<p>My senior year of high school, I got pregnant. I graduated on time 3.9 GPA with a full scholarship to the University of Minnesota. That sounds nice, but it wasn’t life was rough i’ll just say that… I left the U joined the Navy Reserves was gone for a year, came back and started school again at the community college just to get my foot in the door. </p>
<p>Now I’m desperately seeking to transfer and rebuild my life. I’ve been through a lot and want a fresh start in life. I won’t go back to the U they ****ed me off.</p>
<p>Anyway which one of these women’s colleges do u suggest? I know not all colleges have family housing. That has been my biggest challenge in searching for a college. Also I would like a supportive atmosphere for student parents, somewhere that maybe has student parent organizations. Also a nice surrounding location where I would feel safe raising my child, has a lot of activities, and a nice community.</p>
<p>I know someone who went to Smith as an Ada Comstock Scholar. She was the single parent of two children. (Divorced, with an ex who provided no child support and had no contact with the kids.) It was not easy to survive, financially, and difficult to juggle the responsibilities, but she made it through. She applied and was accepted after racking up a year of As at community college, on the advice of a professor.</p>
<p>I know from experience (not being in the program, but having close friends both with children and without children who are) that the Ada Comstock program at Smith is great. There is on campus housing available for families, it’s apartment style so you wouldn’t be eating in the campus dining rooms and you’d be living with other people who are either married or have children. Smith works with you closely to help you figure out your financial situation and how you’re going to provide for your kid during a time when you probably won’t have a job. There’s the whole Ada community to draw on, some but not all of whom will have kids. I think it’s definitely harder to integrate into the predominate campus culture with a child (you aren’t like other undergrads, you have responsibilities and a not very flexible schedule) however you will have this great Ada community which is sort of a campus culture within a culture and they will know what you are going through and will be able to really support you. Professors I find are very tolerant of childcare needs (they are parents too more often than not) and you have a campus full of female undergrads in need of cash many of whom are experienced babysitters. </p>
<p>So like others have said, I don’t know if the Ada Comstock program is the best, but it is there and it is the one I know, and it’s pretty good. I think it is the oldest program. Adas are accepted as a part of campus life, and like I said, I’ve had many good Ada friends whose wisdom and perspective I really value. It’s worth checking out certainly.</p>
<p>Simmons has the Dix Scholars Program, am not sure about the housing issue, but about 25% of their undergrads are women over the age of 24 who have gone back to school.</p>
<p>Check out the Women With Children Program at Wilson College in PA. This college isn’t nearly as selective as Smith, Wellesley, Bryn Mawr or Mount Holyoke. It’s even less selective than Simmons, which isn’t in the same league as the others when it comes to admissions standards. However, I have known bright women who have gone there and thrived, and the support for women with children may be unparalleled.</p>
<p>Check out Mills College. If you are willing to move west, there is a great amount of support on campus. There is priority apartment housing on campus for single mothers, along with priority enrollment for your children at the children school on campus.</p>
<p>I’m a Smithie with an Ada expecting her first child in her math class. She loved the program there and her grad. date was flexible, as for all the Adas :D</p>
<p>Mills has loads of supports for resumer students who aren’t traditionally aged, and is generally super progressive about this sort of thing, that’s my understanding. :)</p>
<p>For a warmer alternative, I have heard for years about a program at Texas Woman’s University called SPARK (Student Parents Also Raising Kids). They also have housing for single parents as well as a named scholarship for single parents.</p>