Tips for Single Parents Earning a Degree

Earning a degree requires time, effort, and dedication. If you are a single parent, this can be an especially challenging goal to achieve. With the right support and approach, however, it is possible to manage your responsibilities while earning your degree.

In this blog post, we will explore several tips for single parents earning a degree.

Tips for Single Parents Earning a Degree

1. Table of Contents

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   Lean On Your Support System

As a single parent, you rely on others to help you achieve your goals. By turning to your family, friends, and community for help with tasks such as childcare, transportation, and/or emotional support, you lessen the stress and burden on yourself of earning your degree while being a single parent.

You can also find and join various parent groups that may offer a wealth of additional support and resources to help you achieve your educational goals. If you are a church member, they may have additional resources to help you along your journey.

2. Find a Flexible Program

Many colleges offer programs that are tailored to the needs of single parents. You can find programs that offer evening or weekend classes, online courses, or accelerated programs. Even the most comprehensive programs can accommodate a demanding schedule. If you are entering the medical field, for example, you can enroll in an online nursing degree from UCF and other colleges.

This flexibility can make it easier for you to balance your studies and your parental responsibilities while working toward your degree.

3. Prioritize and Manage Your Time

As a single parent, time management is often one of the biggest challenges you’ll face. In order to more effectively manage your time, prioritize your tasks and create a schedule that works for you by writing it down in a planner or calendar. Carve out a reasonable amount of time for your studies, but also be sure to schedule time for family, friends, work, and other responsibilities.

Many people have found time blocking to be a very useful tool for managing time and successfully accomplishing tasks. Other tools and strategies that may be helpful are removing distractions, planning ahead, reducing multitasking, and taking frequent breaks to rest, reflect, and recharge.

4. Take Advantage of Resources

Depending on your college, you can find a range of student resources, including financial aid, academic advisors, tutoring services, and career counseling, all of which will support you along your educational journey. As part of your tuition fees, these resources are designed to help you succeed as a student.

For single parents, in particular, there may be additional needs such as childcare, transportation, or even emotional support that lead you to seek out the available resources that your school offers.

5. Make Time for Self-Care

Along the path of earning your degree and managing responsibilities, it is important to make time for self-care. Whether it be exercise, meditation, or just reading a book, taking care of yourself can help to reduce stress and re-energize you so that you can continue making progress in your studies.

While you will likely devote a great deal of time to your family, work, and studies, remembering to care for your needs will ultimately help you achieve greater success. If you find it challenging to make time for yourself, you may consider scheduling it into your weekly planner so it is designated time blocked off in advance.

6. Develop Relationships with Professors and Classmates

By establishing a rapport with your instructors and classmates, you can create an extra source of information, guidance, and support. As a single parent, you may be met with extra challenges, such as a sick child or lapse in childcare, that causes you to miss out on class instructions or assignments. By having a human resource to turn to for quick instructions, elaboration, or other information,  you will avoid falling behind and missing out on important class content.

As a single parent, you may face unique challenges while earning your degree; however, with the right resources and support systems in place, you can successfully achieve your goals. Not only will you be on your way to a new and exciting career, but you will be setting a great example for your children of what hard work, dedication, and perseverance looks like.