Disparities In College

Did you know that in the United States about 25 percent of attending college students are mothers? Almost 62 percent of Weatherford College students are women, according to U.S. News and World Report. This means that potentially 40 percent of females attending the institution are mothers themselves. This is excluding single fathers, whom are the primary caregivers of their children. Many of these parents are not only dedicated to their children and education, they also have to fill the responsibilities of being an employee, sister, and daughter.
As a mother of a two-year-old and spouse, I can confidently say the responsibilities of living on one income is great and often overwhelming. One of the greatest difficulties I am posed with is
having to meet the financial needs for college tuition and the care for my toddler. According to the Bureau of Labor Statics, 82 percent of families rely on one sole income. Thus, my family and I are currently supporting ourselves with the salary my spouse is receiving, yet we must be able to cover our monthly expenses (bills, clothes, food), afford my education and furthermore, a decent child care for our kid.
We are also a young couple, early-twenties, which also affects the income we receive.
On average, a male between the ages of 20-24 will earn an average of $27,040, whereas a female will earn $25,116 a year . According to the U.S. Department of Education, 40 percent of students are between the age of 18-24. Consequently, it has become a very difficult task to become a part of and receive post-secondary education for young parents.
A recent publication made by DFWchild.com stated that center-based daycares cost almost $200 a week, which excludes the average registration fee of $100 per child. Ultimately, when adding the yearly costs, daycare outweighs the price of college tuition. Whereas, a experienced babysitter charges an average of $20 per hour, not including the out-of-pocket expense for food.
When contacting daycares around my area I quickly realized that their rules are egoistic and do not care for the needs of others. In order for me to enroll my toddler he must attend full-time or I must pay full-time, regardless of his assistance. I also considered the option of babysitters around my area, according to their response, the hours I asked for where too little and if I still needed them I had to pay for their transportation expenses. I understand that there are also home-based daycares, which are not reliable as they usually do not possess the necessary permits and licenses for child care. However, their prices were $25 per day, almost the same as professional
institutions.
Currently, I am able to attend online courses in an effort to further myself. Though, soon enough I will need to attend on-campus classes and will be required to leave my child under adequate supervision. The reason I am enrolled in college is to obtain a stable job, received a higher income and education, as well as having the opportunity to climb the ladder of success. However, this is a very difficult task to realize and the costs can add up really quick.
The University of North Texas at Denton, receives government funding to support parents in school.
This is a great example of a university who truly supports and understands its students, this standard should be taken into consideration by Weatherford College. In order to obtain this type of funding, Weatherford college must fill a yearly application for Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (CCAMPIS) with the U.S. Department of Education and meet the requirements. In my opinion, our college is eligible to receive this grant, which has a total of $15,134,000 to be awarded to post-secondary institutions. Also, any and all of low-income parents who receive Federal Pell grants are eligible for participation.
If Weatherford College administrators decided to apply and they receive this aid, I believe it will bring a vast amount of opportunities to itself. Having a program such as CCAMPIS will attract more students. Therefore, the revenue would increase, growth for jobs would be launched and the college can increase its popularity among other communities. The attraction of new students is not the only favorable idea, as opening a daycare center would also bring student jobs and volunteer chances to the college community. I also believe that my child will be in a safe-trustworthy
environment.
I prose we make an effort to convince our college administrators to review our plead and seek this route, as it is a very good idea for us mothers who need to attend on-campus classes once our online options run out.