[googleypoo2004]

Ok lol. Here I sit at home trying not to spoon my brains out with a soup spoon from my confusion. I have been wanting, for quite a while now, to attend school and obtain my degree in registered nursing. *cheers from the bleachers* I start with signing up and then seeing my biggest roadblock, how do I afford going to school? I looked into scholarships and grants out the wazoo, also thought about attending a cheaper college to get my pre-reqs out of the way and then attend the University that offers the actual courses to obtain my degree as an RN. Either way I seen myself flying too high with the cost of schooling and started to actually think about not going to school at all and just get a dead end job and be happy with that.

Then a family friend offered some information I didn't know about. "How about you sign a contract with a hospital and they pay your way through school?" "they do that!!??"

But oh yes they do and I had no idea. now I am sitting here waiting to find out which hospitals in my area actually offer this to students wanting it. I'm also kind of intimidated by further information I found that the contract you sign is to basically pay off the tuition they fork out for you to go to school. So after you graduate and you give them the 4 or more years you agreed to, the pay you make is half going back to them to pay off the tuition they gave you for school. To me even this bump in the road is worth it if I can have my education. But I'm still lost as to how the school you go to gets the money from them... maybe I just need a new brain here.... if anyone around the Austin, TX area knows of any hospitals that offer this kind of tuition assistance.... I would really appreciate the info.

[suzanne4]

With most contracts, if you agree to work for a certian period of time, you do not get a difference in salary. Only if you cancel out, then you must repay them.

Never heard of them taking the money from your check for that.

[stressgal]

I am in Ohio, not Texas, but the hospitals in my area that offer such a program require you to be employed by the company for 6 months prior to applying for their assistance. If you are accepted into their scholarship program they pay for your tuition and required books. Upon graduation you are required to work for them X amount of years, dependent on the amount of monies they have invested in your education.
The best advice I can give you is to contact the Human resource departments of area hospitals to inquire, and also any school that you may be interested in applying to. The financial aid department should know what hospitals are offering scholarships.
Also ask about any local, state or federal instructional grants. There are times available money for exchange in working in needed areas. I have an instructor who worked off his BSN student loans through the Indian Health Services.
Before you decide on "getting a dead end job" also sit down and look at your return on investment. College may look expensive but many times it more than pays for itself. Intrest on student loans is still pretty low.
Where there is a will, there is a way!
Good luck!

[googleypoo2004]

So it is true that you can sign with a hospital and they will pay your way through? Even for the two years of pre-reqs? Cause if so I am gonna be throwin confetti and streamers around my house and handing out free drinks to the neighborhood. I am just wanting to actually have a full education and an actual career before me and my husband start a family. But thanks for that info =)

[Momto3andNurse2B]

The hospitals here (in Florida) don't pay for pre-reqs, only once you've been accepted to nursing school. Once you finish, it's a 2 year commitment, but you get paid the same as everyone else (including sign-on bonuses, if applicable.)

Richele

[suzy253]

Yes, our school and the hospital we do clinicals with (same affilitation--hospital-based nursing program) does that. Several people I know have taken this option. Contact the hospital's human resources department. A representative from HR comes over to our classes all the time to tell us about this opportunity. Good luck to you!

[GrnHonu99]

Originally Posted by stressgal

I am in Ohio, not Texas, but the hospitals in my area that offer such a program require you to be employed by the company for 6 months prior to applying for their assistance. If you are accepted into their scholarship program they pay for your tuition and required books. Upon graduation you are required to work for them X amount of years, dependent on the amount of monies they have invested in your education.
The best advice I can give you is to contact the Human resource departments of area hospitals to inquire, and also any school that you may be interested in applying to. The financial aid department should know what hospitals are offering scholarships.
Also ask about any local, state or federal instructional grants. There are times available money for exchange in working in needed areas. I have an instructor who worked off his BSN student loans through the Indian Health Services.
Before you decide on "getting a dead end job" also sit down and look at your return on investment. College may look expensive but many times it more than pays for itself. Intrest on student loans is still pretty low.
Where there is a will, there is a way!
Good luck!

Stressgal, what part of Ohio are you in? i wondered which hospitals that you know of have those programs..? I am also in Ohio.

[RN1DAY2B]

I've wanted to go to nursing school for the past three and half years, and have always used the excuse that I don't have the money, or I can't go to school full time, it was always something. But as I continued to sit behind my desk day after day and deal with the unending boredom of accounting I decided to do something about what I want.
Although I am looking into Grants and Scholarships, I'm being proactive and getting student loans. It's well worth the investment in my eyes as long as it's what you want. It goes back to the saying, if there's a will there's a way. Many of the different hospitals in my area have lots of programs but as previously stated in other posts, you normally have to be an employee for six months prior to consideration as far as paying for the education in advance, or agreeing to work for the facility while in school, maintaining the grades, and some other extras they throw in there.
Personally, I've chosen a hospital that has a tuition pay back program. If I sign a promissory note with them after I get out of school, (which doesn't look like it will be for somewhere around three years) for two years, they pay back $10000.00 for four years of service they pay back $20000.00. So again there are plenty of options and you can definitely do it, as long as you want to work for what you want. Sorry to be so wordy, but I've gotten fed up with all my excuses and have done sooooooooo much research to ensure that I can do what I want and make myself happy. Just exploree all your options!

[sjt9721]

You have gotten a lot of great advice!

Some hospitals pay for your tuition (they send you a check at the start of the semester & then you pay the school) and then you owe them time after graduation.

Some hospitals provide tuition reimbursement (you pay the school up front & then get a check from the hospital after you turn in your grades each semester) and don't require any after-graduation time committment.

Don't overlook government loans. I realize that the last thing that some want to do is borrow money but...I've done it twice! The loan for my final year of my BSN was paid off in six years with an interest rate no higher than 8.25% (this was several years ago!) I'm just starting to pay off my MSN loan and it's locked in at 2.3%...and I've got 10 years to pay it off. I'll pay it off sooner, but it's nice to know the 'cushion' is available!

I do agree with the statement about examining your return on investment. Spending/borrowing money for education (no matter what type) can often reap more rewards in the long run than 'saving' the money & working in a 'dead end job'.

Good luck to you!!

[dettwiller5]

I am going to begin a nursing program in January 06 that offers a scholarship in exchange for working for them for a couple of years. They recently changed the program so tha they will only pay for the last half of the program. I'm kind of bummed because I was planning to go that route but now I will have to take out a loan for the first half. It is still a great deal. I think they changed it because of the number of people that didnt make it through and then had to pay back the money. It does not pay for prereqs. I took mine at a local Community College and paid ot of pocket. Luckily I have a BS already so I had completed most of them prior to decideing to switch careers.