single parent college essay

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Children's Development with Single Parent

• Categories: Children Parenting Styles

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Words: 1037 |

Published: Mar 1, 2019

Words: 1037 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

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Spheres where the dysfunctionality usually occurs, however, there are possibilities for normal adulting, works cited.

• Mclanahan, S., & Sandefur, G. (1994). Growing up with a single parent: What hurts, what helps. Harvard University Press.
• Amato, P. R. (2005). The impact of family formation change on the cognitive, social, and emotional well-being of the next generation. The Future of Children, 15(2), 75-96.
• Carlson, M. J., & Berger, L. M. (2013). What kids get from parents: Packages of parental involvement across complex family forms. Social Service Review, 87(2), 213-249.
• Hetherington, E. M., Bridges, M., & Insabella, G. M. (1998). What matters? What does not? Five perspectives on the association between marital transitions and children's adjustment. American Psychologist, 53(2), 167-184.
• McLanahan, S., & Percheski, C. (2008). Family structure and the reproduction of inequalities. Annual Review of Sociology, 34, 257-276.
• Cherlin, A. J., Chase-Lansdale, P. L., & McRae, C. (1998). Effects of parental divorce on mental health throughout the life course. American Sociological Review, 63(2), 239-249.
• Osborne, C., & McLanahan, S. (2007). Partnership instability and child well-being. Journal of Marriage and Family, 69(4), 1065-1083.
• McLanahan, S., & Sandefur, G. (1997). Growing up with a single parent: What hurts, what helps. Scientific American, 276(1), 66-71.
• Pong, S. L., Dronkers, J., & Hampden-Thompson, G. (2003). Family policies and children's school achievement in single- versus two-parent families. Journal of Marriage and Family, 65(3), 681-699.
• Edin, K., & Nelson, T. J. (2013). Doing the best I can: Fatherhood in the inner city. University of California Press.

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20 Scholarships for Students from Single-Parent Households

According to the Pew Research Center , approximately one quarter of children in the United States are raised in single-parent families. While it’s not as uncommon as it once was, growing up as the child of a single parent can carry its own set of unique opportunities and challenges. Some children report closer familial relationships, while others struggle to make ends meet. For single-parent families that only have one income, educational costs can represent an especially significant burden. Fortunately, there are a number of high-quality scholarships that provide financial assistance to students raised by single moms, dads, or other single guardians.

To qualify for many of these single-parent scholarships, you’ll need to complete the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA®) and calculate your expected family contribution (EFC) to your college education. Not sure how to begin? Use our custom tools to figure out your EFC and answer the FAFSA®’s trickiest questions . Then sign up for Going Merry to find even more scholarships specifically for you. 

20 Scholarships for Children of Single Parents  

It doesn’t matter if you lost a parent to illness or an accident, or if your parents simply divorced when you were young: These awards apply to dependent children from single-parent households of all kinds. So, if you were raised by a single mom or dad, start your scholarship search here. 

1. Vincent Bennett Jr. Memorial Scholarship

Amount: $20,000

Provider : First Responders Children’s Foundation

Eligibility Requirements :

• Minimum GPA of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale
• Enrolled or planning to enroll in a college, university, or technical or vocational institution
• Child of a law enforcement officer or firefighter who died in the line of duty

Application Requirements: Transcript, 3 letters of recommendation, student aid report, financial aid award letter, proof of U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency, proof of acceptance or enrollment, personal statement, headshot, list of honors and awards, picture of first responder’s ID or letter from employer

Named for Vincent Bennett Jr., a passionate member of the First Responders Children’s Foundation, this four-year award provides financial support to one exceptional college freshman each academic year. To be eligible for the Vincent Bennett Jr. Memorial Scholarship, you must be the child of a firefighter or law enforcement officer who was killed while on duty. While there’s no required field of study, students pursuing engineering will be given preference. Community service and high academic achievement will also help set you apart.

2. The Toby Merrill Scholarship

Amount: $9,700

Provider : The Toby Merrill Scholarship Fund

• Minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
• Enrolled or planning to enroll full-time in a college or university

Application Requirements: Essay, list of extracurricular activities, list of honors and awards

Toby Merrill was a committed dad, husband, and friend who tragically lost his life to cancer. To honor Toby, his family and friends created the need-based Toby Merrill Scholarship to help students who have lost a parent pay for their higher education. Because Toby was committed to community service, scholarship recipients will need to complete 10 volunteer hours each year to renew their scholarship. While it’s not a requirement for entry, the award gives priority to students experiencing hardship due to bereavement and/or cancer. 

3. First Responders Children’s Foundation Scholarship

Amount: Varies

• Biological child, adopted child, or stepchild of a first responder who died in the line of duty 

If you’re the child of a first responder who was killed in the line of duty, the First Responders Children’s Foundation Scholarship could help you pay for college. The award amount varies each year, but the maximum award amount is $6,250, and it can be renewed annually for up to four years. Priority goes to applicants whose parent passed away while on the job. (Stepchildren of deceased first responders qualify, too, as long as they were listed as a dependent on tax returns prior to the first responder’s death.)

4. Jennifer Casey Alderman Scholarship Award

Amount: $10,000

Provider : Twisted Pink

• Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, or Tennessee resident
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Child of a parent who died from metastatic breast cancer 

Application Requirements: Essay

Twisted Pink works to further research and access to care for people with metastatic breast cancer. In honor of Jennifer Casey Alderman, a mother and wife who lost her life to the disease, the organization created the Jennifer Casey Alderman Scholarship Award . To apply, you’ll need to write an essay about any topic of your choosing. (Need help with your essay? Use Going Merry’s essay tips to help you write the perfect one.) You’ll also need to provide proof of your eligibility via an obituary, death certificate, or letter from your parent’s medical oncologist. Scholarship recipients can renew the award each subsequent year for $2,500 annually. 

5. Ava’s Grace Scholarship

Amount: $5,000

Provider : The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis

• Missouri or Illinois resident (limited to the following Illinois counties: Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe, or St. Clair counties) 
• Minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Enrolled or planning to enroll in a college or university
• Child of a parent who is or has been incarcerated in a U.S. penitentiary (state or federal)

Application Requirements: Transcript, completed FAFSA®, student aid report, personal statement, resume

The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis sponsors the Ava’s Grace Scholarship for students who have at least one incarcerated parent. The award was named for Ava, who founded the scholarship in response to her own mother’s incarceration and her desire to use education to break the incarceration cycle. To qualify, you must have been a resident of Missouri or a few select counties in Illinois for a minimum of two years. Priority goes to students with an expected family contribution (EFC) of $1,500 or less. (If your EFC is greater than $1,500, you can still apply, but you’ll need to demonstrate extenuating circumstances.) In your personal statement, write about how having an incarcerated parent has affected your education, development, and goals for your future. This grant program is renewable for up to eight semesters. 

6. The 9/11 Promise Scholarship

Provider : 9/11 Promise

• Under the age of 25
• Child of a first responder or armed-services member who died in the line of duty 

Application Requirements: 2 letters of recommendation, essay, personal statement, list of honors and awards

The 9/11 Promise Scholarship was originally created to honor those who lost their lives in the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York City. Today, the award goes to 11 deserving young students whose lives have been irreparably changed due to the loss of a first-responder parent. The amounts vary between $5,000 and $15,000. This college scholarship can be used to fund undergraduate or graduate studies as well as to finance a trade or vocational degree. The essay prompt asks students to write about what they’ve learned by having a first responder for a parent. (You’ll also need to provide proof of death and documentation of your parent’s service.)

7. ReWritten Scholarship

Provider : ReWritten

• Enrolled or planning to enroll in a college, university, or trade or vocational school
• Child raised by a single mother

Application Requirements: Personal statement

Statistically, children raised without fathers are more likely to live in low-income communities, face imprisonment, die by suicide, or run away from home — but ReWritten wants to re-write that story. To support students from fatherless households, they’ve created the ReWritten Scholarship . The award ranges from $500 to $5,000 and is intended to help college students gain access to a brighter future. To apply, students should submit a written plan for their higher education and demonstrate financial need. 

8. Life Lessons Scholarship Program

Provider : Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education

• 17 to 24 years of age
• Child of a parent or legal guardian who is deceased 

If you’ve lost a parent or guardian, the Life Lessons Scholarship Program is aimed at helping you afford higher education. This award is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. To apply, write an essay or record a three-minute video discussing how the death of your parent impacted your life and your plans for your future. This award is sponsored by Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education, so if relevant, be sure to explain how a lack of appropriate life insurance impacted your family financially. The award amount varies, but the total amount for all prizes (usually around 40 total) will be $250,000. 

9. The Family Scholarship Fund

Provider : The American Society of Safety Professionals Foundation

• Child of a parent who died in a workplace incident

Application Requirements: Transcript, essay

As part of their mission to support those in occupational safety or health careers, the American Society of Safety Professionals Foundation created the Family Scholarship Fund . The fund works to offset college costs for students who have lost a parent in a workplace incident. The award amount varies by year and financial need. Because application requirements are fairly open-ended (students can be pursuing a degree either full-time or part-time, for example), the selection committee considers each application on an individual basis. For the best chance of winning, write an essay detailing how the loss of your parent affected your life.   

10. Operation Second Chance Scholarship

Amount: $3,500

Provider : Operation Second Chance

• Enrolled as a high-school senior
• Child of a veteran who died from injuries related to combat deployment

Application Requirements: Transcript, student aid report, proof of acceptance or enrollment

Operation Second Chance works to support veterans and their families. To that end, the nonprofit offers its Operation Second Chance Scholarship to the children of veterans killed in combat. To apply, you must be a high school senior planning to pursue higher education in the upcoming school year.  There is no GPA or standardized test score requirement, and students can be planning to attend any kind of post-secondary school: community colleges, universities, vocational schools, and trade schools are all fair game for eligibility.  

11. Colwell Law Single Parent Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Provider : Colwell Law

• Enrolled in a college or university
• Child raised by a single parent

Application Requirements: Transcript, essay, resume

Colwell Law, a firm that specializes in family and divorce practice, understands how much of a financial burden it can be for single moms and dads to send their kids to college. To help bridge that gap in financial support, they endow the Colwell Law Single Parent Scholarship . The award is open to children of single parents as well as to single parents themselves. The application includes an essay where applicants should share how living in a single-parent household has shaped their values, character, and goals. 

12. The Quell Foundation Survivor Scholarship

Provider : The Quell Foundation Irene Pasierb Memorial Fund

• Minimum GPA of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale
• Child of a parent, caregiver, or sibling who died due to suicide

Application Requirements: Transcript, personal statement

The Quell Foundation Irene Pasierb Memorial Fund is passionate about improving education and reducing the stigma around mental illness. The Quell Foundation Survivor Scholarship is given annually to students who have lost a parent, caregiver, or sibling to suicide. The scholarship opportunity is open to current high school seniors planning to pursue a bachelor’s degree, as well as to current undergraduate and graduate students. Your personal statement should include how your family member’s death has affected your life and education. (Refer to our tips to craft a compelling personal statement that will help you stand out from the crowd.) 

13. Encore Protection Victims of Drunk Driving Scholarship

Provider : Encore Protection

• Child of a parent who died due to a drunk-driving accident  

Encore Protection provides roadside assistance to drivers across the United States. As part of their goal to improve driver safety, Encore is passionate about ending drunk driving. In an effort to support this cause, they’ve created the Encore Protection Victims of Drunk Driving Scholarship . This award helps students who have lost a parent to a drunk driving accident afford post-secondary education. To apply, you’ll need to write an essay addressing the effects of drunk driving — both on you and on the community at large. 

14. The Lisa Michelle Memorial Fund Scholarship

Provider : The Lisa Michelle Memorial Fund

• Child of a parent who died due to alcohol, drug, or prescription drug abuse

Application Requirements: Transcript, proof of acceptance or enrollment, essay

The Lisa Michelle Memorial Fund was created in honor of Lisa Michelle, a mother who tragically lost her battle with addiction. The Lisa Michelle Memorial Fund Scholarship supports one deserving student each year who has lost a parent to alcohol or drug abuse. This scholarship opportunity asks students to write an essay about their experience of losing a parent to addiction. In your statement, be sure to explain how a college education will impact both you and your family.  

15. FOZA Scholarship for Maternal Mental Health Awareness

Provider : Friends of Zayne Adams, Inc. 

• Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, and/or Native American
• Enrolled or planning to enroll in a college, university, or trade or vocational school 
• Child of a parent who died by postpartum depression-related suicide 

Postpartum depression is a common and often undiscussed illness that affects up to approximately 15% of new mothers, according to the National Library of Medicine . Zayne Adams’s mother was one of them. After he lost her in the first month of his life, his mother’s friends and family came together to create the FOZA Scholarship for Maternal Mental Health Awareness . This scholarship award helps children who have lost a mother due to postpartum depression-related suicide. To apply, you’ll need to write an essay expressing why community service is important to you. This award is open to students pursuing undergraduate, associate’s, and/or trade degrees. 

16. Tuition and Fee Exemption for Children of Deceased or Disabled Veterans Grant

Amount: Full tuition and fees

Provider : State of Indiana

• Indiana resident
• Under the age of 33 
• Child of a U.S. armed-forces member who died or was permanently disabled in the line of duty

Application Requirements: Completed FAFSA®, student aid report

Unlike a lot of scholarships on this list, the Tuition and Fee Exemption for Children of Deceased or Disabled Veterans Grant is a grant program funded by the Indiana Department of Education. This program was specifically created for students who both reside and plan to pursue a college degree in the state of Indiana. To maintain eligibility, students must remain enrolled in a degree program at a public university or college. If you qualify for this grant, you will have up to eight years to use the assistance, so you can pause your studies at any time and come back to school later as needed.

17. Redrick Leijon Nicholas Williams Scholarship

Provider : Greater Emmanuel Temple Church

• Los Angeles county resident 
• Black/African American male 

Application Requirements: Transcript, 3 letters of recommendation, essay, video essay

Greater Emmanuel Temple Church, a cornerstone of the local Black community in Los Angeles, created the Redrick Leijon Nicholas Williams Scholarship to support Black men raised by single mothers. The award gets its name from a strong community leader and Greater Emmanuel Temple Church member who worked tirelessly to help his single mother support his four younger siblings. To honor his strength, this award goes to one graduating high school senior each year. You must be entering either a two- or four-year program to qualify. In addition to a written essay, students must submit a 90-second video about their mother, including her sacrifices and the role she played in the applicant’s life. 

18. The Foster Hope Award

Amount: $500

Provider : Foster Hope

• Wisconsin resident
• Enrolled in a college or university 
• Have experienced an adverse life event

Application Requirements: Transcript, 2 letters of recommendation, proof of residency, essay

Originally created for children raised in the foster care system, the Foster Hope Award has been expanded to include all Wisconsin students who have experienced childhood hardship. To win it, you must have experienced an adverse life event — like losing a parent — and be able to write an essay explaining how you’ve demonstrated hope in the face of adversity. Applicants who are a resident of Central Wisconsin or have attended the Royal Family Kids Camp will receive preference during the selection process. You’ll also need to be attending a college or university in-state.  

19. Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant

Provider : U.S. Department of Education

• Child of a U.S. armed forces member who died during service in Iraq or Afghanistan
• Ineligible for the Pell Grant based on your expected family contribution, but meet all other Pell Grant eligibility requirements 

Application Requirements: Completed FAFSA®, student aid report, proof of U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency

The Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant is a grant program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. To be eligible, you must not qualify for the Pell Grant due to your EFC but must meet the other Pell Grant requirements for financial need and U.S. citizenship. The award amount varies each year, but cannot exceed the amount of your tuition. If you qualify, you’re eligible to receive this grant for up to 12 semesters. All you have to do to renew is continue to fill out the FAFSA® each year. 

20. Children of Veterans Tuition Grant

Provider : State of Michigan

• Michigan resident 
• 16 to 26 years old 
• Child of a U.S. armed-forces member who died or was permanently disabled due to service 

The Children of Veterans Tuition Grant is a grant program designed to help Michigan students earn the college degrees of their dreams. To qualify, you must have a parent who is a veteran and who died or was permanently disabled during the course of their service. The award is renewable for up to four years or for $11,200 as long as the recipient maintains an overall GPA of 2.25 or higher. The scholarship amount varies based on financial need as determined by the FAFSA® and your course load, but the maximum for a full-time student is $2,800 per year. 

Get more scholarships delivered to you with Going Merry

Losing a parent — either to death or to personal circumstances — can come with unimaginable grief, not to mention serious financial hardship. That’s especially true if you grew up in a low-income community. Only having one breadwinner can make pursuing a college education more difficult, but it doesn’t have to prevent you from receiving your degree. Thanks to the growing number of scholarship opportunities for children from single-parent homes, financial assistance is within reach. 

If you need help keeping track of application deadlines, making sense of financial aid, or finding other relevant scholarships, Going Merry has you covered. Our intuitive, easy-to-use platform curates awards just for you based on your financial need, personal preferences, and interests.Simplify your scholarship search and application process by signing up for Going Merry today. 

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Two-parent homes aren’t the key for all

Manisha Aggarwal-Schifellite

Harvard Staff Writer

Why single-parent homes don’t affect Black children as negatively as white kids

Social policy and popular culture promote the two-parent nuclear family as an ideal structure for raising successful, healthy children. But the reality of family life in America looks very different from that: Half of all children spend time living with a single parent, and one in three spends some time living with an extended relative. Christina Cross , a postdoctoral scholar and incoming assistant professor in the Sociology Department, has studied this disconnect, analyzing the relationships between family structure and individual well-being in areas including health, education, and socioeconomic mobility. In a paper published last month in the Journal of Marriage and Family , Cross looked at the connection between family structure and children’s educational outcomes and found racial and ethnic differences that were counterintuitive and largely unexplained. The Gazette spoke to Cross about rethinking the ideal family, the limits of demographic research, and policy alternatives for alleviating poverty in America.

Christina Cross

GAZETTE:  What are your research findings?

CROSS: As I was reading the existing literature on this topic, I kept noticing the same finding over and over: that even though children who live outside of the two-parent family tend to fare worse than those who live with two parents, minority children are less negatively impacted by this. Scholars have speculated that maybe this has something to do with minority families having a stronger extended family support network than white families or perhaps that they are more frequently exposed to socioeconomic stressors such that the independent effect of living apart from a parent is just not as pronounced. However, I had not come across a study that empirically tested these possible explanations. So, I spent a couple years tracking a nationally representative sample of about 2,600 children’s living arrangements, their access to economic resources, and their interactions with extended relatives through the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), which is the longest-running household panel study in the world. And what I found was that both sets of factors helped account for group differences in the effect of family structure. However, the socioeconomic-stress argument helps explain relatively more of this puzzle.

GAZETTE:  Why is that?

CROSS:  One way to think about this is that economic resources play an important role in parents’ ability to provide the material resources that children need to thrive. When children have two parents in the household who are able to pool resources, they are less likely to live in poverty. However, for minority children, and black and Hispanic children in particular, even when they live in a two-parent family they’re still two to three times more likely to be poor. This has a lot to do with the structural disadvantages that these groups face. I don’t mean to suggest that economic resources are the only things that matter for children’s success — parenting and family stability are also important. However, I do find that economic resources play a key role in determining children’s educational success. This is pretty unfortunate and sobering, but I think it’s important because our current welfare legislation, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, emphasizes the importance of this two-parent family model.

GAZETTE: Can you explain more about how current policy promotes this version of family unity?

CROSS: One example of this kind of policy is the Healthy Marriage Initiative, implemented under the administration of George W. Bush. States were given the opportunity to take hundreds of millions of dollars allocated for welfare and use the money to create programs to try to encourage low-income families, who are disproportionally families of color, to get married and stay married. Many researchers have found these programs to be largely ineffective, and if we recognize that the benefits of this arrangement aren’t equal [in the first place], then perhaps we shouldn’t divert funds away from these poor families to try to get them to get married. This isn’t to say that I or most researchers think that marriage is problematic, because I don’t, but I don’t think that’s the best solution to fixing poverty.

“It’s important that we shed light on and recognize the diversity of American families today. If we continue to overlook their experiences, it will be difficult to better understand them and create more inclusive policies.”

GAZETTE: Are there some policy alternatives that might better serve families outside of the two-parent nuclear family model?

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CROSS: I would point to the research of other scholars like Darrick Hamilton and [William A.] Sandy Darity , who have come up with some interesting and potentially viable proposals to reduce inequality in America. An example of that would be baby bonds, where every child born in America is given a bond of a certain amount based on income, so families with more money will get less and families who have fewer dollars get more toward the bond. The bond then grows over the child’s life course and that would help them pay for things like college, which we know is getting increasingly expensive. So, if we were to take the money that we’re using for marriage-promotion initiatives and put it toward something like a baby bond, I suspect that we might address more directly the financial hardships that families are facing.

GAZETTE: Are there any others that strike you as promising?

CROSS: Sociologists have also known for some time that one of the biggest drivers of inequality in America is housing segregation. There’s a high concentration of poverty in certain communities, which means that people don’t have access to basic resources like quality schools and other community resources. If we could focus on creating opportunities for more affordable housing, or even better, offering people a living wage, I would speculate that those initiatives would probably be more effective than trying to get single women to get married.

GAZETTE: In your paper, you study data on Black, white, and Hispanic children, which you write is a rare occurrence in sociological research of this kind. Why was it important for you to include more diversity in your analysis?

CROSS:   Much of the literature in this area hasn’t focused on racial differences in family structure effects in general, but when they do it’s typically focused on the differences between Black people and white people. We know that America is much more demographically diverse than that. I included the now-largest ethnic minority group, which is people who are Hispanic or Latino, and I wish I could have included more groups but, unfortunately, I just didn’t have enough respondents in the study in order to make any types of inferences about them. I think my paper paints a more diverse picture of American families, and it’s important that we shed light on and recognize the diversity of American families today. If we continue to overlook their experiences, it will be difficult to better understand them and create more inclusive policies. It’s unfortunate, because it almost goes without saying, but we as researchers haven’t done enough of that work yet.

GAZETTE: Do you think your findings indicate that this is a case of policy not matching up with reality?

CROSS: I think that’s an issue. Research, and policy even more so, is disconnected from the demographic realities of American families today. There is such an emphasis, and it’s explicit in the welfare reform goals we discussed, on the two-parent nuclear family. There’s nothing wrong with that family structure, but I think when we hold onto that framework it prescribes and circumscribes what we see as legitimate in terms of family life. That limits our ability to craft policies that can be effective in supporting families, because families that are the most disadvantaged are typically not two-parent nuclear families in the first place.

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Guest Essay

The Explosive Rise of Single-Parent Families Is Not a Good Thing

By Melissa S. Kearney

Ms. Kearney is the author of the forthcoming book “The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and Started Falling Behind.”

There has been a huge transformation in the way children are raised in the United States: the erosion of the convention of raising children inside a two-parent home. This shift is often not publicly challenged or lamented, in an effort to be inclusive of a diversity of family arrangements. But this well-meaning acceptance obscures the critical reality that this change is hurting our children and our society.

The share of American children living with married parents has dropped considerably: In 2019, only 63 percent lived with married parents, down from 77 percent in 1980. Cohabitation hardly makes up for the difference in these figures. Roughly a quarter of children live in a one-parent home, more than in any other country for which data is available. Despite a small rise in two-parent homes since 2012, the overall trend persists.

This is not a positive development. The evidence is overwhelming: Children from single-parent homes have more behavioral problems, are more likely to get in trouble in school or with the law, achieve lower levels of education and tend to earn lower incomes in adulthood. Boys from homes without dads present are particularly prone to getting in trouble in school or with the law.

Making the trend particularly worrisome is the wide class divide underneath it. In my research, I found that college-educated parents have largely continued to have and raise their children in two-parent homes. It is parents with less than a four-year college degree who have moved away from marriage, and two-parent homes, in large numbers. Only 60 percent of children who live with mothers who graduated from high school, or who have some college education but did not graduate, lived with married parents in 2020, a whopping 23 percentage point drop since 1980. Again, cohabitation does not erase the education divide. Neither does looking at the numbers across race and ethnic groups.

The result is less economic security for affected households and even wider inequality across households and childhood environments than economic changes would have wrought alone.

College-educated adults have seen their earnings rise over recent decades, and they have continued to get married at relatively high rates, typically to one another. Their household income has grown considerably. Meanwhile, adults without a college degree have experienced declining rates of employment and relatively modest increases in wages, while becoming more likely to set up households without a spouse or a partner. As a result of the decline in marriage, the economic security of the high-school educated has weakened even more.

A higher level of income is a key mechanism through which married parents transmit advantages to their children. One-parent homes generally do not have the same income as two-parent homes, even when we compare the homes of mothers of the same age, education level, race and state of residence. This largely reflects a simple fact of math: Two adults have the capacity to earn more than one. Even if one thinks, as I do, that the United States should provide more support to low-income families with children in order to help children thrive and also to secure a stronger work force and future for our country, we will most likely never have a government program that fully compensates single parents with the equivalent of the annual earnings of a spouse who works full-time.

Congress allowed the expanded child tax credit to expire at the end of 2021, rejecting a policy that provided families who met certain income thresholds with annual tax credits of $3,000 per child age 6 to 18 and $3,600 per child under 6. What are the odds that the government will start providing one-parent families with, say, benefits equal to the median earnings of an adult with a high school degree, which comes to around $44,000 a year? I would put the odds at zero. As long as that’s the case, income gaps between one- and two-parent homes will be substantial, and income matters a lot for kids’ prospects and futures.

Income differences are not the only driver of differences in outcomes. A second committed adult in the home can contribute considerable time and energy to taking care of children. We can and should do more as a society to try to compensate for these gaps in parental investments. But again, it is highly unlikely that government or community programs could ever provide children from one-parent homes with a comparable amount of the supervision, nurturing, guidance or help that children from healthy two-parent homes receive. That means a generation of children will grow up more likely to get in trouble and less likely to reach their potential than if they had the benefits of two parents in their homes.

It is an economic imperative to break the vicious cycle of a widening class gap in family structure — and more generally, a high share of one-parent homes outside all but the most highly educated groups in society.

That won’t be easy to do. For decades, academics, journalists and advocates have taken a “live and let live” view of family structure. Mostly this reflects a well-intentioned effort to avoid stigmatizing single mothers and to promote acceptance and respect for different family arrangements. But benign intentions have obscured the uncomfortable reality that children do better when they are raised in two-parent homes.

The result is the widespread normalization of one-parent homes outside the college-educated class and woefully little public support for programs aimed at strengthening families. Only 1 percent of the budget of the federal Administration for Children and Families is allocated to “promoting safe and stable families,” as compared to, for example, 15 percent for foster care.

On the other side of the issue, there are people inclined to blame single mothers for having or raising children outside of marriage. But it is not helpful to blame or shame women who are faced with the difficult choice between parenting alone or living with a partner who is an economic or emotional drain on the family. Surely we as a society can openly recognize the advantages of a two-parent home for children and offer a variety of kinds of support to couples who struggle to achieve a stable two-parent family arrangement without stigmatizing single parents and their children. Crucially, we need to bolster parents’ own capacity to thrive and be reliable providers for themselves and their children — including fathers, who were often left out of the conversation.

The issue is complicated, and solutions will necessarily be multifaceted. Just as scholars, journalists and policymakers acknowledge the need to improve schools and debate various reform ideas, those of us who discuss and debate questions of society and policy should be frank about the advantages of a healthy two-parent home for children and challenge ourselves to come up with ways to promote and support that institution.

We need to work more to understand why so many American parents are raising their children without a second parent in the home, and we must find effective ways to strengthen families in order to increase the share of children raised in healthy, stable two-parent homes. Doing so will improve the well-being of millions of children, help close class gaps and create a stronger society for us all.

Melissa S. Kearney is an economics professor at the University of Maryland and author of the forthcoming book “ The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and Started Falling Behind .”

Source photographs by eyenigelen and Jasenka Arbanas/Getty Images

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Support Single Mothers in College to Make Education More Equitable for All

To truly address the pressing issues of equity, access, affordability, and completion facing higher education, a growing movement of researchers, philanthropists, student activists, and college administrators are working to integrate family caregiving and support services into a 21st-century vision of college.

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By Barbara Gault & Jennifer Zeisler May 3, 2019

Today’s college communities include 1.7 million single mothers striving to earn degrees that could secure better futures for their families, but only 8 percent of them complete school within six years, due in large part to the difficulties of balancing parenting with schoolwork and jobs.

The challenge is particularly pressing for people of color: Nearly four in ten Black female college students are single mothers, and Latina and Native American women students are also more likely to be juggling parenthood and school without the support of a partner.

Unless colleges and policymakers do more to support single mothers in college—of whom 90 percent have low incomes—they will continue to struggle to access the education that is essential for economic success and a more equitable society.

Emerging evidence suggests that investing in single mothers’ educational attainment would be a worthy economic development priority for current and future generations. A recent analysis by the Institute for Women's Policy Research found that single mothers who complete associate degrees earn $329,498 more over their lifetimes and are 38 percent less likely to live in poverty than single mothers with only high school diplomas.

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These benefits are even more pronounced for single mothers who earn bachelor's degrees. Society reaps savings as well: Investments in child care and case management, which dramatically improve graduation rates, pay for themselves in tax savings and reduced public benefit spending when single mothers graduate. Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York, for example, found that student parents who used campus child care were three times more likely to graduate than those who didn’t receive child care.  

Colleges, communities, foundations, and policymakers have made some strides in increasing educational opportunities for single mothers, but they must be encouraged to do more. Here are five actions that can make a difference:

1. Collect Better Data

Colleges must start tracking how many of their students are parents. This information could help measure the need for services, such as campus child care, which is declining in availability despite growing demand; a 2016 survey of 99 campus child care centers found that the average waiting list included 80 children .

Data can also help schools track performance, persistence, and completion outcomes for students who have children, and proactively offer targeted case management, academic support, or emergency financial assistance when student parents are struggling.

Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York, offers an example. It tracks students’ parent status, as well as the ages of children, in an enrollment survey every term.

2. Consider Parenting Costs in Financial Aid and Student Supports

Colleges can also take steps to understand single parents’ unique living costs, including housing, transportation, and child care expenses, and make sure they are considered in financial aid decisions. One student parent described securing enough scholarship and grant money to pay for part of her educational expenses, but still accruing student loan debt to pay for child care. For many working and parenting students, living expenses far exceed the cost of tuition.

Mount Wachusett Community College offers scholarships specifically to help students cover child care expenses. LA Valley Community College provides students with free diapers, children’s books and clothing, and spaces for studying or playing. As one student parent wrote in The Washington Post , “For me, the hardest sacrifice has been postponing my college degree so I could afford to pay for my daughter’s daily needs—such as diapers, clothes, food and, above all, child care.”

3. Collaborate With Communities

Colleges can make progress through modest efforts on campus and by working with their broader communities to embrace the central role that family care plays in the lives and success of their students. For example, Lane Community College in Oregon has a resource and referral office on campus to help students seeking child care. Miami Dade College partners with Single Stop to connect students to care and help them apply for federal child care subsidies.

In addition to funding innovative programs and outcome evaluations, foundations at both the community and national level can help foster community connections by using their convening power to connect stakeholders. For example, ECMC Foundation has brought together organizations across multiple disciplines to discuss research and practices aimed at improving postsecondary educational outcomes for single mothers. A recent grant to Education Design Lab will engage  other ECMC Foundation grantees as subject matter experts in an effort to marry best practices and research with design thinking.

4. Provide College Support Without Work Requirements

Most single mothers in college spend nine hours per day , on average, on caregiving and housework, limiting the amount of time they can spend on paid work and school. Yet many states have counterproductive policies that put even more time pressure on single parents when they reach out for help. Some of this is rooted in lingering, often implicit, attitudes that low-income single mothers, particularly those of color, must be closely monitored to ensure that social supports are used appropriately.

In Washington, officials require college students to work 20 hours per week—on top of attending school—to access child care subsidies, making it harder for them to graduate. This policy remains in place, despite the state passing legislation designed to dramatically increase the number of adults with postsecondary credentials by 2023 . But in an important first step toward addressing this issue, Washington lawmakers passed a budget earlier this week with a provision that would allow single parents pursuing vocational credentials to access subsidies without work requirements.

States that tie support to work requirements undermine their own efforts to spread college education to all of their citizens, not just single mothers. States such as Kentucky and Georgia provide an alternative approach. They have changed their public child care subsidy rules to make it easier for student parents to pay for child care while in school.

5. Encourage Proactive Policies for Student Parent Success

Some federal and state policymakers have made great advances in helping colleges with the success of student parents. In 2018, for example, Congress passed an omnibus spending package that tripled the funding for Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS), the only federal program that promotes student success through child care. Now funded at $50 million per year, CCAMPIS can make resources available to a larger number of campuses, but the funds still only reach a fraction of those who need them.

The governors of California and New York have both introduced proposals to increase support for student parents. Minnesota’s Postsecondary Child Care Grant provides funding to eligible parents pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees. Maine recently passed its Act to Reduce Child Poverty by Leveraging Investments in Families Today (LIFT) , which provides financial aid to low-income parents who do not qualify for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

Philanthropists should encourage forward-looking policies like these and other programs that lead to educational success for all students, including single mothers.

An Investment for Generations

By doing more to address the needs of students who are single mothers, colleges will achieve better and more equitable educational outcomes and contribute to the economic success of individuals, families, and the country. It will also better position schools to meet the demands of a changing student body; nearly half of undergraduates are now considered independent adult students , who often face formidable financial, family, and time demands, even if they aren’t raising young children. Philanthropists can play a role as thought leaders, conveners, and investors in family-conscious campuses, programs, and communities. Helping single moms helps us all and will pay off for generations.

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20 Ways to Navigate College as a Single Parent

Reviewed by Linda Weems I got started researching colleges and universities about 10 years ago while exploring a second career. While my second career ended up being exactly what I’m doing now, and I didn’t end up going to college, I try to put myself in your shoes every step of the way as I build out College Cliffs as a user-friendly resource for prospective students.

Updated: April 1, 2024 , Reading time: 21 minutes

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Single parenthood still carries a significant chunk of the nation’s family demographic. The Pew Research Center dissected the various profiles of these non-traditional parents. Non-traditional parenting has evolved from the dichotomy of single fatherhood and single motherhood to include cohabiting unmarried parents. 

From a financial persp ective , cohabiting parents, albeit not married, have better advantages over single parents, and those advantages are comparable to married parents.

Of course, the advantage stems from childcare, and all other household expenses can be shared between partners, whereas single parents have to depend on and shoulder everything upon themselves alone.

Explore our college help for single parents:

Single Parenthood in America: By the Numbers

Among single parents, there has been a consistent trend of more single mothers compared to single fathers.

A 2018 Pew Research Center study estimated that of the 25% non-traditional parents accounted for in the national population data, 53% of that subset are single mothers (or 13% based on national data), and 12% are single fathers (or 3% based on national data).

However, the disparity between single mothers and single fathers over the last five decades has become less with the  prevalence of single fathers  in the population, which has grown from approximately 1.7 million in 1990 to 3.3 million in 2020. Data on single mothers, on the other hand, has seen a gradual decline.

Regardless of gender, single parents between the ages of 16 and 24 represent the majority for this subset of the population, at 35% as of 2017, which some people find alarming . What is even more concerning is that a third of all parents are single parents – most of whom are mothers – with little or no college education .

This condition is directly related to the poverty situation among single parents, especially single mothers. Aside from family security, single mothers (and fathers, too) also have to fight the stigma of raising their child or children alone. 

For simplicity and clarity, we will define “single parents” in this piece as follows:

• Unmarried individuals, male or female, with a child or children outside of marriage who are not cohabiting with a partner (regardless of whether that partner is the children’s other parent or not), are also not cohabiting with extended families such as older parents or other relatives.
• They are currently working one or multiple jobs to meet household obligations. 
• In terms of educational attainment, they do not hold a college degree or, at the very least, they have attained some college credits but have been forced to discontinue their studies due to financial circumstances and schedule difficulties.

College Education for Single Parents: A Life-Altering Game Changer

In a 2018 study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), it was concluded that a college degree is a key out of poverty among single mothers. The research is indeed catching up to its subjects. In a previously conducted IWPR study in 2016, student mothers, both married and unmarried, comprise two-thirds of 70% of the total population of parent students.

Within that subset, more than half of 61% is composed of unmarried single mothers. To provide a holistic perspective, in a more recent study, again by the IWPR, single mother students account for close to 10% of all college students in the country as of 2019, which forms part of a significant chunk of the post-secondary student population. 

The growing numbers show that single mothers (and single fathers as well, although their numbers are still playing catchup with the moms), are starting to grasp the undeniable value of education in landing a job that pays and thus, getting them out of the poverty hole.

It has been said that single-parent students are far more motivated and more equipped mentally, skills-wise, psychologically, and emotionally than their non-parental counterparts.

A good grasp of reality brought about by premature parenthood and the real-life experiences that come with it plays a vital role in the tenacity, fortitude, motivation, and resourcefulness of single parents.

Whereas traditional, straight-from-high-school-to-college students with no dependents go to college because it has always been the norm, like they were following the pathway set for them (and saved up for them by their parents), single-parent students are going to school on their own accord.

They go or are going back to school because they strongly believe it is the only way to improve their family’s lives financially and in all other respects.

They also believe that it sets a good example for their children and that their pursuit of higher learning and a college degree leads to a life built around self-esteem, self-respect, ambition, and the drive or pursuit of a better life.

While all that is very admirable, it does not take away that single-parent students face different challenges than traditional students with no dependents. Their needs are specific, if not more challenging.

Fortunately, there are several strategies and resources that single-parent students can take advantage of to make their college experience a successful and enjoyable one, albeit with peculiar difficulties.

20 Ways to Navigate College As a Single Parent

1. get help..

Getting help to watch over children and assist with household chores, thus, giving single-parent students more time to study. You could hire professional help such as a housekeeper who can provide support with almost everything, including chores and babysitting, or even a nanny/babysitter to cover child care. You could also make use of on-campus childcare services , which is a great thing to look for when choosing a school.

You could also look into government programs incentivizing parents to attend college like the “Child Care Access Means Parents in School” program by the Education Department.

You could even ask a friend or a relative to come over during hours when you need to attend classes online or in-campus and also time to take care of additional coursework or homework, which brings us to our next tip. 

2. Stick to a fixed schedule.

Sure, this is easier said than done. However, it is very important to follow a schedule that is as rigid as possible because single parenthood entails holding down multiple responsibilities – childcare, one or more jobs, and of course, school. This is also equally important when hiring help for the kids.

Creating a schedule that coordinates school and works with your designated trustworthy person is very crucial. Most sitters and nannies are taking on this job part-time, so schedule coordination between you and outside help is very important.

When drawing up a schedule with the nanny or sitter, do not cut the schedule too close so that it will only be enough to cover your school schedule.

Factor in study time because there will certainly be assignments that you need to accomplish or submit. It is better for multi-tasking individuals like single parents to do these right after lectures rather than procrastinate , which could be very tempting, especially for online classes. Factor in a little bit of solitude after school and work to give you a breather from your loaded life. 

3. Organizational skills should be second nature.

This may not be applicable if your children are too young to have playdates. However, if you happen to have toddlers and school-aged kids in tow, then the drawing board, the calendar, or whatever you want to call that whiteboard with dates and post-its should be your best friend.

Mastering the art of organization and scheduling is almost innate to multi-tasking parents, especially solo parents. You need to organize school, extracurricular school activities, playdates, your job, your schoolwork, and required activities and have a bit of “me” time as well to keep you sane.

4. On the point of “me” time…

Over the past decade or so, the importance of having “alone time,” “me” time, or solitude amid the chaotic world of multi-tasking and single parenthood is essential to be able to keep an optimal performance at school, work, and at home.

The last thing you will need is to cause burnout. Having a few minutes to yourself helps you recharge mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and to some extent, physically.

Solitude helps one become more creative and reflective and have better foresight, which could help increase one’s planning and organizational skills – two important skills for solo parents juggling multiple priorities. Be careful, though, not to overdo solitude , as it may backfire and may cause counter-productivity.

5. When choosing a college program, consider an associate’s degree.

Now that we have covered your responsibilities at home, let us break ground on your entry into (or back into) college. An associate’s degree is a good pathway to get your college feet wet while earning a legitimate degree that could land you a job or move you up on that career ladder.

The great thing about associate degrees is that it is mostly focused on skills and technical education, basically what you will need for a job or to grow further in the job you already have. Even better is that it only takes two years to complete, so the mental pressure is less compared to when you are staring at four long years to complete a college degree.

Besides, should you decide to further your studies towards a bachelor’s degree, many community colleges across the country offer associate degrees whose credits (some, if not all) can be transferred to four-year colleges and universities. This is a good way to make use of that AAS, AS, or AA degree without spending more time than you should in pursuit of that BS or BA degree. 

6. If an associate’s degree is for you, check for school partnerships.

To ensure that your AA, AAS, or AS degree is honored and lets you transfer the credits towards an accelerated four-year program, check your community college of choice or the program itself for partnerships with four-year programs in other universities and colleges.

This is a popular pathway among students taking the less daunting path of associate degrees while trying to carve a high GPA that increases their chances of getting accepted into four-year institutions.

Of course, for single parents, this is a good long-term plan – you get an acceptable degree in two years, work for a while and save money, and then, once ready, go for that bachelor’s degree through an associate’s degree transfer. 

7. If your finances are strapped, a degree from a community college is not a bad thing.

Attending a local community college is not a bad thing. In fact, it is very much acceptable these days. Most single parents attend public community colleges . Not only does a community college allow you to earn a college degree in two years at most, albeit an associate’s degree, but it will also cost you way less.

For example, several comparisons of tuition fees between community colleges and universities estimate that the price disparity is ten-fold between the two types of schools. So, if you are paying $3,000 per academic year for a two-year program at a community college, expect to pay ten times more annually for a four-year program offered at a university. 

8. Leverage skills learned on the job.

Many universities and colleges offer credits for the prior learning experience, evaluated by the American Council on Education . Another variety is the Prior Learning Assessment, administered by the Council on Adult and Experiential Learning .

There are many ways to evaluate one’s eligibility through this pathway. The CLEP or DSST exams are two of the most common ways of gaining college credits. You may have also worked or currently working at an establishment that the American College of Education has evaluated, and therefore your work experience may count towards college credits as well.

Training certificates and industry or professional licensures and certifications may also be evaluated for this purpose. Military service is most common here. A portfolio of work accomplishments in various media (artworks, whether digital or traditional, written works, websites created, and the like) can also be submitted for credit evaluation.

All these pathways can help you gain college credits, which would help you accelerate your studies. Plus, using your previous (or current) workplace experiences as an entry pass to college can also work for you even after you are in.

If you are currently employed while studying, which most single parents presumably are, you can also apply your course learnings from school to your present work, making this a productive two-way street.

It is extremely practical to choose a program in which you can leverage the skills you already know, thus legitimizing your work and educational credentials. For example, those working at restaurants, cafes, or hotels can pursue an associate’s degree in hospitality management.

Those working as bookkeepers or clerks, or assistants can pursue two-year degrees in bookkeeping, paralegal studies , office administration , or even foreign languages and many more. People who have been working as EMTs and nursing assi s tants , both roles which do not require a degree, can pursue associate degrees in their respective fields. 

9. Consider online colleges instead of brick-and-mortar ones.

The greatest consideration for single parents seeking additional education is that online colleges reduce or, at best, eliminate the commute or travel that brick-and-mortar schools require.

This even works to your advantage (in some respects) if you hold a remote job, which essentially means that you do not need to leave the house anymore except for errands, which you can also delegate to someone else. 

Whether you are enrolled in a synchronous or asynchronous program, online programs offer flexibility and versatility in time best suits single parents. 

10 . Embrace study tools to increase your productivity.

Whether you are taking free courses on MOOC platforms to help expand your knowledge regarding skill-specific or tool-specific sites, or even sites that help you map out your learnings in a creative and yet logical way, or even DIY quiz sites that use AI technology to help with retention and understanding; there are countless study tools that can help you gain a better understanding and comprehension of the material being tackled.

You can even go old school: creating flashcards by using index cards and markers! Enlist the services of your little tyke (or tykes, although that could go south with more kids involved). They can write the flashcards for you, or inversely, they could read back the cards for you to answer.

This strategy is almost like killing two birds with one stone. Not only does it help you study, but you are also spending quality time with your kids. Plus, giving them more things to do can help their motor, sensory, and cognitive skills. Making it now three birds with one stone.

11. Explore student financial aid programs specifically for single-parent students.

As the household breadwinner, financial aid is a go-to avenue to help unburden single-parent students with the cost of a college education. Several grants and scholarships are offered to this student demographic, but we will focus on some federal and private grants that are need-based or based on a student’s financial predicaments. 

Single parents enrolled in college can also apply for a FAFSA grant. One of the more popular grants that single-parent students can obtain through FAFSA is the Pell Grant .

This federal grant prioritizes financial needs, and the single-parent status perfectly fits the bill of qualifications for this grant, should they get it.  The grant is determined by several factors: student status (i.e., part-time or full-time), your program’s tuition schedule, and many more. 

Another FAFSA-federal grant the parent students can avail of is the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) , which grants financially challenged students a maximum of $4,000 per academic year.

The Federal Work-Study Program , or FWS, is also a viable pathway for financial aid, still under the FAFSA umbrella. But the caveat here is students need to check if their school participates in this program, especially if the FWS program applies to students enrolled in an online program.

Otherwise, it is a good program as students can be employed by any government agency, whether state, federal, local or even through private non-profit schools. They must also render community service, which mostly includes tutoring services to children and emergency response activities. 

Other government programs help reduce your tuition and overall household costs and help you tie up with a child caregiver while you are in class. Each state has a Head Start Program , a daycare, and an early childhood instructive center rolled into one. This program is especially geared towards financially challenged families, including single-parent families.

There are also tax programs that help reduce the taxes owed by as much as $1000 per child under the age of 17, which is the schema for the Child Tax Credit program. Another similar example is the Child and Dependent Care Credit program. 

Some schools offer scholarship programs specifically designed for single parents. An example of this is Wilson College’s Single Parent Scholar program. The main draw of the program is covered housing for the parent-student and their two children aged 20 months to 10 years.

The program covers all housing costs and meals while the parent-student pays full tuition and other fees, except if another grant has granted them a scholarship or funding.

This on-campus housing perk alone is indeed a great help for single-parent students attending on-campus programs; they can also participate in group school activities without the worry of commuting or traveling back home. 

If you work for conglomerate companies, such as Starbucks, Wells Fargo, or Chipotle, you can access employee tuition assistance programs . These programs are typically included in each employee’s benefits package. The assistance is usually in the form of reimbursements or disbursements. 

12. Talk to your professors and advisers often and make sure they are aware of your situation.

It is important to keep a healthy and open communication line with your professors and advisers. It is equally important to inform them of your challenging situation. However, some advisers may not be equipped to deal with the peculiar challenges that single-parent students may face.

When placed within your university, it is best to find an adviser who is experienced in counseling parent-students or non-traditional students.

This adviser must be approachable, empathic, and understanding of your situation. They must strictly impose coursework deadlines, lead you to the right academic resources, and motivate you to complete your studies successfully.

13. Participate in group study sessions if you can, in-person or online.

Study sessions do not need to be group gatherings. Nowadays, online schooling also entails online collaboration with other students.

Some students may not be into online or in-person study sessions or even group conference calls or talking about the last lecture and the assignment that came with it. You might even find that you are one of these students, which is completely fine.

With your time constraints as a parent, a student, and an employee, you should not feel obligated to join these sessions either.

There are other ways to be a part of the discussions in the online space. There are group chats, forums like Reddit or Quora, the local forum for your class, “academic Twitter,” and many more. It is not limited to verbal, real-time discussions. You can be a keyboard warrior or a simple lurker in these avenues and learn a thing or two about the course or the material.

14. Keep a constant online presence.

Regardless of whether you are taking an on-campus program or an online program, keeping a constant online presence means being active among your school peers. Aside from course discussions, tips, and tricks of the trade, being proactive in your program’s online portal also keeps you in the loop for important announcements. Use these platforms to sign up for the school or the college’s newsletter.

Signing up for the mailing list is a simple way to never miss a relevant event. Oftentimes, newsletters are where they announce important student and job-based events such as job fairs, internship programs, or even an event where you can take your children to school for a day, kind of like a fair, which should be fun.

If your class has a social media group on Facebook or something similar, join those and activate your notifications, so you are always in the loop.

By simply keeping your virtual alerts on, you will get notified of relevant coursework information as they come without spending precious time scrolling and weeding through the feeds.

Because, as you know, your time as a single parent is precious. You do not want to waste any excess time trying to manage and maintain a social life within your college career. Allow technology to help you stay connected to both school and family.

15. Make sure your kids are aware that you are going back to school and why you are doing so.

We are going full circle here. Make sure that once all these strategies are in place, the first and last thing you must always ensure is that your kid(s) know about your plans to return to school.

If they are below the age of reason but can speak clearly, it is still wise to let them know of your plans to go back to school by using language they can understand. Remind them of it often once the pursuit is underway.

If your child(ren) is older, then it goes without saying that keeping them in the loop of this endeavor is not only important, but it will also instill in them the value of education.

Thanks to you, they can be motivated to do well in their studies. You are setting a good example to your children, one of the best upshots of going back to college and earning a degree.

16. Master the Art of Time Management

Apart from having good organizational skills, single parents pursuing advanced education must learn how to master the art of managing their time. Good time management skills are integral to every college student’s life. It is the only way they can juggle their responsibilities and academic demands.

Managing your time involves evaluating the way you are currently doing things. You may be focused on getting tasks at hand done, or you might be prone to procrastination . You will need to define your tasks in advance to ensure you can plot out your day in a way that helps you become more productive. 

17. Prepare Meals in Advance 

As a single parent, you must do most household chores yourself. One of the most time-consuming parts of parenthood is ensuring your kids eat proper meals at the right time. However, this can be tricky if you work on your coursework and projects.

It can be easy to forget about meals while doing your homework. If you want to make the most of your weekdays, you may want to consider preparing meals in advance. Doing so will allow you to save precious time-making meals every day.

You will only need to allocate a few hours on your weekend to prepare meals and store them in the fridge. When pressed for time, you can always take the prepped meals out and reheat them. Make sure to plan the meals for the entire week. 

18. Don’t Be Afraid to Make Friends with Other Students 

Although you seem not to have enough time in the week to fit in everything in your hectic schedule, making friends with people in your class is a great help for you as a single parent. Connecting with them means sharing time management and other tips to help you navigate college life.

Your classmates understand the challenges and stress you are going through as you complete your coursework and meet deadlines. You can share the burden with them, even if only by simply catching up. It can certainly help manage your stress levels, allowing you to have a willing ear to listen to your rants and academic frustrations. 

19. Make Sure You are Taking Care of Your Health 

Health is wealth, cliché as it may sound. Stay healthy by proactively taking steps to maintain your well-being. This means eating healthy meals and getting proper sleep at night, no matter how busy you are as a parent and a student. More than ever, you need to practice a good work-life balance.

You may want to take vitamins or supplements to compensate for the deficiency and exhaustion you are bound to experience as you juggle your studies and parental duties. Drinking plenty of water can also help a lot. More importantly, make sure to give yourself the time to relax and indulge in your favorite pastimes. 

20. Anticipate Obstacles and Plan Ahead 

The only way to beat particularly challenging academic demands is to anticipate the difficulties and plan how to deal with them ahead of time.

Consider the obstacles that you may encounter. This can include knowing whether professors at your college allow children into the classroom in case of an emergency.

Should you not be able to pick your kids up from school when you are in class, you will need to make a plan to designate someone you trust to do so on your behalf. This can happen if the daycare or school is canceled for the day without your knowledge.

Additional Information:

• Educational Attainment in America: What The Trends and Statistics Say
• Colleges For Busy Adults
• History of Women in STEM Fields
• Best Colleges For Working Adults

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Single Parent Household Scholarship

About the scholarship.

The Single Parent Household Scholarship is available to underserved students who were either raised in a single-parent household, or who are single parents themselves. Students who are involved in their community or workplace and demonstrate financial need are welcome to apply.

• Essay Required : No
• Need-Based : Yes
• Merit-Based : Yes
• Minimum 3.00 GPA
• Residing in the United States
• Seeking an associate, bachelor's, or graduate degree
• Historically underserved population
• Participate in community service, extracurricular activities, or work
• Raised in a singleparent household, or is a single parent
• Demonstrate financial need
• Country : US

Argumentative Single Parents

This essay about the crime rates among single-parent households examines the nuanced differences between single mothers and single fathers. It highlights how external factors like poverty and societal biases, rather than the gender of the parent, play a more significant role in influencing crime rates. The discussion points out that single mothers often face harsher economic conditions and scrutiny, which can impact their children’s exposure to crime. On the other hand, single fathers, despite better economic standings, struggle with societal expectations and a lack of supportive structures, which can also affect their children. The essay argues for a broader societal effort to support all single-parent families by addressing economic disparities and social stigmas to foster environments conducive to positive child development and reduce crime.

How it works

Traversing the intricacies of solitary parenthood constitutes an inherently formidable expedition, regardless of whether it’s a lone matriarch or patriarch at the helm. However, delving into the realm of single-parent families within the context of criminal statistics demands a nuanced approach, teeming with sensitivity and a profound comprehension of socio-economic and cultural intricacies. The discourse on solo mothers versus solo fathers concerning crime rates encompasses various facets of societal configuration, law enforcement perceptions, and the burdens borne by solo-parent households.

Initially, it’s imperative to elucidate that establishing a direct correlation between single parenthood and criminality necessitates meticulous scrutiny. Studies indicate that crime prevalence among solitary-parent families is frequently influenced more by extrinsic elements such as impoverishment, neighborhood crime prevalence, and educational accessibility rather than the parent’s gender. Nonetheless, societal prejudices and stereotypes occasionally paint a dissimilar tableau, hinting at subtleties that warrant closer examination.

Historically, solo mothers have been subject to considerable scrutiny in discussions concerning family structure and criminality. They are disproportionately ensconced in lower economic strata, a variable that research demonstrates is more tightly interwoven with criminal activity than familial composition itself. Solo mothers frequently grapple with formidable hurdles such as diminished earning potential and restricted access to resources, which can obliquely impact their progeny. Research suggests that offspring in economically challenged solo-mother households may encounter augmented opportunities for delinquency, not as a consequence of maternal incapacity, but due to fiscal deprivation and attendant societal and environmental factors.

Conversely, solo fathers confront a discrete array of tribulations and perceptions. While they are less predisposed to abject poverty than solo mothers, they are not impervious to the vicissitudes that can sway familial stability and progeny outcomes. Solo fathers may reap the benefits of societal prejudices that favor masculine earning prowess, yet they also contend with an absence of supportive communal structures that are more readily accessible to solo mothers. The stigma surrounding male susceptibility and the cultural anticipations for men to be less invested in child-rearing can impede solo fathers from seeking or receiving assistance, potentially fostering milieus where antisocial behavior could proliferate among their offspring.

Furthermore, the interplay between law enforcement and solitary-parent families can diverge contingent on whether a solo mother or father is implicated. Gender-based disparities may surface in how solitary parents are perceived and treated by society and law enforcement, potentially influencing outcomes for their progeny. For instance, solo fathers might elicit greater empathy, viewed as assuming a role that traditionally isn’t theirs, whereas solo mothers might face more stringent judgment, engendering disparate stressors that impact family dynamics.

It’s also germane to contemplate the resilience evinced by both solo mothers and fathers in the face of these adversities. Many solitary-parent households defy odds, fostering nurturing and supportive atmospheres conducive to positive progeny development. The triumph tales of progeny from solitary-parent families who traverse the trajectory toward productive, crime-free livelihoods stand as testimonials to the fortitude and resolve of their progenitors.

In summation, while the discourse on solo mothers versus solo fathers concerning crime rates is intricate, it’s evident that economic and societal factors wield a more profound influence than the single parent’s gender. Endeavors to bolster solitary-parent families, regardless of whether helmed by a mother or father, should center on assuaging poverty, augmenting educational accessibility, and dismantling stigmas and stereotypes that deleteriously impact these families. Grasping and addressing the broader societal quandaries that shape these dynamics will profoundly aid in buttressing solitary parents and fostering environs where progeny can flourish, steering clear of paths leading toward criminality.

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The Challenges of Parenting While in College

New research links support and health for undergraduate student parents..

Posted June 30, 2018

• A Parent's Role
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College is challenging. Parenting is challenging. Those who succeed at doing both at the same time tend to have help from strong family and friend support networks. Research now available highlights the role of social support and stress in the physical health of college students who are also parents.

Nearly 5 million undergraduate students are also parents in the United States. Of those student parents, only 26 percent earn their degree within six years. Many of the others leave university for lower paying jobs. Some reasons for leaving college early include not having a strong enough support system including friends and family that can pitch in and help when the student parent needs to stay late on campus or when a child is sick. Others cannot overcome the financial burden of paying for college while raising a child. Many student parents work extra jobs when they are not in class to make ends meet. Many suffer from significant stress that is compounded by juggling two major life transitions at once: becoming a college student and becoming a new parent.

Drs. Eve Gerrard and Ron Roberts found that some student parents question why they are putting themselves and their families through this stress and whether a college degree is really worth it. Since being a student parent often means not doing either role to the best of their abilities, some student parents wonder whether the sacrifices they are making to their education and their children will pay off in the end.

As communication scientists, we recognize the importance of a strong social support network in handling and overcoming challenges in any life stage, but especially when attending college while raising young children. Social network members like family, friends, and others who care can offer instrumental support like parenting advice or study tips. They can also offer tangible support like tuition money or a place to stay. When people receive enough good support, they are better off physically, mentally, and socially.

In a recent study from the Family Communication and Relationships Lab published in Health Communication , my colleague, Dr. Kristina Scharp, and I set out to discover how the costs of seeking support influence the health of undergraduate student parents . Costs of seeking support can be both intrapersonal and interpersonal and occur when people feel stigmatized or distressed about asking for help. It is easy to imagine a new parent who wants to appear confident and like they have they have everything under control may not want to ask for help. Having to ask for help may be intrapersonally costly if it lowers the person’s self-esteem or makes them worry about their ability to solve problems. Interpersonal support costs happen when the person thinks they will looks weak or incompetent to others, or they worry about how others will react to their request for help. For example, if new parents believe they should be able to handle the stress of a new baby and should naturally know how to be “good parents,” they may fear that others will look down on them for needing help. We found that the higher the costs student parents reported they felt, the worse their physical health. Student parents who perceived high costs to seeking support had more headaches, slept less, and exercised less than parents who reported lower costs.

Second, we wanted to understand how the amount of support a student parent desired influenced his/her physical health. People differ in how much support they want from their networks. Here we examined a type of support that relies on communication: social presence support. Social presence support captures the amount of support a person believes they have available to them. When a sibling tells a new parent “I am here for you if you need anything,” they are providing social presence support. Social presence support is about knowing support is available if needed, not about how much is actually given. Social presence was not directly associated with poor physical health in our study, but it was linked to parenting stress suggesting that desiring more social presence support than a student parent is getting contributes to higher parenting stress.

Finally, we tested whether college-based stress and parenting-based stress negatively influenced the physical health of student parents. Like we expected, the student parents in our study who experienced high levels of parenting and academic stress had worse health outcomes. For example, these parents were sleeping and exercising less than their peers who did not experience such high stress.

The major takeaway from our study is that friends and family can make a significant difference in the lives of college students who are also parents . Student parents who feel supported and are not afraid to ask for help are less stressed and in better physical health. Friends and family can remind student parents often that they are there for them and that it is normal to not have everything under control and figured out all the time. Friends and family can explicitly say that the student parent is not expected to be a perfect parent or raise his/her children on her/his own. As the saying goes, it takes a village . This is especially true when raising a child and earning a college degree.

Scharp, K. M. & Dorrance Hall, E. (online first). Examining the relationship between undergraduate student parent social support seeking factors, stress, and somatic symptoms: A two-model comparison of direct and indirect effects. Health Communication. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2017.1384427

Gault, B., Reichlin, L., Reynolds, E., & Froehner, M. (2014). 4.8 million college students are raising children. Institute for Women’s Policy Research Fact Sheet, #C424, 1–2.

Gerrard, E., & Roberts, R. (2006). Student parents, hardship and debt: A qualitative study. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 30, 393–403. doi:10.1080/03098770600965409

Sarason, I. G., & Sarason, B. R. (2009). Social support: Mapping the construct. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 26, 113–120. doi:10.1177/0265407509105526

Uchino, B. N. (2009). Understanding the links between social support and physical health: A life-span perspective with emphasis on the separability of perceived and received support. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4, 236–255. doi:10.1111/j.1745-6924.2009.011

Elizabeth Dorrance Hall, Ph.D. , is an Assistant Professor of Communication, Michigan State University and Director, Family Communication and Relationships Lab.

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Best Family Essay Examples

Single parenting.

905 words | 4 page(s)

Recently, many discussions evolve around the role of children who were brought up with a single parent. Psychologists and scholars, in general, look at these kids and evaluate their future actions in the societies. For some, it would mean that they will become self-reliant individuals in the society, for others it means a different path. Those who choose another way of leading their lives, often meet various challenges and obstacles. As an outcome, they are more likely to commit violent acts or crimes. Thus, one may say that children who were brought up with a single parent are more likely to commit violence than these who come from full families.

Let’s looks at the root of the issue. Children form their psychological image of the world since the early childhood. They would take whatever is given by their parents. The future of their life choices would help with estimation of the family conditions they have grown up in. Usually, one considered a family with two parents as the most suitable option for bringing up a child. In such family, children would be given all necessary care from the side of parents. So, one may conclude about a balanced parenting, in that case.

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Some of the studies support the argument, too. For instance, family facts state that ‘Compared to peers in intact families, adolescents living in single-mother families were more likely to engage in delinquent acts involving serious property crimes’(Familyfacts.org, 2015). The argument looked at in this essay is rather a demonstrative case. Besides the threat for committing crimes, children who come from the single-parent families suffer other psychological deviations, too, Particularly, these include a higher risk of involvement in delinquency. Such a deviation may be explained by the fact of lack parental involvement, monitoring and parental closeness.

The family structure appears to be a determinant factor for the future socialization of a child. The experience one receives during his childhood years often reflects during adulthood. For instance, those who come from families with alcohol-addicted parents are likely to have negative imprints in their memories that come from their childhood. Yet, the process of upbringing as such plays an important role, too. An education is given in a single family often corresponds to the same care and level of closeness as in other families with two parents.

The topic of this discussion often becomes speculated, too. Particularly, it determines the attitude from the governmental side towards single families as well as the attitude towards crime. Particularly, when one thinks of the US policies and its fear of crime, a lot of involved bodies become scapegoats of the perception of crime. Unfortunately, the Bureau of Justice does not track reliably the family background of people who have committed crimes. However, one may find the numbers that are dated back in the years. “The 1987 “Survey of Youth in Custody” found that 70% did not grow up with both parents. Another 1994 study of Wisconsin juveniles was even more stark: only 13% grew up with their married parents.” (Hymowitz, 2012) Judging from this survey, it is obvious that the likelihood to commit crimes is much higher in the families with a single parent.

Although, taking into consideration only the fact of social origin may not provide with a proper survey result. In other words, one shall look at parental employment, origins, social involvement. Only then, some proven conclusions may be drawn.

There is another argument coming from critiques who state that state that mass incarceration may be considered as the fact of actual creation of more single-parent families. The growth of nation’s prison population implies on the instability not only within the families but also within social policies. So, the correlation between a single parenting and violent acts may appear inverse.

In 1991, Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sullivan declared that children who come from a single-parent family were five times more likely to be poor and twice as likely to commit crimes. Besides, he claimed that they were more likely to get involved in criminal activities, drug and alcohol abuse. So, the message coming from a high-ranking official was rather unpleasant. Moreover, it leads to a significant media reaction when people started to make their impressions based on the official statement.

What’s striking in the discussion is that officials would rather prefer to point out on the surveys results that involve family structure but would avoid looking at the issue of upraise of poverty and failure in schools. Thus, the methods for research as well as the outcomes from these research remain rather questionable.

Certainly, one may not deny the fact that children who come from the single mother families are more likely to commit crimes. This statement may be proved by the research conducted annually. However, one tends to forget about other factors that are not less important.

So, overall one may conclude the fact that children brought up in the single mother families are more likely to commit crimes. However, one shall keep in mind the fact of official statements and scapegoating that arises from the governmental level. It is unavoidable to forget about other major factors in that particular stance.

• Hymowitz, K. (2012). The Real, Complex Connection Between Single-Parent Families and Crime. The Atlantic. Retrieved 18 March 2015, from http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2012/12/the-real-complex-connection-between-single-parent-families-and-crime/265860/
• Familyfacts.org,. (2015). Marriage and Family as Deterrents from Delinquency, Violence and Crime. Retrieved 18 March 2015, from http://www.familyfacts.org/briefs/26/marriage-and-family-as-deterrents-from-delinquency-violence-and-crime

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College Essay: My Parents’ Sacrifice Makes Me Strong

After living in Texas briefly, my mom moved in with my aunt in Minnesota, where she helped raise my cousins while my aunt and uncle worked. My mom still glances to the building where she first lived. I think it’s amazing how she first moved here, she lived in a small apartment and now owns a house. 

My dad’s family was poor. He dropped out of elementary school to work. My dad was the only son my grandpa had. My dad thought he was responsible to help his family out, so he decided to leave for Minnesota   because  of  many  work opportunities .   

My parents met working in cleaning at the IDS  C enter during night shifts. I am their only child, and their main priority was not leaving me alone while they worked. My mom left her cleaning job to work mornings at a warehouse. My dad continued his job in cleaning at night.   

My dad would get me ready for school and walked me to the bus stop while waiting in the cold. When I arrived home from school, my dad had dinner prepared and the house cleaned. I would eat with him at the table while watching TV, but he left after to pick up my mom from work.   

My mom would get home in the afternoon. Most memories of my mom are watching her lying down on the couch watching her  n ovelas  –  S panish soap operas  – a nd falling asleep in the living room. I knew her job was physically tiring, so I didn’t bother her.  

Seeing my parents work hard and challenge Mexican customs influence my values today as a person. As a child, my dad cooked and cleaned, to help out my mom, which is rare in Mexican culture. Conservative Mexicans believe men are superior to women; women are seen as housewives who cook, clean and obey their husbands. My parents constantly tell me I should get an education to never depend on a man. My family challenged  machismo , Mexican sexism, by creating their own values and future.  

My parents encouraged me to, “ ponte  las  pilas ” in school, which translates to “put on your batteries” in English. It means that I should put in effort and work into achieving my goal. I was taught that school is the key object in life. I stay up late to complete all my homework assignments, because of this I miss a good amount of sleep, but I’m willing to put in effort to have good grades that will benefit me. I have softball practice right after school, so I try to do nearly all of my homework ahead of time, so I won’t end up behind.  

My parents taught me to set high standards for myself. My school operates on a 4.0-scale. During lunch, my friends talked joyfully about earning a 3.25 on a test. When I earn less than a 4.25, I feel disappointed. My friends reacted with, “You should be happy. You’re extra . ” Hearing that phrase flashbacks to my parents seeing my grades. My mom would pressure me to do better when I don’t earn all 4.0s  

Every once in  awhile , I struggled with following their value of education. It can be difficult to balance school, sports and life. My parents think I’m too young to complain about life. They don’t think I’m tired, because I don’t physically work, but don’t understand that I’m mentally tired and stressed out. It’s hard for them to understand this because they didn’t have the experience of going to school.   

The way I could thank my parents for their sacrifice is accomplishing their American dream by going to college and graduating to have a professional career. I visualize the day I graduate college with my degree, so my  family  celebrates by having a carne  asada (BBQ) in the yard. All my friends, relatives, and family friends would be there to congratulate me on my accomplishments.  

As teenagers, my parents worked hard manual labor jobs to be able to provide for themselves and their family. Both of them woke up early in the morning to head to work. Staying up late to earn extra cash. As teenagers, my parents tried going to school here in the U.S .  but weren’t able to, so they continued to work. Early in the morning now, my dad arrives home from work at 2:30 a.m .,  wakes up to drop me off at school around 7:30 a.m . , so I can focus on studying hard to earn good grades. My parents want me to stay in school and not prefer work to  head on their  same path as them. Their struggle influences me to have a good work ethic in school and go against the odds.  

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College is hard enough — try doing it while raising kids

From Hechinger Report

Hannah Allen attends Hudson County Community College and is the mother of three children. "First you put your kids," she says. "Then you put your jobs, then you put your school. And last, you put yourself." Yunuen Bonaparte/The Hechinger Report hide caption

Hannah Allen attends Hudson County Community College and is the mother of three children. "First you put your kids," she says. "Then you put your jobs, then you put your school. And last, you put yourself."

When Keischa Taylor sees fellow students who are also parents around her campus, she pulls them aside and gives them a hug.

"I tell them, 'Don't stop. You've got this. You didn't come this far to stop. You're not going to give up on yourself.' "

Taylor is exceedingly well qualified to offer this advice. She began her college education in her early 20s, balancing it with raising two sons and working retail jobs in northern New Jersey. And she just finished her bachelor's degree last semester — at 53.

It's a rare success story. There are more than 5 million student parents attending U.S. colleges and universities. Yet they are disproportionately less likely to reach the finish line. Fewer than 4 in 10 graduate with a degree within six years, compared with more than 6 in 10 other students.

Many have long had to rely on themselves and each other, as Taylor did, to make it through.

4 tips for parents and caregivers who want to go to college

Now, however, student parents are beginning to get more attention. A rule that took effect in California in July, for example, gives priority course registration at public colleges and universities to student parents, who often need more scheduling flexibility than their classmates.

New York State in September expanded the capacity of child care centers at community colleges by 200 spots. Its campus child care facilities previously handled a total of 4,500 children, though most of those slots — as at many institutions with child care on campus, nationwide — went to faculty and staff.

For Taylor, child care was a huge issue. She first attended Hudson County Community College in Jersey City, N.J., and later moved on to Rutgers University. While she was in community college, she put her sons in a Salvation Army day care center.

"It's a matter of paying for college, paying for the babysitter or sneaking them into class," Taylor recalled. Even though the community college is among the few that have improved its services for student parents, she remembered asking herself back then, "How am I going to do this?"

Keischa Taylor began her college education in her 20s, balanced it with raising two sons and working retail jobs. She recently finished her bachelor's degree at age 53. Yunuen Bonaparte/The Hechinger Report hide caption

Keischa Taylor began her college education in her 20s, balanced it with raising two sons and working retail jobs. She recently finished her bachelor's degree at age 53.

Experts say there are several factors driving the new efforts to serve student parents:

• They are a huge potential market for colleges and universities looking for ways to make up for the plummeting number of 18- to 24-year-olds. "If you want to serve adult learners, which colleges see as their solution to enrollment decline, you have to serve student parents," said Su Jin Jez, CEO of California Competes, a nonpartisan research organization that focuses on education and workforce policies.
• They offer a potential solution to the need in many states for workers to fill jobs requiring a college education.
• Many parents already have some college credits. More than a third of the 40.4 million adults who have gone to college, but never finished, have children under age 18, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research, or IWPR.
• Another reason student parents are more visible now: The COVID-19 pandemic reminded Americans how hard it is to be a parent generally, never mind one who is juggling school on top of work and children.
• A new body of research has also drawn attention to the benefits for children of having parents who go to college. "The greatest impact on a child's likelihood to be successful is the education of their parents," said Teresa Eckrich Sommer, a research professor at Northwestern University's Institute for Policy Research.

For parents struggling to juggle courses, study time and raising a child, the conflicting demands can seem overwhelming.

Tayla Easterla was enrolled at a community college near Sacramento, Calif., when her daughter was born prematurely four years ago; she took her midterms and finals in the neonatal intensive care unit. "I just found that motherly drive somewhere deep inside," she recalls.

The new kids on campus? Toddlers, courtesy of Head Start

Now 27, Easterla is majoring in business administration at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Krystle Pale is about to get her bachelor's degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz. When she looks at her children who live with her, who are 5, 7, 12 and 13, she chokes up. "I want better for them," she says. "I just want them to have a better life."

Sydney Riester of Rochester, Minn., who is about to earn her dental assistant associate degree, also said her children — ages 3, 6 and 7 — were foremost in her planning: "These kids need me, and I need to get this done for them."

There's a surprising lack of information about students in college who have dependent children.

"Ask community college presidents what percentage of their students are parents, and they'll say, 'That's a really good question. I'll get back to you,' " said Marjorie Sims, managing director of Ascend at the Aspen Institute, one of a growing number of research, policy and advocacy organizations focusing on student parents.

This is slowly changing. California, Michigan, Oregon and Illinois have passed legislation since 2020 requiring that public colleges and universities track whether their students are also parents. A similar federal measure is pending in Congress.

Broader national data compiled by the Urban Institute show that nearly 1 in 4 undergraduates, and nearly 1 in 3 graduate students, are parents. That's more than 5.4 million people . More than half have children under age 6 , according to the IWPR.

Women make up more than 70% of student parents. Just over half (51%) are Black, Hispanic or Native American. Student mothers are more likely to be single, while student fathers are more likely to be married.

Student parents face huge financial obstacles

Among student parents who go to college but drop out, cost and conflicts with work are the most-stated reasons, various research shows. Seventy percent have trouble affording food and housing , according to the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice at Temple University.

Most financial aid is based on an estimated cost of attendance that includes tuition, fees, books, supplies, transportation and living expenses – but not expenses related to raising a child.

Hannah Allen, who attends Hudson County Community College, gets up at 5 a.m. to get her three kids ready for the day. Yunuen Bonaparte/The Hechinger Report hide caption

Hannah Allen, who attends Hudson County Community College, gets up at 5 a.m. to get her three kids ready for the day.

The out-of-pocket cost of attending a public college or university for a low-income parent can be two to five times higher than for a low-income student without children, according to the advocacy group The Education Trust.

A student parent would have to work 52 hours a week, on average, to cover both child care and tuition at a public university or college, EdTrust says. A separate analysis by California Competes found that students in that state who have children pay $7,592 per child a year more for their education and related expenses than their classmates who don't have kids.

But "when they apply for financial aid, they get financial aid packages as if they don't have children," said Jez, at California Competes. "It's ludicrous."

Forty-five percent of student parents who dropped out cited their need to provide child care as a significant cause, a survey released in February found. Yet the number of colleges and universities with on-campus child care has been dropping steadily, from 1,115 in 2012 to 824 today, federal data shows.

Fewer than 4 in 10 public colleges and universities, and fewer than 1 in 10 private institutions have on-campus child care for students , an analysis by the think tank New America found. Other research shows long waiting lists for those centers, while other students don't bother because they can't afford the cost.

"Colleges and universities that enroll student parents should be committed to serving their needs," said Christopher Nellum, executive director at EdTrust-West. Nellum is himself the son of a student-mother, who ultimately dropped out and enlisted in the military, concluding that it was easier to be a parent there than at a community college. "It's almost willful neglect," he says, "to be accepting their tuition dollars and financial aid dollars and not helping them succeed."

Even where child care is available and spots are open, it's often too expensive for students to manage. More than two-thirds of student parents in Washington State said they couldn't afford child care, a state survey last year found. About half of student parents nationwide rely entirely on relatives for child care.

Hannah Allen, who attends Hudson County Community College, gets up at 5 a.m. to get her three kids ready for the day — first the 4-year-old, then the 6-year-old, then the 8-year-old. "I go down the line," she said. Her schedule is so tight, she has a calendar on her refrigerator and another on the wall.

She can't drop off her children at school or day care earlier than 8:30, or pick them up later than 5. "When my kids are in school is when I do as much as I can." She calls her school days "first shift," while her time at home at night is "second shift."

"First you put your kids. Then you put your jobs, then you put your school. And last, you put yourself," Allen explains. "You have to push yourself," she adds, starting to cry softly. "Sometimes you think, 'I can't do it.' "

Limited sources of assistance

There is a little-noticed federal grant program to help low-income student parents pay for child care: Child Care Access Means Parents in School, or CCAMPIS, which last year received $84 million in funding.

The Government Accountability Office found that student parents who got CCAMPIS's subsidies were more likely to stay in school than students generally . But there were more students on the waiting list for it than received aid. A Democratic proposal in the Senate to significantly expand the program has gone nowhere.

The Association of Community College Trustees, or ACCT, is pressing member colleges to make cheap or free space available for Head Start centers on their campuses in the next five years. Fewer than 100 of the nation's 1,303 two-year colleges — where more than 40% of student parents go — have them now, the ACCT says.

These efforts are a start, but more is needed, said Chastity Lord, president and CEO of the Jeremiah Program, which provides students who are single mothers with coaching, child care and housing. "When your child is sick, what are you going to do with them? It becomes insurmountable. Imagine if we had emergency funding for backup child care."

Challenges on top of challenges

Just across the Hudson River from Manhattan, Hudson County Community College, or HCCC, has steadily added programs to support the parents among its 20,000 students.

It has set aside "family-friendly" spaces in libraries and lounges and holds events for parents with kids, including movie nights, barbecues, trick-or-treating and a holiday tree-lighting ceremony. There's a food pantry with meals prepared by the students in the college's culinary program.

The food pantry on the campus at Hudson County Community College. Yunuen Bonaparte/The Hechinger Report hide caption

The food pantry on the campus at Hudson County Community College.

Student parents get to register first for courses. College staff help with applications to public benefit programs. Lactation rooms are planned. And there are longer-range conversations about putting a child care center in a new 11-story campus building scheduled to open in 2026.

The college's 20,000 students are largely poor and many are the first in their families to go to college, said Christopher Reber, HCCC's president. Many are not native English speakers, and 94% qualify for financial aid . Having children, Reber said, "adds insurmountable challenges to that list of insurmountable challenges."

Those challenges can make it extremely difficult for students to earn a degree. HCCC graduates only 17% of students, even within three years, which is among the lowest proportions in the state.

"If a student doesn't know where their next meal is coming from, it doesn't matter how much academic support you offer — the student is not going to succeed," said Reber, in his office overlooking downtown Jersey City.

With a grant it got in January from the Aspen Institute's Ascend, HCCC is expanding its work with the housing authority in Jersey City to help student parents there enroll in, and complete, job-focused certificate programs in fields such as bookkeeping and data analytics. The grant allowed the college to hire a coordinator to work with student parents, and to appoint an advisory committee made up of those students.

Hudson Community College keeps a supply of clothing for students to wear to internships, job interviews, and in other professional situations. Yunuen Bonaparte/The Hechinger Report hide caption

Hudson Community College keeps a supply of clothing for students to wear to internships, job interviews, and in other professional situations.

A new program will reward student parents with financial stipends for doing things such as registering early, and researching child care options, said Lisa Dougherty, the college's senior vice president for student affairs and enrollment.

A few other colleges and universities have programs designed for student parents. Misericordia University in Dallas, Penn., provides free housing for up to four years for as many as 18 single mothers, who also get academic support and tutoring, priority for on-campus jobs, and access to a children's library and sports facilities.

At Wilson College in Pennsylvania, up to 12 single parents annually are awarded grants for on-campus housing and for child care , and their children can eat in the campus dining hall for free.

St. Catherine University in Minnesota subsidizes child care for eligible student parents , and has child-friendly study rooms.

And Howard Community College in Howard County, Md., whose president, Daria Willis, was once a student-paren t, provides mentorship, peer support, career counseling, financial assistance and a family study room in the library.

"That may not seem like a big deal, but those are the messages that say, 'You belong here, too,' " said Chastity Lord of the Jeremiah Program.

Some of the obstacles for student parents are hard to measure, says Jessica Pelton, who finished community college after having a daughter at age 20. She ultimately graduated from the University of Michigan, where her husband also was enrolled.

"You're typically isolated and alone," Pelton said. "I just kind of stuck to myself."

She would often miss out on nighttime study groups with classmates who lived on campus. "Their priorities are not to go home, make dinner and put their kid to bed." Student parents, she added, "don't have the option to go party. We're not here on our parents' money. We're paying our own way."

Some faculty offered to let her bring her daughter to class, she said, which "really meant a lot to me, because it made me feel like a part of campus."

Finding fellow classmates who are parents helps, too, said Omonie Richardson, 22, who is going to college online to become a midwife, while raising her 1-year-old son and working as a chiropractic assistant 35 hours a week in Fargo, N.D.

"I felt very isolated before I found a group of other single moms," she said. "If we had the understanding and support in place, a lot more parents would be ready to pursue their educations and not feel like it's unattainable."

This story was produced by The Hechinger Report , a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education.

Correction April 20, 2024

An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the university affiliation of Teresa Eckrich Sommer. She is with Northwestern University, not Northeastern.