Making Graduate School Fit Into My Life
Contributed by: Sarah Ward ’26 M.S.
As an older adult with children, graduate school felt like something that just wasn’t possible for me for a long time. I constantly questioned how I could be a present parent to my 10 and 15-year-old children, work full time, and still succeed in school. Those worries caused me to delay my education for years because I truly did not believe there was a realistic way to balance it all.
When I found the low-residency Master of Science in Clinical Counseling program at Albertus Magnus College, it gave me hope that maybe I could make it work. The flexibility of the program allowed me to continue showing up for my family while also pursuing something I had wanted for years. Most days looked like school pick-ups, quickly throwing together dinner for my kids, and then sitting down at my computer to participate in class. Being able to attend from home while still learning live with professors and classmates was something I honestly did not think was possible before starting the program.
One of my biggest concerns about being in a low-residency program was whether I would feel disconnected from my classmates. I worried that learning online would make it difficult to form real relationships. What I found instead was an incredibly supportive group of classmates who truly understood the challenges we were all facing.
The friendships I built throughout the program became one of the most important parts of my experience. There were countless moments when we leaned on each other, whether it was encouraging one another before presentations, checking in during stressful weeks, sharing resources, or simply reminding each other that we were capable of getting through it. Graduate school can feel overwhelming, especially when you are juggling so many responsibilities outside of the classroom, and having classmates who genuinely supported and believed in me made all the difference. Even though we were attending classes remotely, the connections felt real and meaningful. That sense of community helped me stay motivated during difficult moments and reminded me that I was not going through the process alone.
Professionally, the program also helped me grow tremendously. Working in foster care, I knew I wanted more and wanted to deepen my clinical skills. The MSCC program challenged me academically while also helping me grow into a more confident clinician. Through both my coursework and clinical experiences, I developed a stronger understanding of myself as a therapist and the kind of work I hope to continue doing in the future. Receiving the Outstanding Thesis Award was an honor that reminded me how far I had come from the person who once believed graduate school was out of reach. Looking back, I am incredibly grateful that Albertus gave me the opportunity to pursue this path while still being present for my family and maintaining my career.
While I may be ending this chapter of my life, I truly feel like my journey is only just beginning.
