10 Reasons Parents Can Go to MTSU
When I was in high school, I had applied to several colleges similar to most other people in my class. I then found out I would be a dad. I had to change all of my plans to find a place to go to college that offered my major and accommodated me as a parent. I came across MTSU and it fulfilled all of the requirements I needed to be able to care for my child and go to school. Here are 10 reasons why I will be successful at MTSU and so can you.
- MTSU has an accepting student body.
As a young parent, I feared being made fun of or discredited. MTSU has some of the kindest and most approachable people I have seen. The professors are understanding and care about each student no matter their background. I have not heard of a student complaining they could not get help from their professors. During my first semester when my son was born, I talked to my professors and made friends in my classes. I was able to miss a few day when my son was born and not get behind because of my caring professors and accepting student body.
2. Tuition is cheap.
College and cheap in the same sentence? What is this blasphemy? MTSU is 63% cheaper than the average Tennessee school ranking 3rd in Tennessee for affordability. The tuition for 16 hours of classes is only $4,530. After 8 semesters it costs $36,240 which is less than a single year at some universities. Wages after college at MTSU averages at $42,700 which is great considering the little amount of debt needed to earn that much. Remember that having a family is much easier with a good income. Four years and $36,240 is a small price tag for family security.
3. You can live anywhere you want.
Well, not anywhere. I imagine it would be hard to commute from somewhere like the moon every day (that’s if you even believe the moon is real). I am fortunate enough to have a loving family that I am staying with during college. One of the main reasons, I chose MTSU is because freshman are not required to live on campus. MTSU is know for being a commuter school with 84% of students living off campus. I live off campus and save money that way, but gas gets expensive. My bill is roughly $250/month.
4. There are plenty of places to live off campus.
If you do not have someone to stay with during your college career, you can be comforted by knowing there are lots of places to stay off campus. The average cost for a 2 bedroom apartment in Tennessee is $770 which is $257 less than the national average. However, the average is a little higher in MTSU’s home city of Murfreesboro, so you will want to consider commuting.
5. Babies aren’t as expensive as they say.
What?! You mean my high school gym coach was wrong? Let’s say you are a low income student with a breastfed baby. Health insurance is free because of Medicaid. Food is covered for you by SNAP and WIC covers formula if the mom can not breastfeed. The only costs left are diapers and wipes. The average baby uses excess of $550 worth of diapers a year. That’s less than $50 a month! Add in the wipes and the cost goes up to a mere $70 a month. That’s less than a sixth of the average car payment in 2017.
6. Middle Tennessee has jobs.
I am currently working for Walmart to pay for my baby. A couple of the Walmart in Tennessee start at $11.00 an hour. They have extremely flexible hours and overnight crew gets $13.00 an hour. This allow you to work within your schedule to get the amount of pay you want. Keep in mind, you just have to find a temporary job that pays the bills until you get out of college. Remember your final goal of making the money you want, and what it takes to get there.
7. Your budget can work.
If you work full time overnight, you can make roughly $2,040 a month. After diapers and housing, you will have about $1200 left over. This is enough for food and transportation. I know working overnights and going to school seems impossible, but always keep your goals in mind. Know that sacrifice now will mean less sacrifice later.
8. MTSU has a free mental health clinic.
Mental health counseling can cost hundreds of dollars, but at MTSU it is free with your tuition. If you are struggling with postpartum depressing, you can go at no cost with complete confidentiality. There are experts in their field there to help you. College can be very difficult. It is very difficult for me not to see my child for upwards of 12 hours a day and I am thankful that if it ever becomes too much I have a place to go.
9. There are day care facilities on and off campus.
MTSU offers a day care for your child and so do many places outside of campus, so if you are a single parent it is still possible for you to go to college. The day care ranges from ages 1 to pre-K. The price is a shocking $250 a semester.
10. MTSU is not difficult.
College is not what your teachers in high school said it is. The average student spends only 6–10 hours a week studying. This allows you to work and spend time with your child. I spend even less time than this on most weeks because of resources such as rate my professor. Keep in mind college is hard on its own. Never feel bad giving yourself a foot up by selecting easier classes.
Those are 10 reasons you can be successful. However, I would be doing you a disservice if I did not give you reasons you should not go to college. First of all, and most important, you need to be a strong student. I graduated with a 4.2 GPA and a 28 on my ACT and still struggle with content in college. You should not go to college if you do not have rigor in your blood. College is extremely rigorous. There are many paper you will have to write and a decent amount of homework no matter how easy your classes are. Finally, you need to know you. Find out what matters to you and what you are willing to do to achieve your goals. Know what success is for you and find the path that most easily gets you there. The last thing I want is a young family in debt because college was not for them. Whether or not you choose to go to college does not matter as long as you are doing what you think is right for you and your family.
