment can greatly affect performance and make achievement seem more attainable. A 2-year associate degree is a great start to sound career development.
