Big scholarship to a nursing school for fall '11, not sure I want to attend. Advice?

[avg92]

My account here is new although I've been reading posts anonymously for awhile on this site. Anyway, I have a $40,000 scholarship to a private universities nursing program that would give me a BSN. I have a few questions regarding the profession first (sorry if this is the wrong area to post).

-How stressful is the job really?

-How long are the shifts you have to work (RNs, not students. Ive seen RNs working when I was in the ICU for 12 hours. Am i going to have to do this daily too?)

Anddddd.....Please give me your opinion whether I should attend this school or not regarding the pros and cons Ill list below. If i wouldnt go to nursing school id go to a community college and try to get into a respiratory therapy program.

Pros:

-100% Job security (they have a strong relationship with the join hospitals run by Meridian, which grads always get a job at)

-BSN, not ASN program.

-Less creepy people than there are at the community college (I know this sounds rude/ignorant. sorry)

-Im sure id be in the program unless I flunk out. (While with the respiratory therapy program at the community college, Im not sure I'd get into it, or be able to find a job afterwards!)

Cons:

-30 min commute.

- Four more years of living with my parents (They're kinda abusive and cheap)

-Expensive (even with the scholarship, its still about $26,000 a yr with tuition going up every year still)

-Womens college (Until I get into clinicals at the hospital where theres any men, lol)

[KrysyRN, BSN]

I'd be getting grants and loans to cover the cost. Definitely many grants cause I qualify for them. I also have a college fund worth around $25,000. Does that make it more worth it/ This is the average cost for a 4 yr private school anyway, so I don't see why so many people are saying thats expensive :/

I paid about $800 a semester (I went full time in an LPN-RN bridge program for 2 semesters.) at a community college about 4-5 yrs ago, so your cost of tuition sounds high to me!

I think you should at least try a semester of classes to see how you like it. Or at least take $40,000 worth of transferable classes in case you decide to opt out.

[mommywithplenty]

I'm doing a 2 year RPN and then doing 2 years distance learning. This is my first year, my tuition per semester is $2500.