Steps to Success

Parental/ Student Advice: Parent-to-Parent

By Jechibea Adu-Peasah, based on a Plaza College parent survey. © 2010

Interested in registering for college? 

Plan ahead and consider the following:

1. Discuss your desires to go to school with your spouse. Teamwork and careful planning is needed.
2. Examine your life, schedule, and finances. Speak to your partner before registering for school. Explore whether the best time to return to school is ‘now’.       
3. Is your spouse’s work schedule complimentary to your school schedule or does it create a conflict?
4. Is your spouse able to handle more responsibility such as chores and cooking? Can your spouse ensure that the children are able to complete their homework daily in your absence?
5. Look at your budget. Can the household survive with one income? If it is financially possible, your next step is to decide whether day or evening classes are best.
6. If it is not possible, work part time and take evening classes.
7. Do your best to pay off joint bills and complete any immediate projects that may pose a problem later.
8. After careful planning, and coordination with spouse:
   1. Research and register for school.
   2. Choose a major that interests you. Determine if it will lead to a career choice you will commit to doing after you graduate.

After Registering:

Choose a Support System.

It is not easy for a parent to juggle the duties of a job, household, and homework simultaneously. It will take time to find a balance. The more support systems you have, the greater your success you will have in earning a GED/ College Degree. Our Plaza Parents have shared that the following support systems helped them to succeed and not give up:

• Family support: Household chores require a lot of planning. This area is a true challenge for single parents or mothers that have returned to school full-time. Without a schedule, the house, the dishes, and laundry will look like a disaster zone!

• Have a discussion with your spouse and children. Let them know what your educational goals so it is clear to them how they can help you reach your goals.

• Delegate all chores with family so all are active in making your educational dreams possible.
• Spiritual Support: If you are spiritual, worship, pray and/or meditate, whatever your beliefs.

• Mental Health / Physical Support: Avoid stress when possible. Try to do your best but don’t burn yourself out. Release stress by doing Yoga, Pilates, or simple stretching 30 minutes a day.

 

• Lacking Household Support?  Try the following:

• Take care of all your cooking and cleaning in the day.

• Arrange play dates: drop your kids off with the Grandparents or close relatives for a few hours. Use that time to rest, study or fulfill any personal needs.

• Arrange to have a baby sitter or family member watch your children when you are at school. Allow at least one hour to arrive to school early so you can do your homework.

•  Study on the way to and from school.

 

• Time Management: If returning to school, now more than ever, time management becomes crucial. In order to ensure your success in school, you must set aside time for all personal and family needs.

• Create and maintain a schedule: for bills, chores, school meetings, doctor’s appointments, vaccination schedules, birthdays, school closures, and more. Lack of planning will affect the entire household!
• Make note of the project due dates: You can avoid losing points off your grade by submitting your homework on time. Keep track of your due dates in a calendar or planner.
• Feeding an Army:
  • Go grocery shopping for the week. Don’t forget the coupons!!

• Prepare meals for your family 2-3 days in advance. When your spouse or kids get home they can reheat any of the home-cooked meals you have prepared while you are in school. In addition, when you come home, there is no need to call for take-out. You should have some choices of food to reheat.

• Short on time? Order take-out!

• No time for dishes?: Use paper plates.  Assign the task of dishwashing to your eldest child.

 

• Study Tips: Which study habit suits you?
  • Practice Good Note-Taking: reading, note taking, solving workbook assignments, using flashcards are easy are effective study tools. Doing a combination of the above helps busy parents memorize key terms and concepts as the write. Repetition is key to long term retention.
  • Study on the go.  Depending on the age of your child, you may find yourself studying a few minutes at a time, whenever, wherever possible. A parent who has a demanding schedule will find that the use of flash cards is convenient, as they can study on the go and avoid lugging heavy textbooks around. It is convenient to use when at the park, if you have a long commute time on a bus or train, or when doing laundry.

 

• Going Solo:

• Determine if you are the type that needs to study alone. Many parents feel relaxed and are able to concentrate more after everyone has gone to bed. Others prefer to wake up very early to have coffee and study alone before the entire family wakes up for breakfast.

• Study on the go. Take your flash cards and study on the go. Use them when you are on line in the bank, doing laundry, taking the kids to the park, while commuting on the train, or stuck in traffic.

 

•  Study in Numbers: 
  • Find creative ways to combine Family Time with Study Time.
  • Take your kids to the library. This doubles as family time. Go to the library and do your homework together. You are setting a great example to your children when you make it a priority to do your own homework. Your children will develop a love for reading, and you would have succeeded in peeling them away from the television for a few hours.
  • Study with your spouse.  Have your husband/wife quiz you on your test material.
  • Study Groups are possible but generally possible outside a busy home. If this is not your style, you can study one on one with a classmate or relative.

 

•  Practice Honesty and Integrity: Don’t take any short cuts.

• Cheating on tests, Copying homework, and Plagiarism (copy research information with out citing your references) is a dangerous thing. It is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and it can lead to an automatic ‘F,’ suspension, and even expulsion.

• If you do these things, you are throwing your hard-earned money out of the window.  Furthermore, you will not get your money’s worth. You made an investment to learn. If you cheat your way through college, you will lack the necessary skills needed for your career and will not be able to work independently.

 

• Keep your eyes on the prize.

• Don’t get distracted. You are not in school to over-socialize.  If you practice poor study habits, your grades will suffer. Some sacrifices need to be made so you can graduate.

• Be an example to your kids: Stay focused and committed to your goals. Remember you are there to obtain a degree and provide a better life for you and your family. Your children will be motivated in school when they see and hear about your success.

• Sacrifice, perseverance and hard work equal success. You can do anything you put your mind to: Stay focused and committed. In order to succeed it is important to get out of your comfort zone to move to the next level.  Regarding sacrifice, Mr. O. Johnson, a full-time Medical Assisting student and parent, states it best: “Anything worth getting is worth fighting for.”