A college degree is commonly thought to be the ticket to a high-paying job. While this is not always true, there are fewer and fewer blue collar jobs in America and many new white color jobs do require a college degree. But this is a problem for single mothers who want to create a better life for their families. They need a college degree to get a better job. However, a college degree is expensive and they cannot pay for one without a better job. Fortunately, both the government and a number of philanthropists have recognized this fact, and provide college funds for single mothers to break this vicious cycle.
There are actually many helpful funds for single mothers if you know how to find them. The most widely known are government scholarships for students from needy families. Many are for younger students who have just graduated high school, but there are a few which give money to adult students who study part-time. The Pell grant is one such financial aid program, and has become widely known as the scholarship for single working mothers and other adult college students. Although the amount of money disbursed by this grant has not kept pace with the increase in college tuition fees, it is still quite generous, giving up to $5000 to the successful applicant.
The problem is that $5000 only absorbs about 1/3 of the tuition fee. This is fine for a single woman who does not have any children. But a mother who needs to put food on the table for her children does not have this luxury. She would need to apply for additional financial aid like the TEACH grant or a nursing grant.
Grants like these can be much more generous in their benefits and are also easier to receive. However, they are also very restrictive because they set conditions about where and for whom the recipients can work. The grants also mandate a minimum amount of years the recipients need to work in that position. For example, the TEACH grant which pays up to $4000 requires those receiving it to work for at least four years as a teacher teaching science or maths in a school located in a poor neighborhood.
A single mother who gets both of the Pell and TEACH grant together would have the government paying 2/3 of her college tuition fees. While this still leaves the remaining 1/3 up to her, the fact is that many local governments are willing to pay additional “bribes” to those who have proven that they are willing to take up these high need teaching or nursing jobs. It is often possible to negotiate and get internships, housing and childcare benefits when the right people are approached.
Many single mothers who need to go back to school are often older women who got married young. Most modern women at least go to college before they marry. For these older women, there are a few private foundations which offer educational aid. Two of these are the Jeannette Rankin Foundation and the Philanthropic Educational Organization. There are also others, some of whom concentrate on certain fields like maths, science and engineering.
Unlike many decades ago, the modern woman can get to college quite easily if she wants to go. There are college funds for single mothers in financial need, so the excuse that they have to feed their children does not wash.
Aother – Katherin T.
