Modern motherhood includes scheduling play dates on your Blackberry, talking to fellow moms on Facebook, and "logging-on" after the kids are asleep to online education courses.

In fact, according to MediaPost, 88 percent of moms in the U.S. with children under the age of 18 are online. There are only about 40 million moms, total, with children that age, across the U.S. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the greatest percentage rise in college attendance is among women 30 and over. At Kaplan University, a record number of moms are going back to school to advance current careers, further job options, fulfill lifelong dreams, and seize opportunities to contribute to the household finances during the recession.

These moms would attest that online education has changed their lives and given them the chance to advance despite complications in their day-to-day lives.

To Fill Nursing Gap, Mom Returns to College. After working as a nurse for more than 20 years, Katherine Getchel accepted a career-changing management position at a local hospital with a catch: she was required to complete her bachelor's degree. She completed her degree at Kaplan while working full-time, raising a son, volunteering with a Medical Reserve Corps, and healing from a back injury. Katherine is currently enrolled in master's degree in education at Kaplan so that she may help to train future nurses of America.

Military Mom Vows to Complete Degree By 40. An eight year military veteran with five children, Karrie Jensen, promised herself and her kids that she would complete her bachelor's degree just in time for her 40th birthday.

Currently stationed in Iraq, Jenson is scheduled to receive her Bachelor's of Science in Management this July.

Always on the Go. Missy Brown, 25, completed her Bachelor's of Science Degree in Management, Sales and Marketing while running a business as a literary agent and caring for her son with cerebral palsy. Missy used her Blackberry and laptop to complete her coursework as she shuttled between meetings and doctor's appointments.

Online education has made it possible for all the profiled moms to return to the classroom. It is increasingly a viable option, particularly for busy adult (non-traditional) students. Katharine, Karrie, and Missy are living proof that it is not impossible to be a successful student despite the demands of work and family. For more information about online learning, please refer to my earlier posts here and here.

 Please note: No payment nor any type of compensation has been received for this guest post from Kaplan University, and endorsement of Kaplan's programs by Back 2 School Moms is not implied by this post. Always do your own extensive research before enrolling in any college program.

OEDb warns prospective enrollees that online colleges still do not have the prestige they might otherwise earn because of the proliferation of degree mills. But, as a bright spot, OEDb says that "online colleges are now receiving increasing respect from top employers." So, choose your online college carefully, and always check with prospective employers how their organization views online degrees before you plunk down the big bucks to enroll.