Stress-Free Tips for Moms Going Back To College

By Beth Dumbauld

Are you a mother who wants to figure out how to go back to college? Embrace the truth taken from the front line of mothering – anything worth doing is worth doing right. And what is right for a mother is the ability to go back to college without having to take a time out from your busy life. Earning a college degree doesn’t have to be stressful or come at the expense of your family’s financial future. It’s possible to be a mom who is working and going to college (and all moms are working moms!) without losing your mind. 

Here are some tips to keep you moving forward with your college dreams when you are a mother.

1 - Get comfortable with going back to college as a mother by enrolling in one online college course. Then enrolling in another. And another. All without taking out a single student loan or straining the family budget.  

If the idea of going back to college has your mind racing, slow it down. Trying to figure out all the finances and logistics and admissions requirements and scheduling around going back to college as an adult leaner can be overwhelming, particularly if you think every decision has to be made at the same time. Stress and motherhood go hand-in-hand, but going back to college doesn’t have to be complicated. Going back to college after having a baby is more common than ever. Unfortunately, many working moms never move beyond the “thinking about going back to college” stage because of feelings of anxiety. Here’s how to shift from an all-or-nothing approach to going back to college as a mom by enrolling in online college courses: 

College Stress Reducer #1: Choose a major later. You don’t have to declare a major when enrolling and completing online college courses. In fact, you can begin earning transferrable college credits without knowing exactly where you want to ultimately earn your degree by taking college courses through StraighterLine. All college students are required to take a series of introductory college courses, or prerequisites, regardless of their major. These usually include English Composition I, College Algebra, Precalculus, Calculus, US History I, Western Civilization, Introduction to Communications and more. You can take these courses online and earn credits while you narrow in on your academic focus. 

College Stress Reducer #2: Take advantage of guaranteed-to-transfer online college courses. When you complete college courses through StraighterLine ($99/month plus a one-time course fee of $49), you can bank them for transfer until you choose a college or university where you plan on ultimately earning your degree. What’s more, StraighterLine has many online partner colleges who are guaranteed to accept StraighterLine college courses. You don’t have to figure out which courses are going to transfer, because they’ve already figured it out for you. And with StraighterLine’s “Credit Transfer Guarantee,” you never have to worry about wasting your money.

College Stress Reducer #3: Online college courses allow you to own your schedule. When you enroll in online college courses, you can study whenever, however, and wherever you want. You don’t have to make hard choices between taking your children to extracurricular activities or pursuing your academic goals. You can take online college courses while your kids nap, while they are at soccer practice, before they wake up, and after they go to bed. These days, online learning makes it possible for many working moms to go back to school.