Institution Selection

Unfortunately, not all institutions are created equally. The most important consideration is whether or not an institution is accredited. The Department of Education has a valuable resource on accreditation.You can search using the institution name, through specialized accrediting agencies, through geographic location, or through a specific state.

Other considerations in choosing your college:

• What is the reputation of the institution?
• What degrees are offered?
• What is the cost (tuition, books, fees)?
• How big are the classes?
• Do they offer distance/online/night/evening classes?
• Are there opportunities for student involvement?
• How safe is the campus?
• What is the placement rate for graduates?

Financial Aid

This is one of the trickiest things to navigate when seeking higher education. Basically, each student must file a FAFSA before s/he will be eligible for federal aid. Aid is determined based on this simple formula:

Cost of Attendance (COA)
- Estimated Family Contribution (EFC)
= Financial Aid Award

The COA varies from institution to institution, and is based on things such as tuition, room and board, books, and transportation. The award granted is subject to yearly maximums. The links below provide information on various aspects of aid.

EFC Calculator

FAFSA Online

Education Resource Organizations Directory

Jeanette Rankin Foundation

Making the Grade

Once you have been accepted, you're going to have to do some work! Finding time to study and do homework is probably the most challenging aspect of being a college mother. This is one of those things that cannot really be taught to anyone; you just find what works for you and then run with it. That being said, here are a few things I did:

• Use 3x5 cards for notes (esp. helpful with vocabulary and definitions) and keep them in your purse. Read when you're stopped at a railroad crossing, or while waiting for the kids after school.
• Have your children quiz you when you're making dinner or doing laundry.
• Do not procrastinate; even if a project isn't due for eons, do it when you have the time.
• Ask for help. Husband/SO, friends, family are great sources of help when you have a deadline. Use your support network to help with childcare.
• Love your crockpot. You're not always going to have the time or indeed the inclination to prepare a big meal, and the crockpot is a lifesaver during these times.
• Prioritize. Erma Bombeck once said that no one ever died from having an unmade bed. If you really need to study for a test or have a big project that's due soon, give yourself a break and don't obsess that the house isn't as clean as you'd prefer. Oh, and Erma is also attributed to saying, "My theory on housework is, if the item doesn't multiply, smell, catch fire, or block the refrigerator door, let it be. No one else cares. Why should you?" Adopt this thinking, at least while you're in school. Everyone will be happier for it, because you won't be a wreck. And those who are not happy for it? Show them where the sink or washer is.
• If you have kids who can help with chores, let them. Read a chapter of your assigned text while the kids wash the dishes.
• Do your homework while your kids do theirs. It sets a good example, and you might actually get something accomplished.

Obviously, some of these hints will not apply to you if you have very small children. I cannot speak to going to college while having children in diapers, so if you are in this sort of situation, you may have to do some trial-and-error to figure out your best plan of attack. When my children were little, I utilized every second of naptime to get things done, and you'll likely have to do the same. Another option is to meet other student mothers and think about striking an agreement whereupon you watch each other's child(ren) when each other has the need. I have a good student mom friend who would get my boys off the school bus on Fridays because I couldn't be home for them due to my class schedule. I would have been in a state without her help. Find, and be a friend like that if you can!

Here are some really helpful links that detail various study and test-taking strategies.

Department of Sociology: A study guide

Dartmouth Study Guide

Howtostudy.org

Online Research Resources

Organizational Skills

As a mother, you're probably well ahead of the game when it comes to organization. However, being a mom and being a mom who goes to school are two different things. Not only might you have to balance Little League, PTA meetings, doctor visits, bills, and housework, but you will also add to that homework deadlines, school research, and perhaps even your own extra-curricular activities. These are a few things that I have found help immensely in keeping all of it straight.

• Invest in an organizer or daytimer. I prefer the page-a-day, 8x11" type, that way I have room to record everything. Use this for appointment reminders, homework assignments, etc.
• Use a wall calendar. This is something you will likely see everyday, so fill this up with the important things as well.
• Whiteboard! I bought this just prior to my senior year in my undergrad program, and it helped so much. I write my classes in permanent marker since it won't erase, then I write my weekly assignments in erasable marker. I have this hanging in my bedroom, so I see it every day, and can make changes easily.
• Corkboard or other place to keep your mail. I tack up my bills on the corkboard so I always know where to find things. It's not always easy to find those things I really need amid my school work, so this makes bill-paying so much easier.
• Expandable file folders. I found this nifty-doodle almost suitcase-like expandable folder (it even has a handle) at the office supply store. It has a dozen or so tabbed sections to house all manner of paperwork. In my undergrad, I used it to house those materials I was using to put together my senior portfolio. For my graduate degree, I'm using it to house all of my homework and University correspondence.
• Organize My Documents. I have my entire undergradute career in one folder in My Documents on my laptop. In this folder are many other folders. Each semester has its own folder, and in each semester is a folder for each class. Even those folders have their own folders for projects. If you begin organizing now, you won't have to do it later, and you'll be happy that you did. You may not think you will need to find something from two years ago, but you may. As an aside to this, invest in a thumb-drive. I've had to reformat my computer more than once during my undergrad, and had I not had my thumb-drive with my academic career on it, I would have been in big trouble.

It may seem like overkill, but if you are busy (as a mother in college you are) every little thing you can do to help keep you organized is a worthwhile thing indeed. Never once have I thought to myself, "Wow, I am entirely too organized."

Family Time

Quality time with your spouse/significant other -- this may have been difficult before you added school to the mix. My husband and I take every moment we can to spend some QT together. Sometimes it is just getting together for lunch on those hectic days, other times we actually get to go out and have dinner, and sometimes take in a movie! We also like to rent movies. We instant message each other when we can, and send each other emails. It can get crazy and hectic, but you need to find that time to reconnect.

The bigger challenge for me is spending quality time with the children, especially because they are getting older and have their own activities and interests. Here are some ideas:

• Try to have one evening a week (or day, whichever works best for you) where you have a fun routine. For us, this is usually Friday nights; we make homemade pizza and watch a movie, usually. Sometimes I cannot help but hit the books, so we may do fast food instead and then play a game. The important thing is to take that break with the kids.
• If you have more than one child, you could also do Date Night. This is just like it sounds. It doesn't have to be lengthy, and it doesn't have to be costly. A trip the library or for an ice cream is fine; just some time alone with your child is a good thing.
• Go to the park with the kids. They get to run around, and you get to take pictures.
• Coloring, building legos, playing with barbies, building forts...rediscover your inner child with your child.

Things No One Tells You

I learned a lot of things through the course of my undergraduate career, and a some things I had already known, but were merely reinforced. Here is my list, in no particular order.

• Participate in your campus community. As a mom in college, you barely have time for classes and all those entail, certainly, but you would be surprised what you can do if you organize your time well. I worked on campus, was an elected officer of one club, and an elected student representative in another. You can and should use any experience you gain on campus on your resume. An employer (or grad school) will be impressed that you raised children while going to college; being active on campus in addition to your "normal" duties is even more impressive.
• Be very choosy in selecting your internship site. Not all programs require an internship, but if you do have the option, DO IT, but really educate yourself on your options. Start thinking about it at least the semester prior, and interview with different people, then make an informed decision. I was very proactive in seeking mine, and ended up with a great experience.
• Network. Most majors have outside organizations to which you can belong, and usually for little cost, since good organizations have student rates. Join these organizations. Read the newsletters or magazines, subscribe to the listservs, and keep up on the goings-on in the profession. Attend conferences if you can. Organizations are a good way to get your name out there, to meet others in the profession, and can help when it comes time to find a job.
• Realize that you are not in control. Weather, vehicles, children, and family emergencies seldom, if ever, work around your schedule. I have missed class due to icy roads. Jacob broke his elbow and over the course of 6 weeks, we had many orthopedic appointments, all during school hours. I caught a 12-hour stomach bug the evening prior to my last final. You are not in control as much as you would like to be sometimes, so be proactive in getting your work finished, and study when the opportunity presents itself. Again, it is all about organization. I cannot stress this enough.
• It is easier to drop classes than to add. No one can ever tell you with exact certainty that you can take 12 or 16 or 18 credits with no problem; this is something you invariably learn as you go along, and what is true one semester may not be true the next. As a campus student, I initially thought I would take 12 credit hours, but in the 11th hour, I decided I could handle 18. One semester, I took 19 credit hours. It was not easy, but I shaved an entire semester off my graduation date as a result of this. I always suggest taking as many hours as you can because if you are overwhelmed, you can always drop something, and if you do it early enough, you can get a full refund on that dropped class. Learn your institution's policies on this, and then go for it. However, if time and money are no object, then by all means take your time.
• It is YOUR education. I know students who had advisors that were bullies, thinking they knew what was best for their advisees, being less than kind when the student did not choose that particular path. In instances that involve your major, your advisor hopefully knows your career plans well enough to help you make informed choices. However, this is your education, and ultimately your choice as to what classes you take beyond the required classes. Do not let anyone force you take fewer or more credits per semester than you are comfortable; likewise, do not let anyone blindly choose your electives for you. Read past syllabi if you can, talk to other professors, and then make informed decisions.
• Remember, it doesn't last forever. There are times when you are going to be overwhelmed; there is no getting around that. You are only human. You may miss a deadline, you may not do well on a test or project. Do not get discouraged. You applied and got into college, so apparently your institution has faith in you. The average semester is about 16 weeks in length; you can do anything for 16 weeks. Learn from mistakes, but let them go and move onward.