Is Going Back to School on Your List of Resolutions?

As the daughter of two parents who have advanced degrees, college wasn’t an option in my house – we were going.  There was no time or opportunity to question it.  My mom was always stressing the importance of education, and when she became a single mom when I was 7, I saw how her degree supported us.  She always had the credentials to teach and make a living to support us.  She insisted that we go to college to be able to support ourselves.

Now looking back, it was the best advice she could have given me.  Not only did I have a huge sense of pride in what I’d accomplished when I walked across the stage at graduation, but I knew that I had achieved something that could never be taken from me.  I can’t lose my degrees in a natural disaster, an accident, or even (God forbid) in a divorce.  I will always have the ability to support my family, and I’m comforted by that.

As we start a new year, I often hear moms that want to go back to school but question whether it’s worth it or whether they have the time to go to school.  But see here’s the thing, I watched my mom go back to school and get her PhD later in life.  For years, I saw her take classes here and there.  Doing homework, researching, writing her thesis, working towards her goal.  She ended up graduating in 2004 at the age of 58.  People always wondered why she would go back to attain another degree so late in life, but to her it made sense.  When she graduated she moved into a higher pay bracket at work.  When she retired in 2012 she received a higher pension.  And should she ever decide to teach a course at one of the local colleges, her degree is there, waiting in the wings if she needed or wanted to go back to work.  All of her effort and hard work paid off.  And as her daughter, I’m proud of what she accomplished.

The great thing about education now is that you don’t have to go to classes on a traditional campus.  At schools like Ivy Bridges College, there’s an emphasis on education being accessible – courses offered online, free tutoring, and being able to complete a degree program in 17 months.  Once you complete an associates, they have schools waiting to accept your credits for a bachelors program.  No more worrying if you’re wasting time and money with credits that won’t transfer.  And most importantly, according to the College Board, Ivy Bridge College costs less than one-third what it costs to attend other private schools.  Perfect for moms that want to back to school but are concerned about time and money.

Is going back to school on your to do list for 2013 for 2013?  If it is, I’m giving one lucky reader a $1,000 tuition discount to Ivy Bridge College.*  Just leave me a comment letting me know why you want to go back to school.  The last day to enter is January 22, 2013.  I’ll select a winner on January 23, 2013.  Good luck!

*“To be eligible for the $1,000 discount off tuition at Ivy Bridge College (IBC), the qualifying individuals will need to be degree seeking, enrolled in IBC a minimum of part-time, and new to IBC (specifically, not someone who has already applied to, enrolled in, or requested information from IBC). Classes at Ivy Bridge College Extension are not eligible for the discount. Limit one per person.”

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Ivy Bridge College. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating and a discount on classes at Ivy Bridge College.