Do you have a lot of Debt to pay off

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Of course everyone has SOME student loan to pay off. But what is the average debt load?

I am thinking of going to further school for an ADN. It will be at least 2 years.

I know that it will cost me a MINIMUM of 20 k.

*anxiety*

I know you are partly joking in the quote above ... but I still find it sad. Too many people don't see anything wrong with living off other people's money that they know they will never pay back.

Agree, agree, agree.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I had a nice amount of money in the bank when I graduated at 21 from a state college. Scholarships, working, parents, and being creative with money allowed me to be in that position. I'm quite surprised that so many people learn to critical think in college, yet when it comes to finances, they are clueless. Wake up people! Money isn't everything to me but it sure is nice to not worry about debt! My family is solidly middle class, but we are financially responsible and do not owe a cent on anything. It is not that hard and my parents didn't even go to college (didn't have the opportunity, sadly).

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I'm accepted to a great nursing program, but it is costly. Great program though! -- I feel that it will be worth it, although I will have to take out loans. Do your best to get any scholorships or grants! I managed to get two scholorships and a grant but I will have to take out loans for at least 15K. My school is 8K a semester. I'm still applying for scholorships and I do have hope.

Having to take out loans is needed sometimes. How many people have washed out of nursing school because they tried to keep a full time job? If people succeed in doing both full time work & nursing school, kudos to them but not everyone can do that. Education has to be a priority.

When I am employed as a nurse, I plan to pay back my student loans asap.

Good luck and go for your goal!

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My LPN school hasn't started yet. I have everything except a little under two thousand payed for already. I'm trying to get info about more grants, I should be able to get the rest covered and hopefully graduate dept free!

When I go back for my RN I'm going to either sign a contract with a local hospital (they pay for your schooling if you work for them for two years) or just apply for grants and scholarships like I did this time.

I don't want loans if it is avoidable.

No debt.Tuition reimbursement and a scholarship through work...I paid about $1000 out of pocket.That's as good as free.

I paid 120...just my backgroundcheck and drug screening so far. I should get the rest covered.

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Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.
About $7500 from my previous B.S. program.

I'm kind of afraid of Excelsior, though. LOL The pass/fail CPNE's scares me...but the school is so cheap! The program's a year long.

The actual BSN degree? It doesn't matter where I take that. Excelsior's cheaper.

A nursing degree is just a slip of paper for me. I only want it, because I HAVE to have it.

I have an interest in working the ER, too.

Maybe I'll want to progress to CNS or NP or something. Bottom line: I like having options.

Wow. You want options, value experience, and want to go on to graduate school. But you are going to attend a RN program with NO clinicals that isn't accepted for licensure in MANY states, stops you from employment with many employers, and locks you into for-profits for future education because most schools won't accept the credits?

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I hopefully won't be in debt. The AND program I start in the fall is very inexpensive. Then, they've partnered with a state university for a 1 year associates to bachelors bridge. I should be able to get my bachelors with little to no student debt.

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I will have none (hopefully). I had some loans from my BA but my ex paid off my school loans. My uncle is paying my tuition for nursing school and I plan on taking advantage of tuition reimbursement once I find a job for my BSN.

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I thought Excelsior was accredited? so ...it won't be accepted depending on the state?

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.
I thought Excelsior was accredited? so ...it won't be accepted depending on the state?

It is accredited, but the option to license you is at the state level, and many states won't accept it due to clinical issues, from what I've heard. Texas's BON deems it subpar to other programs, even though it has accreditation.

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Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.
I thought Excelsior was accredited? so ...it won't be accepted depending on the state?

Because Excelsior doesn't have ANY CLINICAL ROTATIONS, about 20 states put one of the following limitations on Excelsior graduates:

1. Must practice as an RN in another state for 6 months to 2 years (depending on the state) before applying for RN licensure.

2. Must arrange 100-1000 hours of preceptorships (GOOD LUCK).

3. May NEVER be licensed as an RN.

For example: Colorado requires the student find their own preceptor for 700 hours. California essentially bans Excelsior grads from being CA nurses.

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thanks guys for the info on excelsior. I am more confused then ever

about accreditted schools!

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Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

From your other thread:

Nursing Accreditation: Most schools require it for future education. Most employers prefer it and some require it. It is one mark of quality in a school, though not the only one. In theory it means the school is "above average." Only half of the schools can be above average. There are some crappy schools that are accredited.

Excelsior was actually a good idea. Been an LPN for 10 years? Paramedic for 6 years? Military medicine for 7 years? Physician from outside the US? Lots of patient experience? Excelsior seemed like a good way to go - apply the RN theory and knowledge, test the skills in a lab setting, and hope that the patient care experience transfers. Nice theory.

But Excelsior doesn't follow their own theory: THEY DO NOT REQUIRE EXPERIENCE. So plenty of people view Excelsior as a great little shortcut. So you see people like in this thread who want to just get through LVN school, then go straight into an online RN program with no clinicals. Years of patient care experience? A few months if it happens to work out ;)

Excelsior was also the go-to school if one was kicked out of another RN program part way through.

State boards don't think their product is very shiny: no chance to function in the RN role in the clinical setting. So you see many students pay Excelsior's "affordable" prices, fail out, have incredibly extended school times (self-directed online study requires a very narrow subset of student), and then find out at the end that they cannot even practice in their own state or have trouble finding a willing employer.

Excelsior is "affordable" because they don't have to worry about clinical instructors, skills labs, or classrooms. Because these don't limit class size, they don't have to be selective with student choice. Who cares if a student completes the program? They get paid either way.

That said, there have been experienced medical professionals who went the Excelsior route and became great nurses.

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