When Yesli Vega enrolled in AMU, she became the first member of her family of origin to get an education beyond the high school level. Going back to school presented its own challenges while working as a police officer and raising a family of her own. AMU offered her the benefits associated with her status as the spouse of an army veteran as well as highly-specialized courses to help her move forward in her career. But, perhaps more importantly, it offered her the flexibility she needed to balance home, work and her studies. That’s a tall order and in the end, it made all the difference.

“I was totally able to be a mom. I was totally able to be a wife,” she says. “And now I can incorporate another title — student.” Yesli felt compelled to pursue a degree for a lot of reasons. She believes education is vital to every aspect of one’s life, and that it provides her with a clearer understanding of the world and of better ways to engage. But, above all else, she was motivated to do it for her family.

A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Jason McClaren earned his first degree from AMU in 2011 and his master’s degree in 2014. Flexibility, quality and affordability — those were all big advantages. “The cost-to-value ratio going with AMU, I think, is excellent,” he says. “Compared to brick-and-mortar schools that have a lot of other charges in there, it helps people that are working while going to school.” According to Jason, without the high level of flexibility AMU offers, he would not have been able to reach his goals. “In addition to juggling two jobs and several volunteer positions, the APUS online system allowed me to complete my coursework on my schedule.” He also liked the monthly course-starts.

An AMU education enabled Jason to stay informed in fields that are always changing. “One thing that really stood out to me with the professors at AMU,” he says, “was that they were active in their career fields and able to bring that frontline knowledge to the classroom.” Ultimately, getting his master’s helped set him apart in a highly competitive market, so he was able to pursue his career goals and take care of another priority: his family. All of which adds up to a win-win.

When Kehonsha Young’s daughter was born prematurely at 27 weeks, she weighed 2 pounds, 3 ounces. Her lungs were not fully developed and, unable to take a bottle, she was moved to neonatal intensive care. According to Kehonsha, before she knew it, her daughter was well enough to be discharged. “The nurses at the hospital in Gary, Indiana, took great care of her,” says Kehonsha. In fact, she was so grateful for the care her daughter received that she decided to become a nurse. “I felt that it was my duty to return the favor and help others in need,” she says.

Now a student at the Indianapolis campus of Hondros College of Nursing (HCN), Kehonsha chose to pursue her degree in Practical Nursing at HCN in part because the enrollment process was so straightforward, and because she liked the pace of the program. As a parent, staying organized — and accepting the fact that getting a degree requires sacrifices — has helped her along the way. Her advice to students starting down the same path? “Stay focused. It may not be an easy journey, but it can be done as long as you are determined to do well.”