Photo by CC user Queen’s University on Flickr.

If you ask countless moms how important a bachelor’s degree is in life, you might receive myriad of responses.

Some will tell you that the bachelor’s degree they received helped propel them in the job world. Whether they had kids early on before working or took a break from their careers to start a family, most will note how important receiving that education was in their lives.

That said are you a mother thinking about going after a bachelor’s degree in 2017?

If you are, would an online bachelors degree be the right choice for you?

Where Will Your Education Needs Take You?

In the event you are a mom looking to pursue a degree in the New Year, what steps should you take to get the ball rolling?

For starters, know how an online degree will help you in pushing your career forward.

For countless moms nationwide, the idea of holding down essentially two full-time jobs (career and motherhood) can seem like a daunting task at times. That said there are countless examples of women all across the country doing just that. In many cases (at least in the last decade or two), it was their pursuit of an online degree that helped propel their careers forward.

With that being the case, review your current career and look at the following questions:

• Is your career providing you with everything you want at the present time?
• Could your career stand to prosper if you had an online degree in your corner?
• How hard would it be for you to acquire an online degree given your present circumstances?
• Will you have the full backing of your family if you decide to pursue an online degree?
• Is your present employer willing to assist you financially (and give you the time needed) in going after an online degree?

When you are able to answer those questions comfortably, you will be in a much better state of mind to acquiring an online bachelor’s degree in your chosen field.

Getting the Support of Your Family

As important as it would be to have your employer backing you in going after a degree, the same can be said about your family.

Ask just about any mom you know and she will tell you how demanding it can be raising just a single child, let alone a houseful of kids.

That said it is important that your family supports you in your quest to obtain an online degree.

If you do plan to take online classes, it certainly does not hurt to sit down with your significant other (if applicable) and your child, discussing how you will need to focus on your studies at times. In most cases, your husband or partner will be supportive of you. If you are a single mom, you may find that there will be times when a family member or friend will need to watch your child or children so you can study.

At the end of the day, the support of your family as you pursue an online degree can never be taken for granted.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

For many moms out there, the thought of pursuing an online degree while raising a family may leave them with mixed emotions.

Yes, their careers are oftentimes important to them, but the idea of sacrificing time with their kids in order to study can prove difficult.

In most cases, you will be best-served if you try and balance both worlds.

Look at it from the point of view that having that online degree sooner rather than later is a win-win for your family and your career.

On the one hand, you will be in all likelihood improving your career status with that extra education. Typically, that means a better paying job as you move forward.

On the other hand, having an improved career outlook means better things for your family, notably more financial security.

So, if you truly know the value of an education, do you see how getting an online bachelor’s degree fits into the big plan at the end of the day?