subject: Mothers, Should You Earn An Associate Degree? [print this page] Community colleges often get picked onCommunity colleges often get picked on. Trying to attend school as a mother, however, means seriously looking into junior college options. Two-year colleges present many interesting possibilities for gaining an education. With financial opportunity you could get the education you want and need.
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. Mothers who work could especially benefit from the 2-year college system. 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.
One of the biggest attractions to junior colleges is the financial savings. A $5,000 Pell Grant doesn't remove financial burdens, but it can certainly alleviate them. 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 scholarship based on achievement is a huge incentive for many ambitious teenage mothers. A student can use the mom grant to pay for any school or school-related costs.
Increasingly, the curriculums at 2-year colleges are becoming more rigorous and offering more academic opportunities. Honors programs at colleges are often a symbol of success, and a 2002 New York Times report found that many junior colleges offer these programs. One particular school in Arizona even had various overseas study opportunities. 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.
Grants for ambitious moms will certainly make junior colleges even more attainable. Even as they benefit from a $5,000 grant, mothers can reap the financial savings benefits of going to a small local college. These schools also allow a mom to prepare for a productive career in two years or a transfer to a 4-year college. Two years of study and training at a community college has many career benefits.
