[cajjj]

Hello, ok, I've been looking into different nursing schools. It has really brought me to tears how hard it is to get in and the lack of space for all those applying. I can't believe how difficult it is to get into nursing school now! To begin with I was a nursing major quite a while ago and with a lot of nursing prereq's completed. I don't have an outstanding GPA, it's not horrible but not the best and that cuts me out of some nursing schools. I am a single mother and really unfortunately do not have the ability to take many classes to raise my GPA up to some school admission requirements. I applied to one nursing school and fell under their GPA requirements, but did not get accepted because they took applicants with highest GPA's it seems.
Anyway, I finally DID (sigh of relief) get into an Accelerated BSN program (yay!) but won't start until 2009-- which is ok with me, as long as I finally am IN! One reason the program really appeals to me is that it's a 12 month program which for me is just wonderful as a single mother. That means a shorter time period of nursing school and the stress of juggling other things outside of nursing school as a single mother. The downside is the tuition is SO expensive for this school. Should I just go for it and go ahead with it in the hopes of forgiveness loans, etc once I got out? It seems like with the projected nursing shortage there might be more programs and loans to help with nursing education debt.
Any advice or comments?

[Joe NightingMale]

Many employers do provide tuition assistance for BSN/ADN/LPN degrees (much more rare for MSN, though). So that's a possibility.

There are also programs to help with tuition assistance from federal, state, and local governments. I'm not sure how many there are, but I think the latest career issue of MODRN magazine has at least a partial listing.

And then there are various things you can work out with financial aid and the Department of Education to make your loan repayment less onerous. Your financial aid department can tell you more about that.

I admit, I would think it would be tough to do this as a single mother, but I've always heard that money shouldn't be a barrier to education and that there's always some way to overcome it, regardless of the horror stories you might hear. Good luck.

[Quickbeam]

I graduated from a 12 month accelerated BSN program 20+ years ago. I've had not one regret. For me, the opportunity cost of not working was my prime mover. Tuition was high (but nothing like today! Whew!). However, I was employable as a nurse within a year.

Accelerated programs are brutal timewise. There aren't any allowances for sick days or much time off. If you absolutely need to get work as an RN as fast as possible and are willing to put up with a very hard year, do it. If you have the time and the means to take a slower approach, that's an option as well.

There was zero help available for second degree people in my day but I do hear that people are getting more help now. Most of that will probably be local to the program you are looking at. As the school if any exist in their area. Best wishes to you!