ASU's BSN program Versus MCC @ Boswell and then RN-BSN

U.S.A. Arizona

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I need some advice. I live in the far west valley and am a mother to 3 children still at home. I was accepted into ASU's program to start Spring 10 and a slot has opened up for me at the Boswell campus through Mesa CC. I need to find a balance between my nursing school and my family.

Advice on the time committment to each of these? Days/times I will be away from home? How challenging is each of these programs. The way I see it I have two options:

1.) Go to ASU and spend 2 hours a day driving, as well as class/clinical time five days a week.

2.) Go to Boswell and spend less time driving and less time in the classroom and then go back and do the RN-BSN route. ( I already have the 10 upper division classes done, as well as all of the pre-reqs so all I have is the NUR classes). With this option I would have to work and go to school, right now I just go to school.

Has anyone experienced either of these and can give me some insight on these options? Any help/direction would be appreciated. Thanks!

I am definitely no expert but i do know that there are a lot of RN to BSN programs that you can do online. If you do well in online classes it might be the best way to go family wise. I have 2 kids and one on the way in the next couple of weeks and that is my plan.

Hello! I am a similar situation. I used to live in Phoenix but am now living in Virginia. I am applying to an accelerated BSN program. I have 1 child in school and one who is 2. The school is about 50 miles from me so I would be commuting as well. I am still going to apply and see what happens as it wouldn't start until next year. The CC's here have a huge waitlist which I can't be bothered with. Plus I would much rather have another bachelor's instead of an ASN.

My advice would be to try and attend ASU. Getting accepted into ASU is one big feat so congrats! Have you already been going to ASU for the pre-reqs? It would be hard for me to pass that opportunity up as it is such a competitive program to get into. When does your program start? In January?

Good luck and I hope your choice works out for you!

Well I am in my first semester of the ASU program. It is definitely intense, there is no sugercoating that. I am also a Mom but my son is older so less demanding on my time than small children. However we do have some Mom's with small ones and they are making it work. I would hate for anyone to pass up the opportunity. I've been so impressed with the professionalism, caring, experience and knowledge of our instructors. This semester we spend about half days in class Mon, Wed, Fri. Tuesdays and Thursdays are a full day. I usually spend afternoons on those short days and some weekend time studying. Next semester is looking like we will have only one short day so the schedule with study time definitely amounts to more than a full time job. Hopefully this info helps, let me know if you have any more questions I might be able to answer with my limited experience. Oh one thought on the commuting. We do have lots of people who carpool and ride the light rail. This may be an option to either shorten your commute or at least make it so you can use it as reading time. Just a thought.

Specializes in None Yet.

ASU is not an easy program to get it. If you are in, I would say you need to go! It is worth it to get it all over and done with and have your BSN. There is not doubt it will be hard, and time consuming and some days and weeks your kids may get almost no time with you. But you are doing a great thing for your entire family. I am a mother of two and have been in school for two years and I have two to go still. Have you looked into Chamberlain? It is on I17 & Dunlap. They have a great BSN program and are accepting acclications now because they are new to AZ. If you got into ASU, you will get into Chamberlain also...the point is to get your degree, and preferably a BSN...in my opinion.

This is a hard one. I am a senior in ASU's program, do not have kids, and feel that it is very time consuming. If time is all you are concerned about, I would choose the ADN route. I heard from a friend that did a semester at ASU and now at a community college that you are in class/clinicals a lot less time.

This past semester I had class or clinical 5 days a week. Lecture days (2x week) were usually half days, Lab days are usually full 8 hours days (1x/wk) and clinicals are usually 8-12 hour days depending on your placement (2x/week). Though, we did get serveral days off during the semester as well. The studying is very demanding as well. They have shortened our semesters to 14 weeks, so 18 credit hours in 14 weeks is pretty intense. This sememster we had 2 exams every 3-4 weeks, of course on top of care plans, projects and papers throughout the semester.

ASU is a very difficult program to get into, so congratuations on that. If you have help with your kids, and care bare spending a little less time with them during school, it is worth it. PS - The summer off is amazing and we get 6 weeks off during winter if that helps your decision at all.

Let me know if you have any other questions about ASU's program. I'd love to help...

April

Specializes in Dialysis.

Great info April, thanks!

Specializes in Psych NP.

First of all, congratulations on your acceptance into the ASU BSN program! I agree with previous posters: if you got into the nursing program at ASU then it's in your best interest to take advantage and get your BSN in one go. I graduate from ASU's BSN program this month and have been commuting from the west valley throughout the program including a semester of commuting to Polytech in Mesa and a few Mesa hospital clinical rotations. While it is a tough program and it will take up a lot of your time (5 days a week, morning to afternoon at first), I have met students in both the accelerated and traditional ASU BSN program with children who were very successful so it is possible. As for the commute, I highly recommend recording your professors' lectures (ask their permission first but usually they're fine with it and will allow you to sit your recorder on the desk/podium). Then you can listen to the lectures while you drive. Also let your professors and clinical instructors know about your commuting situation; many of them will be accomadating and understanding.

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