Article | 1:58 min read

5 Tips for Parents Returning to College

Life Events

You’ve put your family and your children first for as long as you can remember. For the first time, you are putting yourself first and are getting the education you deserve. Though you are going to put in long hours it’s going to be worth it. Here are a few tips to make your journey easier.

A mother and daughter hug while at the mother's graduation

1. Think of the money.

U.S. News explains that you look into the economic benefits of your specific degree, because college degrees don't always mean big money. Look into different options for financial aid. If you are offered financial aid, be sure that you understand what they are offering you. Also, assume that you're going to be trimming your budget to make room for the added expense of class [1].

2. Explore the environment.

Before you spend your time and money at a college, explore the campus. Meet the faculty and get to know the attitude of the students. This is a place of which you are going to be committing your time. If you are choosing to be an online student, learn the website and look up reviews about the ease of use and formatting of classes. It's important to know what you are getting yourself into before you spend a ton a money [2].

3. Lean on your support system.

Talk to your spouse, children, friends, and coworkers-anyone who can help you through this time. There are also usually groups of people online that you can reach out to if you feel like no one understands what you are going through. Before you dive into the deep end of college make sure that you have at least one person ready to save you from drowning.

4. Find your balance.

Between taking care of your family, work, and class, you're not going to feel like you have any time to sleep. Find time. Sleep is going to be one of the only things that keeps you functioning. Talk to your support system for help balancing if you need to. Keeping all the different parts of your life under control and making time for things like sleep will help ensure that you don't go insane [3].

5. Be proud and have fun.

At the end of the day, this is an experience for you. You are doing this to better yourself. Not only are you setting a good example for your kids to follow, but you are proving to yourself that you can do it. Enjoy the ride.

Sources:

[1] Important Money Tips for Older Adults Going Back to College
[2] Lessons Learned: Seven Tips for Returning to College, Back 2 College
[3] 5 Things That Make it Easier to Go Back to School as an Adult, About.com

Topics:
College

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