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the financial aid possible.

As a mother, whether single or married, you should qualify for the Pell Grant, Federal Subsidized loans, and other financial aid as well. With the help of this federal money, and quite possibly private grants and scholarships as well; you should be able to pay for your tuition, books, and internet service. You may even be able to purchase a new computer, necessary software, and other supplies needed to complete your degree. This is especially important if you are a single mother, or a family with a single income. You are looking to minimize your time requirement, so you definitely won't want to take on a second or third job to pay for college.

3. Consider child care.

Think realistically; if you can't answer the phone or do a load of laundry without a tornado ripping through your home you might want to think about hiring a babysitter or nanny. If this isn't an option, maybe you could work out something with a close friend or relative.

You may only need a couple hours a week, or as much as a few hours a couple days a week. Either way, you will need some uninterrupted time to work on projects, read necessary materials, complete research and assignments, and study for tests; just the same as you would if you attended a traditional college. Having an extra hand to help out with your kids will allow that needed time. Simply hoping that everything will work out itself is not realistic. Make sure you have options before your assignments are past due.

4. Know your options and do your research, find the right school and the right program for you.

It is important that you develop a plan and do everything you can to obtain the tools necessary for success. There are options out there to meet just about any student's needs. There are online colleges that offer condensed courses, where you can take one or two courses at a time, and complete your degree in a much shorter time period than traditional college. These courses usually run between 5 and 9 weeks, so it is imperative you are ready for that commitment.

There are synchronous online college programs in which you must log into your classroom on specific days of the week at specific times of the day. These are nice if you need to feel like a part of a classroom, everyone is there at the same time working on the same things. One drawback, however, is that you must meet these attendance requirements or drop the class. Another option is asynchronous online colleges where your attendance

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