What age were you when you went to nursing school?

[Imissthefall]

Curious at what the average age is that people are in nursing school?

I am doing my pre reqs now and will be 28 when I start!

[mmiriamasher]

I was 17 when I went to nursing school in 1964, was a Registered Nurse at 20, finished my Bachelor's at 45, and now I'm happily retired.

[teejayrn]

I was a traditional college student so I started in the fall after graduating high school. I was 17. I graduated 4 years later at age 21.

This applies to me too.

[DeeDee143]

I started in LVN school at 26.Im now 27 about to graduate in May 2007.I will be going to get my RN after I graduate.So I think by 30 I should be a RN.

[chris RN2B]

I already have my BA in English & getting my second degree in Nursing. I started at 24, will be expected to graduate with a BSN at 26.

[PiperLPN]

Started part-time at 43. Just started clinicals. Due to finish the LPN clinicals the Spring of 2008; the RN part done by end of 2009. Elena

[islandnp4az]

I started nusing school at age 16, after high school. Took me 6 years to finish my BSN for I moonlighted to college of music and theater. FUN !!! Then I realized later that nursing is a much better career for me than music ot theater. Now, I am an NP!!!

[tlcplease]

I had just turned 17 in June when I started the fall of 1970. Everytime I made a mistake the nuns would haul me into their office and remind me what a big favor they did me by allowing me in at such a young age.....somehow i made it and it has been a wonderful life's calling. Now my daughter and son follow me in caring for people. 37 years! where has the time gone?

[K98]

45...old enough to know better :wink2:

[hpcat]

I just finished pre-reqs and am starting nursing classes end of this month - I am 42, will finish at 45. This is actually my 3rd career - I got a secretarial certificate at 19 and did that for 11 years. Became a copywriter at 30 - doing that while in school, so it will be 15 years of copywriting, then I will have 20+ years for nursing. A man in my class is 49 and a woman from my micro class is 44.

I'm glad to see so many 2nd career people here - as we change and grow over time, what we chose to be at 20 may no longer work for us at 40. With age comes advantage - I'm much more settled and organized now, I was too flighty in my 20's to do this!

I will probably go get my MSN, too... hopefully by 50.

[hillaryo]

Well, I'm 43 (last week) and just started my anatomy and microbiology - so you're considered "young" to me :)

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

I was 17 when I started pre reqs and 19 when I entered nursing program. I was 21 when I graduated.

[dkstexas]

Went to LVN school at age 21. Finished my BSN at age 41. Now at age 53 taking a break due to arthritis, etc. Have always been a 'floor/staff nurse'.