| Some parents might want to go back to school to | | | | University in Nashville, Tenn., the School of Nursing web |
| complete a college degree, but worry that the time | | | | site shows that it offers an accelerated masters |
| and financial commitments would interfere with their | | | | degree program where students can spend blocks of |
| family responsibilities. School can be expensive and | | | | time on campus and receive instruction via distance |
| full-time programs in particular might make it difficult to | | | | learning, earning their degree in a more efficient amount |
| balance classes, work and family. Single parents | | | | of time than they would in a traditional program. Regis |
| especially might think they have too many | | | | University in Denver, Colo., offers a CHOICE |
| responsibilities and too little resources to go back to | | | | (Connecting Health Occupations with Innovative |
| school. | | | | Curriculum and Experience) bachelor of science in |
| There are, however, many reasons for parents - single | | | | nursing where students attend classes on campus |
| and otherwise - to go back to school to pursue or | | | | twice weekly during evenings and participate in clinical |
| complete campus-based or online degree programs. | | | | experiences during weekends. |
| There are now more flexible programs to | | | | While some parents report taking online courses for |
| accommodate hectic schedules. There are also a | | | | their own personal fulfillment, working toward a degree |
| variety scholarships and other forms of financial aid to | | | | online can provide more job opportunities and increase |
| help pay the tuition. | | | | income potential. More jobs these days require an |
| Saida Luciana-Ross, a mother of three from | | | | education beyond high school, and college graduates |
| Waterbury, Conn., recently made news when she | | | | have more jobs from which to choose than those |
| went "back to school" by completing her bachelor's | | | | who don't continue their education beyond high school, |
| degree online at the area's Post University. It had been | | | | according to the College Board. Information from the |
| 26 years since Luciana-Ross attended college - and | | | | US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows also that, in |
| the Internet didn't even exist at that time, according to | | | | many instances, income levels rise with college and |
| an NBC News report in Connecticut. Many other | | | | university degree levels. |
| parents have reported taking online college and | | | | Some schools might offer financial aid programs for |
| university courses as well. | | | | parents who have been accepted to their degree |
| Online college and university courses might particularly | | | | programs. Scholarships and grants are also available |
| prove appealing to parents, especially those who hold | | | | from government agencies, large corporations, |
| down full-time or part-time jobs. With online degree | | | | non-profit foundations and community and civic groups. |
| programs, students can study remotely and in | | | | Some scholarships are designed for specific studies, or |
| between responsibilities such as work and family. | | | | for minorities and for students with financial needs. |
| Some online college and university programs are | | | | Raise the Nation, the Women's Opportunity Awards, |
| entirely distance learning based, while others combine | | | | the Jeannette Rankin Foundation and Financial Aid for |
| online studies with time in the classroom. | | | | Women offer scholarships particularly for women, |
| Many colleges and universities offer flexible scheduling | | | | including single mothers in particular. |
| where classroom studies are concerned. At Vanderbilt | | | | |