Dads may not realize it but not only does what they do affect their lives but it affects the life of their kids in more ways than one. Kids watch everything you do, and if you are unable to support your family or lack a higher education, they take note. And, this is one of the best reasons for dads to go back to school and make a better life for their kids.

My son remembers things that I have said or done that I do not remember saying or doing. I know he watches me, and I feel it is important that he see my struggles so that maybe he will chose a different path when it comes to picking a career and getting the the education he needs to succeed far before he reaches adulthood and fatherhood.

Those words that our parents say always seem to fall upon deaf ears when it comes to school and education. When we are young, we do not feel that it is important to spend even more time in college after graduating high school. We just want to be free. But actually, we are never going to be free if we have to continue working for a menial paycheck or overbearing bosses all of our life. Plus, how many dads do you know that miss out on a lot of the firsts or special events for their kids because they have to work? And maybe you are one of them.

If you choose to sacrafice just a couple of years right now, by going to school and getting that degree that will put you on track to a better income, then chances are you will have more time in the future to spend with your kids...before they are all grown up. Plus, by returning to school, you will be teaching your kids how important an education is and that even if they put off school, one day they will more than likely have to return in order to make ends meet.

There has been a lot of talk about all the scholarships for moms lately, but there are also scholarships for dads.

For generations it has been a father's responsibility to pay for the bills. Sometimes the wife, mother will contribute but sometimes, if she is a stay at home mother, her job is to take care of the family and home. And it is up to the dad to bring in the money to cover all the expenses.

Unfortunately, as everything costs more and more but paychecks do not seem to increase at the same rate, it is often difficult for may dads to cover all the monthly bills. And there are really only a couple of options in this case.

One, is to get a better job. This is usually easier said that done, as getting a better job usually entails going back to school. Which is the other option. If you are not making enough money or unhappy with the job your currently have, then you have to go back to school to be trained in a different field or get the degree you need for a promotion.

There is money that can help you make this happen. If your income qualifies, you can get financial aid from the government that will help you pay for school. And it does not have to be a four-year college. Even trade schools, as long as they are accredited, can be paid using financial aid.

There are also scholarships for dads in which you can receive even more help. Some of these scholarships are hidden under the name of scholarships for the non-traditional student, which just usually means the older over age 24 student or student returning to school after an absence. Be sure to ask you school if there are any scholarships such as this.

And there is also the Scholarships for Military Men that will pay for schooling too. As long as you are either currently in the service, a veteran, or in the reserves, you can probably qualify for this assistance too.

Finally there are contests. Sometimes they are somewhat unusual scholarships but if you can get some extra help, why not. There are some for those who are very tall, very short, left handed, Start Trek expert, and more.Even Duck Tape has a prom contest in which you have to make and wear prom attire out of Duke Tape. Now tell me that is not unusual.

The key, is to be diligent. If you are persistent and think out of the box, you have a good chance at getting the financial help you need for school.

According to U.S. Census Bureau statistics, people with a bachelor's degree earn over sixty
percent more on average than those with only a high school diploma. Over a lifetime, the
gap in earning potential between a high school diploma and a B.A. (or higher) is more than
$1,000,000.

WOW!! That is a million bucks. Those are life-changing numbers to most of us. Unfortunately, a lot of dads just do not believe that there is enough time in the day to go back to school. But did you know that you could earn college credits for life experience at some schools?

Yes, some schools offer to let you test out of subjects if you can demonstrate you have the knowledge. Espeically for some of those elective classes. And you can do this through:

1. Prior Learning Assessment (also known as Assessment of Prior Learning) Portfolio
2. 2. Credit by exam (testing out of certain subjects)
3. 3. Military service
4. 4. The American Council of Education approved workshops, courses, and seminars - otherwise known as ACE.

One such college is Charter Oak State College, who lets you use the testing option to show what you know through life and/or work experience. And, if they do not have a standarized test for your area of expertise, you can do a portfolio assessment.

This is not the only school that offers this option, so when you are considering where you want to get your degree, then be sure to ask about the option of testing out of some courses, which will shorten your time in school, thus letting you earn a degree quicker.