What It Takes - Young Mothers in Pursuit of Higher Education

Lucrecia, Teen Success, Inc. Scholarship Recipient 2019

Navigating the college systems of financial aid, course selection, and applications is challenging for any student, but doing so while also providing for a child creates additional barriers for parenting students. Without support systems to overcome their specific challenges and the needs of their families, young mothers have very little chance of successfully navigating the path to a meaningful degree on their own. Nationally only 2% of young mothers obtain a college degree by the age of 30. Teen Success, Inc. is working to support young mothers on their post-secondary path, while they're also supporting their families.

Young Mothers Want to Go On to Higher Education

Teen Success, Inc. is piloting a post-secondary program, created with participant’s direct feedback about their experiences and challenges with getting a college education, such as childcare and transportation, and their need for continued support. In this continuation program, Teen Success, Inc. partners with graduates of its high school program in pursuing college or a job training program.

A Critical Partnership

Advocates stress the importance of continued education to all of high school program participants. They partner with their members to complete FAFSA applications, apply for scholarships (including the Teen Success, Inc. Scholarship), and attend meetings with administrators and counselors at college campuses. “Support is the biggest thing,” says Stephanie Brown, Senior Teen Success, Inc. Advocate, “You need people who are willing to help you. It’s a learning process of what’s needed to support young families in college.” ​

Stephanie Brown, Senior Teen Success, Inc. Advocate

Staring Down a Catch-22

Still, young mothers continue to come up against serious obstacles, such as needing to maintain a full-time student status for financial aid. Over 90% of Teen Success, Inc. members are living in poverty and require financial aid to attend school, however, because they have their own children, many can’t apply for aid as dependents. They also need to provide for their children, including the costs of quality child care and preschool education. It’s a catch-22 most young mothers face – being caught between needing financial aid to go to college and attain a stable, well-paying job, versus working to provide for her family’s needs right now.

From left: Stephanie Brown; Teen Success, Inc. San Jose Scholarship Recipients Evelyn, Sofia, Lesly, and Kassandra; former Teen Success, Inc. Advocate Alexandra Hill

An Uncharted Way Forward

Meeting the needs of parenting students in college is challenging and critical to ensuring the long-term success of young families. This pilot of a post-secondary program is revealing the supports young families need in order to be stable enough to thrive in college - secure housing, a reliable and flexible job, and good childcare. Additionally, applying for financial aid, balancing a full-time schedule and a job, and additional scholastic support for Spanish speakers are other areas of needed support. One college student and Teen Success, Inc. Scholarship recipient says, “I want my son and I to live in a neighborhood where it's peaceful, safe, and out of poverty, and an education can get that for us.” 
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Teen Success, Inc. will continue to share its post-secondary pilot learnings in the coming months and will also continue to support young mothers to break the cycle of poverty in their families through education, ensuring that they, and their children, will thrive.