[RNGrad2006]

Originally Posted by Smackdown

I was always told to be VERY wary opf any school that has 100% NCLEX pass rates, because that means they are weeding people out. (People who might not pass the first time but could pass after another try or two). In nursing school we called these the "weeder programs".

I understand schools that do that do so to keep accreditation because on paper it appears they are doing a good job.

[irisRN]

Avoid any type of debt at all cost. The difference in pay between a BSN and a ADN is in CENTS. The most important thing is that you become an RN and get a job as soon as possible, take the fastest track available to you. Most hospitals will give you $$$ to continue your education, let them pay for furthering your education.

Yeah my school was one of those with 99.9% NCLEX pass rates. That's because they made us take an "exit" exam (HESI). If you dont pass their exam, they dont release your papers to the state, making it impossible to sit for NCLEX.

[blady]

Originally Posted by RNstudent006

Hi all, Ive posted about this before but am still confused on what to do. Ok so heres my situation. I have been accepted to a second degree program & a diploma program. The thing is the second degree program is away from home, offers no housing, in an very expensive area to live, 30K-40K tuition i guess, dont know exact NCLEX rate but heard its pretty good, good reputation & is only 18months & BSN obviously. The diploma program is at home, free housing, 22months, more clinical experience, 100% NCLEX, good reputation but id have to bridge after adding another 2-3years to reach my masters. I really dont want to be in school for a really long time. My goal is to eventually become an NP. Im kinda scared to do the really intense second degree program but dont wanna waste time doing the diploma and the whole bridge thing if dont have to or be limited to working in my area.I dont know What do you guys think?? Thanks for any suggestions

Keep in mnd whether your credits are transferrable after, so you can continue from RN-MSN. Diplomas are usualy attached to hospitals, they are being phased out gradually. I see you are in the VA area. Johns Hopkins has an entry level masters, for 2nd degree holders so check it out. Look for scholarships. This sounds like a career move for you, not just a job so go for it, especially if you are young and got time............GO WHERE THE SUN SHINES!!!!!!

[marilynmom]

Someone brought up a good point. I have a friend who graduated from a diploma school....she is an excellent RN and it was an excellent school, BUT none of her credits would really transfer anywhere; same with a friend of mine who took a lot of her classes at University of Phoenix! I would just make sure you check into that because that is a big deal with your future goals.

I always say to pick BSN, but only you know what you can afford, etc. Good luck And I think it's awesome you get accepted to both programs, most people would kill to just be accepted into 1 program

I personally wouldn't stress too much about which has the most or better "hands on" portion, skills are just learned with time and none of them are that hard anyways, it just takes time and practice. Go for what is best for your future and will offer the best education for you. High NCLEX pass rates don't always appear as they seem either.

Educational debt isn't a bad thing. Not any fun to pay back, but I also didn't want to take 10 years to get to my goal just to be school debt free, it wasn't worth it to me.

Good luck with your decision

[RNGrad2006]

Originally Posted by marilynmom

Someone brought up a good point. I have a friend who graduated from a diploma school....she is an excellent RN and it was an excellent school, BUT none of her credits would really transfer anywhere; same with a friend of mine who took a lot of her classes at University of Phoenix! I would just make sure you check into that because that is a big deal with your future goals.

I always say to pick BSN, but only you know what you can afford, etc. Good luck And I think it's awesome you get accepted to both programs, most people would kill to just be accepted into 1 program

I personally wouldn't stress too much about which has the most or better "hands on" portion, skills are just learned with time and none of them are that hard anyways, it just takes time and practice. Go for what is best for your future and will offer the best education for you. High NCLEX pass rates don't always appear as they seem either.

Educational debt isn't a bad thing. Not any fun to pay back, but I also didn't want to take 10 years to get to my goal just to be school debt free, it wasn't worth it to me.

Good luck with your decision

Keep in mind though that employers may be willing to help with student loan debt (and there government programs available as well) if you commit to about 2 years of service. If tuition is the only choice then I think getting the BSN is a no brainer. I am in a RN to BSN program and it will still take me a few years to complete because I am working full time and the cost of taking classes is a lot more expensive than community college. My employer reimburses at a certain rate so I am only taking as many classes as the tuition allowance supports which entails going at a slightly slower rate but between work, school and family it keeps me plenty busy. It is nice that there are so many ways to get to the same goal it all depends on your priorities but I dont regret having made the choices I did of getting my ADN first. I seem to be getting more out of the classes now as I apply what I am learning to the "real world nursing setting".

[ORNURSETOBE]

Like the other post said, you need to assess and weigh what is important to you at this moment in time. The NCLEX is a long way off, you have to pass school first. Finances should be just as important. What do you currently do for a living? Can you afford to take out that type of loan for BSN program? Are you willing to pay back the money over the long haul?

Personally, I am not. I chose the Associate degree prgram instead of the diploma because I could go straight into RN to BSN or MSN. The diploma program was longer and I still would not have all the required classes if I chose to get my BSN or MSN.

Place all of your options on the table and see what you have. Look at what the end result of each is and see if that is acceptable to you.