Does a single parent have any chance of surviving graduate school?
It’s been done before–by many, in fact. It’s certainly difficult, but most single parents are well-acquainted with difficulty, I think. The effect it might have on your family is something you’ll have to weigh out and decide for yourself. • How long will graduate school take? Masters programs should take 2 years. Doctoral programs may take from 4 to 6, but 5 years is a good heuristic (that includes the Masters, so 5 years total). There are always a few students who take a long time to finish their dissertations, but these students are sometimes viewed unfavorably both by their departments and their potential employers unless they have legitimate excuses. • What is a reasonable financial aid package? This can really vary. Masters students generally don’t receive any aid because they’re done quickly enough to find work and pay off their loans. Most of the financial aid packages I was offered in the PhD programs I was accepted into included tuition wavers for 4 out of the 5 years and eno
