When thinking about attending college you may think that you need to make the transition as soon as you finish high school since that is what has been done in the past. However, more and more students are taking time off before starting university. In an article titled “Credibility in Your Gap Year,” it states: “Taking time off helps students regain focus and recharge for the rigors of college – and also fosters their emotional and intellectual maturity. Some of those who have done so say that taking a gap year helped them reapply to a college that had previously rejected them. Most professionals advise against taking [a gap year] just to position yourself and improve your resume. There needs to be a greater sense of purpose. Fast forward another five years and this time I was seriously trying to apply to college, but now there were three kids and I quit my job (daycare wasn't a viable option with three kids) to be a stay-at-home parent not bringing in any type of income, college still wasn't going to be an option available anytime soon. When my youngest child was three, I decided to start looking for college again. I knew it would have to be online since my family's schedule didn't allow for anything else. “College students with children are common and face many challenges in completing higher education,” she says. “Being a parent substantially increases the likelihood of leaving the college without a degree." I heard about WGU Missouri (Western Governors University) and knew it was my ticket to earning my teaching degree since they are completely online. Excitement doesn't even begin to describe how I felt knowing I could finally start college. However, my excitement quickly turned to disappointment when I learned that to be accepted I needed to have at least 12 credit hours already under my belt. At this point, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. I also found out that my husband and I were expecting our fourth child. I knew it would be necessary to push college. Arrangements were made with the family; they were willing to help me with the kids when I needed it, as long as they were available. The article titled “College students with children are common and face many challenges in completing higher education” states: “Students' parents attend community colleges more than any other type of institution (50%) and make up 29 % of all community college students. . Yet child care facilities on campuses are becoming less common, and community colleges have fewer child care facilities than four-year institutions.” I finally started college in the spring semester of 2016. My initial enrollment was supposed to be half-time. I was enrolled in three classes and would be starting January 11, 2016. I knew I needed a student loan, but it wouldn't be processed before I needed to make my first payment. With vacation and personal property taxes due in December, I dropped two of the three courses I was enrolled in. At that point, I felt like I had to jump through a lot of hoops to make college happen for me. I was determined to move forward; the loan documents were filled out in a timely manner, so I would not be required to pay out of pocket. A further obstacle came my way; since I was a first time borrower at MCC, I had to wait 30 days before any loan payments