For anyone in the NCC program or who has completed it...

U.S.A. Connecticut

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Is it possible to do this program and work full time? I met with the head of the nursing dept at NCC a while back and she told me they were working on making it more do-able for those who work full time since they realize that a good majority of their students are working adults, not people straight out of high school. Then more recently I went to an info session. This same person stood there and informed us that they don't reccommend working full time if at all while enrolled in the ADN program. I left feeling so discouraged as I have no choice but to work full time while in school. My family is on my benefits!! After the info session I emailed this person asking her to clarify. She then tells me pretty much that's the way it is and btw they can't gaurantee night clinicals which would be imperative to me. but she follows that up with telling me to keep going through my pre-reqs cause who knows what the program will look like in a year or two. I don't know what to do. Do I keep trudging away through my remaining pre reqs and keep my fingers crossed or do I switch paths now? Maybe find something else? She also advised me to look at another CT community college that has a program offered completely at night. Too bad it's at least an hour away and northbound 95 anytime after 3 is a nightmare. So, that's not gonna happen....

Any advice??

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Well Gateway has the program completley at night. I think they said they start lecture around 3 or 4 so traffic shouldn't be that bad. Plus going North is not usually the big problem, in my experience. But if you are totally agaisnt that, I was told you should not work more than 24 hours a week. If your only issue is health inurance consider the CT husky program which is health insurance where you pay a monthly premium based on your income. If I get accepted I will have to suck it up and do the same thing. The only other thing I can think of is ST Vincents ADN program that I heard can be done in 3 years part time but is more expensive. If you really want to do it, keep plugging away you have a year to figure out the details and save money. Did they say at the info session how many applicants they get each year. Gateway said about 650, about 350 actually met the requirements and 96 made it in. Yikes :eek: those are not great odds but I'm still applying.

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I graduated from the NCC program and we were told the same about working. I did my prereq. at night while I worked my reg job (for the benefits). That was three years. Then I quit my day job and got a night job (Fri, Sat, Sun) while I did the nursing/clinical part during the day. It was tough, two years of exhaustion, but I did it. Five years to get my ADN.

Now, 7 years later, I am glad I did. I make five times as much money as I did then, my benefits are awesome and I am constantly offered work. You can do it too.

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I would highly recommend considering St. Vincent's College ADN Program for many reasons. Firstly, it is the only program in all of the Southern CT area (or any area w/in a 75 mile radius from Norwalk) to offer a fully part-time schedule where you take all your Nursing courses only 1 course at a time w/the exception of your last semester when you take 2 Nursing courses (actually each course in the last semester is taught separately - NUR 123 is offered in the first half of the semester while NUR 270 is taught the second half or vice versa I don't have the schedule right here) How great that is for those who do need to work full-time. The beauty of St. Vincent's program is you can work during the day and still go to school at night (1-3 nights a week depending how far you are in the program) and your Clinicals are every Saturday, all day for the 3 yrs you are in the Nursing courses. I cannot tell you how great a program it is and please don't let the $$ deter you. St. Vincent's offers very good financial aid for those who qualify and have many institutional scholarships & grants every year even for those whose income is over the limit to receive grants. A very good academic record can reap rewards.

The competition for acceptance is intense wherever you apply, but is much more intense in the community college programs. The part-time program is a total of 4 yrs at St. Vincent's because you take A&P there and not at the cc. Believe you me, A&P is definitely an extremly difficult course anyways, but I know many people who have taken A&P at St. Vincent's and it is definitely much more doable than taking the course at HCC or NCC. If you carefully plan your schedule accordingly, you can certainly avoid having to take A&P over if you do want to go to St. Vincent's. Four years would go by anyways taking A&P and other pre-req's at a cc. and then taking Nursing courses.

I wish you all the best in your quest for a part-time program and being able to work full-time. If you have any other questions feel free to pm me.

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Gemini08 your right. I didn't mean to knock the Saint Vincent program because of the cost because I have heard great things on this board about the program. I actually plan to apply there as well. For me because I have a bachelors degree already, I don't think I personally I would qualify for financial aide, but I don't know that for sure. I do plan to apply there in January provided they take applications in January as well as the community college programs and pray I get into one of them. I would do ST Vincent's full time especially since a lot of the core classes I took in college already. Gemini08 are you there now? Tell me more!! I always want to hear about CT school experiences but not a lot of CT people respond to this board.

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okay, I am a out of the box thinker.... what about New York?? its about what 30 minutes past Norwalk?? I mean like Westchester community college or Bronx, or even Cocoran (sp?) school of nursing in Yonkers, NY. (they all have night programs) and weekend programs. The cost is double the community college, so instead of $6000 per year, they are $8000 per year. You do miss out on the CT grant, but you are still working and can recoup it. Its something to think about. And if you have most of your preqs done, Hopter school of nursing will start in the Spring for the evening program.

This is my plan B if the CT schools are not accepting me for the Fall of 2009. Its just something to look into and see if it works for you. Most of the New York classes start at 6:30, which is well after work and traffic. Most of them are on the train line.

Regi

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I am a student at NCC and I drive over an hour to get there..if this is what you want and you want it bad enough then you will do whatever it takes, even if it means looking into another program an hour away.I do it and I have 4 children ages 5- 15. Though any program will discourage you from working full time. we have a classmate who didnt get through her first year because she thought she could work and go to nursing school.All the nursing programs are rigorous and they are that way so that you can take and pass the state boards.We all have stories of hardships and financial woes, but for the future of my family we decided to suck it up and made major sacrifices, but we know its temporary. An amazing instructor at NCC has a mantra..."put all excuses aside and know that you are capable".

Some people work and that works for them too.You have to be prepared to face the reality that it may or may not work. I have one year left and balancing a family, all the activities my children partcipate in, keep me from studying when I want so I take what I can get and honestly, I am not sure I would have had an hour to put into work. A few people , who are not married and have no children worked 20 hrs a week to keep benefits and they did well, but said it wasnt easy. See about qualifying for the HUSKY insurance program or finding a job to work the minimum for the benefits.

I wish you well and hope that you can find a way to do this.

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Any thing is possible. I went to capital community program i was told the same about working and going to school. I had a full time and two part time job through the program. I graduated 11 years ago. You can do it, don't let anyone discourage you. Good luck. :nono:

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okay, I am a out of the box thinker.... what about New York?? its about what 30 minutes past Norwalk?? I mean like Westchester community college or Bronx, or even Cocoran (sp?) school of nursing in Yonkers, NY. (they all have night programs) and weekend programs. The cost is double the community college, so instead of $6000 per year, they are $8000 per year. You do miss out on the CT grant, but you are still working and can recoup it. Its something to think about. And if you have most of your preqs done, Hopter school of nursing will start in the Spring for the evening program.

This is my plan B if the CT schools are not accepting me for the Fall of 2009. Its just something to look into and see if it works for you. Most of the New York classes start at 6:30, which is well after work and traffic. Most of them are on the train line.

Regi

Thank you so much for this very thoughtful post. I looked into WCC and I can't believe they have finally started a part-time/night/weekend program... I have restored hope. I'll probably finish up my pre-reqs at NCC and then try to transfer... It's funny, 12 years ago when I first started college it was at NCC, and back then I wanted to get into their nursing program... looks like I've come full circle.

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