subject: Mothers: How The Obama Grant Can Help You [print this page] Junior colleges frequently get a bad rapJunior colleges frequently get a bad rap. Trying to attend school as a mother, however, means seriously looking into junior college options. Community colleges welcome bright students, and they have many benefits to offer. With financial opportunity you could get the education you want and need.
For a long time 2-year colleges have seemed like schools to go to in order to waste time and money. Strong course work, lower tuition and geographic nearness are three of the best characteristics of community colleges. 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. Championed by President Obama in 2009, the Grants for Moms incentive is an effort to help more moms enroll in junior colleges and other schools of their choice. A $5,000 award to return to school is a huge incentive.
Financial savings are a significant factor of attending junior college. Even with a $5,000 Pell Grant for a mother, saving money is always important. Consider that most college and university educations cost tens of thousands of dollars, but that isn't so at junior colleges. 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. A student can use the mom grant to pay for any school or school-related costs.
Junior colleges are becoming much more diverse and challenging in the level of courses they have. A 2002 New York Times article found that 168 junior colleges have an honors program. Certain community college are beginning to mirror the syllabi at big-name colleges and universities. Some schools allow students to study subjects like philosophy and cultural art in places around the world. All of these diverse courses and study opportunities expand students knowledge and help them enroll in 4-year colleges.
With scholarships for mothers, junior colleges are even more in reach than before. No matter what program she wants to study at a 2-year college, the $5,000 Scholarships for Moms award is a huge asset. Whether you want to eventually earn an advanced degree or want to go into a business or industry, junior college can help you achieve that goal. A quality associate degree could lead to great career development.