Colleges tend to consider the needs of English learners, students with disabilities, low-income students, foster youth and other marginalized groups.
However, a subgroup of students that are typically overlooked, but are making their mark on the Delta College campus are student-parents who attend college but are also primary caretakers of a school-aged child.
In a study conducted by UC Davis’s Wheelhouse Research Center, they found that among the nearly 1.5 million California college and university students who applied for financial aid in 2018–19, 13.4 percent were parents and 72 percent intended to enroll in a California community college rather than a public four-year or private university.
The study also determined that the educational experience of a student-parent differs from their peers who don’t have children. They have greater financial need, attempt and accumulate fewer credits per term and are less likely to enroll full-time, persist from year to year and earn a degree or certificate.
One of many obstacles that student-parents face is having access to reliable and affordable childcare so they can attend college.
“My biggest obstacle was finding childcare,” said Sarah Maimone, a multimedia major at Delta College and a mother to a 7-year-old boy.
Maimone said her son attending school during the day played a big role in her decision to return to school and complete her degree.
“Now I have all day to take morning classes and do homework and all this stuff and that’s worked out so great, like honestly if he wasn’t in school I probably wouldn’t do as well in school as I do now,” Maimone said.
Student-parents also struggle with finding a balance between being a parent and a student while finding personal time for themselves, their relationships, household chores and other obligations.
“Some obstacles I’ve faced are not fully giving my son that full attention because it’s split you know,” said Jannell Estrada, a business major at Delta College and a mother to a one-year-old boy.
“I have to split it with schoolwork, keeping the house clean, my baby, my husband,” says Estrada.
Despite the statistics surrounding student-parents and the hardships they face, they’re determined to beat all odds and pursue a higher education to help them secure meaningful employment, gain financial security and have access to resources that grant more opportunities for themselves and their families.
Estrada discussed what she wanted her son to take away from her student-parent experience when he’s old enough to understand.
“What I want my son to grasp is that there are no excuses,” said Estrada. “There are no excuses at all. You got to just move and do it.”
Maimone described how going back to school has had a positive impact on her self-esteem.
“It’s definitely boosted my confidence, but for the most part it validated me,” she said. “Leading up to going into Delta and having this kind of experience, I didn’t really think that I was capable of doing great things. What a confidence to come into this and realize like I have all this talent I really thought I didn’t have.”
Delta College offers many programs and resources to student-parents including but not limited to priority class registration, over 60 online degree and certificate programs, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWorks), Extended Opportunity Program and Services (EOPS), Student Equipment Loan Program, Basic Needs Center, Delta College Health Center and in-person and virtual mental health counseling and support.
For more information about programs and resources available at Delta, visit deltacollege.edu, then click on Services and All Support Services.