In addition to work and parenting, some people take on the challenge of earning their degree. It is not an easy feat, but for many determined working parents, it is a fulfilling and rewarding experience.
We assembled this list of resources for working parents who are also pursuing their educational goals, be it in-person or online, by earning a degree. The following list of resources can help ease the transition from working parent to working parent and student.
Child Care
- Head Start: From infancy to age five, Head Start provides school-readiness support at no cost to low-income families. Children learn, eat nutritious meals, and play in these programs. Some programs even provide transportation to and from the program.
- State Directory of Child Care Offices: This state directory points you to your state’s offices to discuss your options for child care assistance, including subsidies for free or low-cost care.
- VA Child Care Subsidy Program: The Veteran’s Administration provides child care subsidies for low-income individuals to cover the cost of care. The VA offers a state directory to locate your local office, but be aware that this program is not available in all states.
- Child Care Resources: This child care resources program provides parents and guardians with all the tools they need to find a great child care program. This includes referral programs, information about state licensing requirements, and more.
- Child Care Aware: Discover different ways to help pay for child care, from tax benefits to employee benefits.
Financial Aid
- Six Steps to Financial Aid Literacy: Start here! If you are totally new to financial aid for helping cover your tuition costs, then you will benefit from learning the basics. There is a lot to keep track of with grants, scholarships, subsidies, and loans. This guide will get you started on your financial aid journey.
- Federal Pell Grant: The Pell Grant is an option for low-income students who have not earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree previously. This grant does not have to be paid back and can amount to as much as $6,345 over a single award year, depending upon your eligibility.
- Federal Direct Loan Programs: This program is organized by the federal government distributing loans that will have to be paid back in full with interest, if applicable. These loans are available to undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree-seeking students.
- Federal Direct Subsidized Loan: This is a loan that must be paid back over time of up to $5,500 a year depending on the grade level of an independent student. This loan generally has better terms (lower interest) to aid students who demonstrate financial need.
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan: This is a loan that must be paid back over time of up to $7,000 a year depending on the grade level of an independent student. These loans generally have higher interest rates than subsidized loans.
- Federal Direct PLUS Loan: This loan is for eligible parents of dependent students and graduate and professional students as a part of the Direct Loan program. The maximum amount depends on the cost of attendance and other financial assistance the student is awarded.
- Scholarships via Scholarship.com: There are thousands of scholarships available for adult students. This resource lists several scholarships that can help fund your education.
- Programs for Veterans:
- Montgomery GI Bill™, Post-9/11 GI Bill™, and Forever GI Bill™: For eligible veterans, these programs provide education benefits depending on service and personal circumstances. Each has different requirements, so be sure to check out each one to determine which is the best fit.
- Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA): For eligible dependent (or surviving) spouse or children of veterans to receive benefits to cover the costs of education and training.
- Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP): For eligible servicemembers, this program can allocate military pay to fund tuition costs.
Must-Have Tools for Students
- The Pomodoro Technique: The Pomodoro technique is a time management strategy that creates work and break intervals. Typically, you will spend 25 minutes working on a task with a short break, repeating this cycle until the task is done. It is a great way to complete a task, such as studying or writing a paper, without overwhelming yourself. Use the free Flora App, which brings the Pomodoro technique to life with beautiful illustrations.
- Scheduling and Calendar Apps: Working parents have to manage class schedules, work schedules, children’s schedules, and more. Calendar apps have many features to help you remain on top of everything and make time for yourself; including to-do lists, setting recurring events, and merging multiple calendars. Native Apple and Android calendars are free and offer a ton of functions. Better yet, they are already on your smartphone, so start with these first.
- To-Do Lists: There is a reason to-do lists have gone digital. They are reliable, functional, and customizable. Not to mention, you can take them wherever you go. In this category, we recommend Todoist and Things. Both apps offer free services and are perfect for keeping track of everything “task life” throws at you.
- Academic Software: Going back to school requires the right tools, including those that you can use to get your work done well. Whether you are creating a study guide or a presentation for class, you need comprehensive software solutions to make it happen. To get started, we recommend getting familiar with Google Drive and Google’s office apps (all free). This Microsoft Office-like software is free and provides up to 15 gigabytes of storage for all users. It is best-in-class. Not to mention, it integrates with Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, so everything is in one place.
- Academic Plagiarism Resources: Citing sources can be challenging, especially with all the different styles to learn. We recommend OWL Purdue. You can think of OWL Purdue as a sort of citation reference sheet. With constantly updated style guides and examples, you will be able to cite your sources like a pro.
- Writing Tools such as Grammarly and the Hemingway App act as your personal editing assistants. They can check for grammar, style, and more, to ensure that any work you turn in is pristine and error-free.
- Libby for Overdrive: If you have a library card, you have access to tons of ebooks. With Libby, you can download books to your phone, tablet, or laptop to read. Not only can this save you money (by reducing the number of physical textbooks you need to purchase), but it is also super convenient.
- Academic Refreshers: Between work and parenting, it has probably been a long time since you sat in a classroom. It might be helpful to take on some academic refreshers to help ease the transition to student again. We recommend Khan Academy, a free resource that has tons of subjects from English to science to help get your academic muscles flexing.
19. Helpful Articles
Whether you are trying to make a decision about which school to attend or looking for helpful tips to manage e-learning with your child, our blog at IMBC is full of valuable information that can help you make the most out of your experience as a working parent pursuing a degree. In fact, most of the content was written by working parents, including those who are also taking classes! Here are a few posts to check out.
- Choosing the Right Online School
- Should You Go Back to School?
- Why Enroll In Trade School?
- Working Mom’s Guide to Earning a Degree Online
- Parent’s Guide to Completing Your Education While Your Child is eLearning
Additional Resources
20. Friends and Family: You may not think of them as resources, but your loved ones are resources who can help you get the most out of your educational experience. You should not be afraid to rely on them for help. Whether you need a babysitter or a quiet place to study, your loved ones will be happy to help.
21. Staying Sane: It is important to take care of yourself physically and prioritize your mental health. These resources can help you practice a little self-care.
- Insight Timer: Free meditation and courses.
- Couch to 5k: Free 5k training app to get you back in your running shoes.
- Nike Training App: Free at-home workout programs and resources.
Key Takeaways
Working parents have many responsibilities on their plate, and when they make the rewarding decision of returning to school to pursue a degree, it can be challenging to keep the plate from overflowing. It is essential to provide students with resources to help them make the most of their education. At IMBC, we believe that all students should be provided with the right tools to succeed.
We help make that belief a reality by empowering students to take advantage of our student resources, incredible staff, and knowledgeable instructors. In short, IMBC does its utmost to help students succeed.
Want to discover your S.P.A.R.K? Get in touch today!