Frustrated non traditional student

hollyster · May 21, 2005

Hi. Welcome to the site.

Nursing schools are filled with a crossection of society and all age ranges. You will find that age is not a factor. If you look around this site you will find students from thier 20s to thier 50s.

Good luck to you. :)

LauraLou · May 21, 2005

I can relate to the financial aid problem. I can't even get a Stafford loan because I have a Masters degree in another field. I'm not asking for a grant, just a loan, but no luck.

Have you considered signing a contract with a hospital? You have to agree to work for them for about 2 years after graduation, but many will pay for your tution and books, some even give a stipend for living expenses.

Good luck!

lifeLONGstudent · May 21, 2005

i hope to apply to (and get in!) to an accelerated bsn program at a private school, after completing some additional pre reqs for that school this summer and fall.

you aren't in tx are you? i am in an accelerated bsn program in tx at a private university. we can chat in im if this is the case

it has been a long, frustrating process...i have had to fight continually for financial aid (even though i qualify, and have a 3.5 gpa) due to the fact that i have a bachelor's degree....has anyone else had this experience?

been there, done that. :banghead: stay on them and don't believe that they will do their job -- sounds harsh, i know. all i am saying is that you need to look out for you: follow up, recheck, and then call again (i found that asking "and what is your name" is always helpful). they have way too many students to keep up with.

even with financial aid...i have had to work two, sometimes three part time jobs while in school full time!

don't plan on this in nursing school, especially an accelerated program! my 15 month program tuition is about 45k - there tons of loans out there for nursing students. it is scary to go into debt that deep, but you will recover.

i'm 31, i graduted from art school in 1995 with a bachelor's of fine art in printmaking.

yep, i graduated with my first degree in 1994.

i'm not married, i don't have kids. - an asset for nursing school in regards to time allocation.

i often feel due to my background in art, and being an older student, that i am out of place ...too old to fit in with the kids fresh out of high school, but not really relating to people my age who are married w/kids, etc.

any body out there with a similar experience?

acc programs require degrees, so no high schoolers allowed - the young ones are in their 20's (22+) and there are a few in our class that are 45+. only 2 of us have young kids (

i'm sure there are many of you out there who feel discouraged....i know i do! it seems as if there are just so many road blocks...so many hoops you have to jump through, even if you are a good student. reread last reply

still, i feel more determined than ever to keep at it. just looking for some

words of encouragement, i guess reread next to last reply

look at it this way: if you don't go to school, what else are you going to do? you will still age and the world will continue to carry on. do what your heart is leading you to do - pursue your goals. a wise (christian) friend counseled us regarding finances before i quit my job to return to school. one thing he said that really stuck in my mind is that most cases of depression really boil down to 2 points: looking back and regretting choices :smackingf or looking to the future with anxiety. :eek: i don't want to look back and say "yeah, but what if i had gone to school"..... and i am really trying to live in the moment and take school one day at a time, giving each day my best. sounds pretty simplistic, but there is a lot of truth in those words.

pm me if you want to talk more,

lifelongstudent

SusanJean · May 21, 2005

I paid all of my prereq expense out of pocket since I did them part time over a couple of years. I have had no trouble w/ financial aid for NS since it is full time. I have a BA in psych. I am presently working on BSN. Please talk to financial aid office and direct your questions to them... also, specific schools may have additional $ available w/ scholarships for non-trad students, GPA scholarships, etc. You won't know until you go in and talk w/ them.

So far I have found that if you have one bach degree and are working on another, you qualify for stafford loans. I don't know how this works for a lesser degree or diploma.

SJ

speedykicks · May 21, 2005

hey - I am 32, no kids, headed back for a second bach. degree in nursing too. Many of my friends and current co-workers doubt my career choice - "nursing" they say? First of all, I realize that they are operating off a very stereotyped idea of what nursing is. They think of white unis, submissive, kindly women who rush to help people wipe up after a bowel accident. I am assertive, tomboyish, never wear dresses, etc. I think they see nurses in kitty cat scrubs and then think of me and think "no way". They don't realize how smart and skilled nurses have to be and how much responsability they are given in patient care. Those who know and love me think I will be an excellent nurse.

In terms of finacial aid - I too don't qualify for much due to my first undergrad degree and the fact that I took a lot of classes for another major before I changed my major to what eventually graduated in. I qualify for only one semester of aid before I reach the undergrad hours limit at my school. I talked to the nursing school and they said they will help me by writing a letter explaining my continued academic progress and my plan for degree completion. They gave me the name of the woman to talk to in the f-aid dept. I haven't followed up on it yet, but my school has an appeals process and that, coupled with the pledge of support and assistance from the nursing school, leaves me feeling like I will be able to take care of it. There are also decent private student loans. Talk to your f-aid office and work with the nursing school once you get accepted some place.

mitchsmom · May 21, 2005

I have a previous BA & I have Stafford loans.

I am one of the non trad students who has kids and stuff but there are really all different kinds of people in our program (granted most are the young girls)... but we all seem to get along pretty good. I live out of town & have a whole "life" here with very little spare time, so it's not like I'm hanging out with my classmates, but we all have the nursing program in common. That's what we are usually talking about anyway. 'Variety is the spice of life' & all that, I think it makes it more interesting.

I saw some posters on here saying that their school had some kind of non trad student clubs or groups, you could ck that out. We don't have that at my school but a lot of the nursing students get together & do stuff with the NSA.

kerbery · May 22, 2005

My situation is almost identical to yours. I am an artist, mid thirties, and I decided to pursue nursing in 2002. I am just finishing my first year of Nursing School. My boyfriend is studying to get his MFA right now and most of the people that we know are artists in his program. I feel really weird right now- kind of caught between two worlds. Not an artist in the eyes of these people in the MFA program and definitely an oddball at school. I have kind of made my mark with the other students in my program by being strong academically and willing to help people out. Once you get into the nursing program it becomes kind of all consuming so you will have a lot to relate with in regards to the other students. My situation is compounded by the fact that I had moved to L.A from Seattle and most of my close friends are up there. What schools are you thinking of? Your moniker says you are in Los Angeles. I heard that LA Valley college is getting rid of the waiting list and going by grades if that helps. Are you thinking about Mt. St. Marys for the accelerated BSN? I looked into that and figured I would be about 50,000 in debt at the end, yikes. I gave up on financial aid- same situation as you- a previous B.A. I've been racking up credit cards instead and I worked as a waitress through my prereqs, now I work as a Student Nurse. Although it has been a rocky(and kinda lonely) road I feel that it will be worth it in the end. Hey that's one plus to being an older student- time goes by more quickly for us. Ha.

Good luck to you! I hope I didn't depress you more.

Keri

tonicareer · May 22, 2005

I can't get financial aid either - did the appeals - can't get a loan due to having BS already, can't get pell or state grant for same reason, don't have a house to borrow on or family to borrow from. Looked at hospitals - and they have age restrictions for contracts!! or they only pay for lpn to rn transition with contract or only pay for last year of BSN with contract. I don't qualify for armed services - past the age requirements. If I do get into an LPN program (which is the fastest least expensive route) I will have to use charge cards to pay tuition - I have exhausted all other possibilities - as for living expenses - I don't know what I will do since they don't want students to work while in a program (only full time programs in my area). I have applied for tons of scholarships - very few do I even qualify for - but I apply anyway - hoping something will happen to get me in school - most are for recent high school grads only - which I am not. Of course my state does not have a severe shortage. But I have heard tons of money is available for students - just not the ones who apply - because of the restrictions of no previous degree.

jenpstudentrn · May 23, 2005

Hi! I just wanted to thank everyone who has replied to my thread...I wish I had the time and the typing skills --I'm a hunt and peck-er-- to reply to each of you individually. It's so great to have support! Knowing that I am not alone in my frustrations is a big relief.

Many of you have asked if I have talked with my financial aid office, and ironically, I have...up until this week (my position is not needed in the summer) I was employed part time there as an outreach counsellor. I currently receive a fee waiver through the state gvt. and stafford loans. However, I am at a community college, so aid is limited...it goes pretty quick, even with my supplemental income from my other two part time jobs (Microbiology TA and doing home care for a woman with alzheimer's). Every year I have to petition, due to my BFA, and it's always dicey as to whether or not I'll get an award (fin aid) package.

I guess I was just trying to express my frustration with the process. For a field that in in such a crisis, there sure seems to be a lack of support and funding for people in my situation...(having a degree in another field).

It's tough, but it is thrilling to know that there are kind, helpful people out there. Thanks again!

-Jennifer

RNmaria · May 24, 2005

Hello! I have a BAE from 1986 and currently working towds my RN at a CC. I begin Fall of 2005. Although I have ben out of the "art circle" for many years, I do understand and can relate to your feeling regarding your close friends. I think that there are many similarities rather then diffrences relating to the arts and science. Maybe your associates are a bit put-off that you have turned your back on your passion...art. It can still be part of your life as well as being a nurse. Just let them know that and try and put yourself in their shoes.

Pasha :-)'

Hello!
This is my first time posting...I've NEVER posted anything on the web before, ever! What a fantastic resource this site is...been perusing it today, and it is really full of valuable information.
I'm a pre-nursing student, having just completed the bulk of pre reqs necessary to get into the majority of ADN programs at community colleges in my area. Now I get to play the waiting game and see how long it will take to clear the waitlists....in the mean time, I hope to apply to (and get in!) to an Accelerated BSN program at a private school, after completing some additional pre reqs for that school this summer and fall. It has been a long, frustrating process...I have had to fight continually for financial aid (even though I qualify, and have a 3.5 gpa) due to the fact that I have a bachelor's degree....has anyone else had this experience?
Even with financial aid...I have had to work two, sometimes three part time jobs while in school full time!
I'm 31, I graduted from art school in 1995 with a Bachelor's of Fine Art in Printmaking. I decided to go back to school and become an RN in 2003 and have been working on my prereqs since...I'm not married, I don't have kids. Most of my friends are artists, musicians, creative-types...who while supportive...don't really understand..... I often feel due to my background in art, and being an older student, that I am out of place ...too old to fit in with the kids fresh out of high school, but not really relating to people my age who are married w/kids, etc.
Any body out there with a similar experience?
I'm sure there are many of you out there who feel discouraged....I know I do! It seems as if there are just so many road blocks...so many hoops you have to jump through, even if you are a good student.
Still, I feel more determined than ever to keep at it. Just looking for some
words of encouragement, I guess....I'd be grateful for any input !
Thanks!