[mamakah]

How do you survive financially? Student loans?

 

[kavamamakava]

I don't know how I'm doing it but I'm hanging in there. It's very tough financially and I mostly can only study while I'm at school. I have classes every day and arrive as soon as my children are at school and stay until I have to pick my children up from school. I was able to get As at first but now I'm floundering. I do a lot of quick meals at home and when I need more study time I go to bed with the kids at 8:30 and get up at 3 to have some quiet time in the house.<br>
I'm currently working on the pre-med requirements for grad school and the science classes require so much memorization that I need constant study time. It's not like when I did my undergrad in liberal arts where I could mull over ideas and theories in my head and formulate a good paper idea while I was doing other things. I have to basically allow 2 hours of study for every hour of class time and I'm taking 14 hours of class time. It's more of a time commitment than a full time job.<br>
Sometimes I pull out my homework when my kids are doing homework and it motivates them even if I don't get so much done on my own homework.

 

[pinksprklybarefoot]

We are about to have a two-student household this fall. DH lost his job last Oct, and is ready for a career change.<br><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>kavamamakava</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15385485"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I'm currently working on the pre-med requirements for grad school and the science classes require so much memorization that I need constant study time. It's not like when I did my undergrad in liberal arts where I could mull over ideas and theories in my head and formulate a good paper idea while I was doing other things.</div>
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I totally understand this. I am pre-pharmacy, which has the same requirements as pre-med, plus a few extra. It is totally different than a non-science program (my actual major is political science, but I finished that piece of my degree ten years ago). It really is a different frame of mind. I have to study a lot - pretty much every day, for a few hours/day.<br><br>
Our plan involves some sort of daycare. MN has a daycare grant that is part of your financial aid package, and DH should qualify. Our county also has assistance with daycare for low-income people. We will subsist on student loans and a little odd-job money. Hopefully, next year will be my last year as an undergrad - I am applying to pharmacy school this summer (for fall 2011).<br><br>
I took 17 credits this semester (all math/science), and studying between classes was crucial. Studying at home just did not work - too many interruptions. I would often leave for school early to study then as well. Our plan is to approach things roughly as if we are both employed full-time - do school/study 8 hrs/day while the kiddos are in daycare, then do home when we are home.<br><br>
Should be interesting to see how it all works out.

 

[kavamamakava]

I do use daycare as well but I'm also on public assistance and they only cover daycare for the hours I'm in school. They allow me 6 hours in addition to classroom hours. I only have 1 in daycare and she'll be starting Kindergarten in the Fall.

 

[AtYourCervices]

After my youngest child was born, I went back to school. Her father decided to go back to school as well. I went to a local community college to finish my Associates to keep costs down. My husband (the baby's father) and I were just dating at the time, and he got into an Ivy League school, so he moved away to work on his degree.<br><br>
We "split up", so we could focus on school. I got financial aid, being a "single mom". He got student loans. I also received daycare assistance. I got a paid internship to make ends meet. My husband also had a paid internship at the University he was attending.<br><br>
We saw each other every other weekend. Last year we both finished at our respective schools. He moved home and we got married.<br><br>
Now I'm working on my B.S. I pay for my classes one at a time. My husband has a lot of student loans left, but he was offered a great paying job in his field and we'll be able to pay off the loans within a few months of him starting the position.<br><br>
It sucked, only seeing each other every other week for a year and a half, but it's going to be soooo worth it when he starts this new job.

 

[mamakah]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Freedom~Mama]

I am a single Mom in school full time. It is very very hard and stressful. I have two little ones that are with me all the time so taking care of them is a full time job in itself and then I have a full load of classes. It is doable if you are very motivated. I think time management is key. Taking time each day to study, do homework etc is so important. I have learned that if I want to go to school all I have time for really is my kids and school. Pretty much no free time anymore. It is worth it though. Since I am a single Mom it is vital that I get an education and a good paying job.<br><br>
Good luck to you! You can do it!