Being a student and a parent at the same time is nearly impossible

Taylor, whose name I have changed to protect her identity, works the graveyard shift. Her nights end at 7 a.m. when she leaves the hotel, and her mornings begin with getting her kids ready and dropping them off at school by 8:20. Then she attends two classes — one virtual and one in-person — at the College of Southern Nevada. Her days are a blur of naps, studying, lectures, meal prep and pickups from two different schools. She’s sustained this grueling schedule for several semesters, betting on herself and her children — two generations at once.

Taylor is not an exception. In the U.S., over 4 million college students are raising children, and nearly 60% of student parents also work full-time. Yet higher education systems and public policies still cater to a “traditional” student: young, u