Did you attend your RN-BSN graduation?

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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I will be completing my rn-bsn degree in a few months (Lord willing). I am debating whether or not to attend graduation. For starters it will cost me about 300 dollars to attend and for my cap and gown. I will also have to wait until the end of summer as this school holds ceremonies twice a year. I did an online program by the way. Im just curious to know if any of you bothered to go to graduation from an online program. Why or why not?

Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

I just finished my RN-BSN degree last month...one month after the yearly graduation event. By July of next year, the excitement of reaching the BSN will have long-since worn off, and given that the ceremony is in Albany, NY and I live in Georgia (same scenario as my LPN-RN program), I doubt I will attend. Besides, I would never ask my family to bare such an expense just to watch me say "hey, look what I did...again". Anyway, the last time (2010), my dad made such a big deal from my graduating from college, that it was truly (pleasantly) humiliating at my age. Local celebration at a reserved Recreation Center...EVERYBODY was there, (even some folks that I had hoped to never lay eyes on again)!! I absolutely don't do crowds!!!

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Tyvin,

I agree that they should not be charging so much. It is ridiculous.

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I just finished my RN-BSN degree last month...one month after the yearly graduation event. By July of next year, the excitement of reaching the BSN will have long-since worn off, and given that the ceremony is in Albany, NY and I live in Georgia (same scenario as my LPN-RN program), I doubt I will attend. Besides, I would never ask my family to bare such an expense just to watch me say "hey, look what I did...again". Anyway, the last time (2010), my dad made such a big deal from my graduating from college, that it was truly (pleasantly) humiliating at my age. Local celebration at a reserved Recreation Center...EVERYBODY was there, (even some folks that I had hoped to never lay eyes on again)!! I absolutely don't do crowds!!!

I love this idea, of having a local celebration. I will be done with my program the same month as the graduation date. There is no way I'll be able to make to Florida in time. I think I may do something local with family and friends.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

yep. I was there. Felt like I had worked hard to get to that spot and would never be able to capture it again.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I walked across the stage with my husband & kids watching. It meant a lot to them and I wanted to be a good example.

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Specializes in hospice, HH, LTC, ER,OR.

Yes I plan to, I will graduate 12/13/14.I worked hard and this will be the first graduation wearing a robe and tassel since high school. I missed my LPN graduation but I went to the pinning. My ASN graduation we wore white and was pinned at graduation. I never got the feeling that I had accomplished my dream since I missed my LPN graduation, but I did with my ASN. I want that same feeling this time around :)!

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I think the BSN pinning ceremony and the MSN hooding ceremony are far more meaningful than the actual commencement. Having someone you've never even seen before hand you a rolled up piece of blank paper (the actual diplomas come in the mail a few weeks later) just isn't the same as having a professor you've known (or loved, hated, feared) for at least a couple of years pin or hood you.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
I think the BSN pinning ceremony and the MSN hooding ceremony are far more meaningful than the actual commencement. Having someone you've never even seen before hand you a rolled up piece of blank paper (the actual diplomas come in the mail a few weeks later) just isn't the same as having a professor you've known (or loved, hated, feared) for at least a couple of years pin or hood you.

Another reason I fail to see the need to foot the expense for NY travels. My degree/diploma will be in my hand on October 17th (or a couple of days before if it falls on the weekend), 9 months BEFORE the next ceremony, and my nursing pin will be exactly the same as the ASN pin (same college) except for the engraving on the back...so, I'm even undecided about purchasing that, too.

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Specializes in ER.

Not sure. It'll depend on how I feel towards May. My program only holds one graduation along with smaller campuses and I now wish I had applied for a smaller campus. If I go to the main campus, it will be a pain getting around the small city. I'll be done with the program in December if everything works out. If there was a winter graduation, I'd probably go but with a spring graduation, it's iffy.

I don't think we pay for the graduation but I don't know how much the individual things like tassel and robes cost. I had fun seeing people at my graduation for ADN but that was different since I was on campus. This is an online program and I did it at my own pace.

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Specializes in OB.

It has taken me over 20 years to finally graduate (December 2015) so even if I get my diploma then and have to wait until May 2016 to walk, but HECK YES I'm walking!!!!!

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

I'm in a program now; I have this coming spring semester to go, plus one more general ed class. I'm not sure yet if I'll be taking the general ed class in the spring, or waiting until the summer. I'm quite short on study time with five kids and working a 0.5 FTE though, so I'm leaning towards making it easier on myself by taking the GE class next summer after my core program is finished.

Anyway, if that's what I end up doing I will not be graduating with my RN-BSN program cohort, so will probably not do graduation. Odds are we'll have a swim or a track meet for our 12 yr old that weekend anyway :yawn:

Besides my parents, husband, sister already came to my ADN graduation and pinning and got me a "Here.I.Stand, RN" cake decorated w/ an icing cap above my name and other nursey-themed items (a pen that looked like a syringe, a case for bandages, a pill bottle, candies that looked kind of like pills, small roll of gauze etc.) So even though it was just a vo-tech degree, I feel like I had the graduation experience.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

I went to mine and I'll tell you why: When my AAS/ RN graduation rolled around in 1980 I was in the hospital giving birth to my first child. I had been in the hospital for weeks, and was so upset at having to miss.

Fast forward to 2011: You bet your Aunt Fanny I walked across that stage. My four kids, husband, son-in-law and grandson were there as I modeled for them that learning is life-long and terribly important. When I got my MSN, I was selected as a graduation speaker. You can see my speech here if you're so inclined. (

)

Oh, and that baby I was birthing? She was born on Florence Nightingale's Birthday/ Nurses' Day (May 12) and grew up to get her own BSN. She's the best darned WOCN I know!

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