Once you’ve made the decision to go back to school as a single mom, you then get to tackle the challenge of selecting a college or university. This may seem to be a simple choice because there are only certain schools nearby. But in reality, there are a few other things you have to consider when planning your education. Take the time to do research and plan ahead, and choose a school that meets your needs for what you want to study.
Accreditation
You’ve probably seen commercials on television and flyers that advertise great education opportunities. Many of these are from online schools. The accreditation status of the school is important to you in several ways. Your financial aid, scholarships and grants could hinge on whether your school of choice is accredited. You will also find out that when you select an educational program that may lead to an advanced degree in the future, you’ll probably need to transfer those credits, and if the school is not accredited, you may find yourself back at square one.
What is your goal?
You need to decide whether your goal is a certification or a degree, because different colleges and universities offer different degree programs. This also helps you narrow down your requirements and classes needed. For example, if you know you want to work with computers and you begin looking at different programs in the computer field, you may find that you will need a degree for some fields, while others will only require a certification. If your local community college doesn’t have the degree program that you need, you’ll need to expand your search to other colleges and universities that do offer the education you need to achieve your goal.
Trade Schools
Some specific fields require a specific degree program, such as nursing or cosmetology. For these programs, you’ll need to attend a beauty, business, vocational, trade or nursing school. Whether you are looking to become a paralegal or a mechanic, trade schools may be the key to unlocking your future.
Before you settle on a college or university, you have to first determine what your needs are and how to accomplish your goal. Then you can begin narrowing down your school searches to those that provide what you are looking for.
