How did/do you pay for nursing school?

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  1. How did you pay for nursing school?

    • 145
      Student loans
    • 73
      Scholarships
    • 83
      Grants
    • 9
      VA loans
    • 93
      Work through school
    • 49
      Other

225 members have participated

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Nursing school is expensive. Many people have used student loans, scholarships, VA loans, grants, and even worked through school to pay for their education. The main reason for this thread is to provide information for people who can't afford the rising costs of nursing school. Many people aren't aware of the resources that are available. You don't have to give specifics but it would be great to see how people are paying for school. Please share how you paid for nursing school. Give any links or resources that you may have. Click Like if you enjoyed it. Please share this with friends and post your comments below!

Specializes in Patient Care Technician/ EMT.

What the hell is a VA loan? and how do I get one?

Specializes in cardiac CVRU/ICU/cardiac rehab/case management.

blood,sweat and tears

I don't believe I stood out. I don't think enough people applied for the scholarship thinking they wouldn't get it. When they told us to give it a shot I did thinking I have nothing to lose. They had 7 scholarships to give out in a class of about 35 so I figured it was worth a try.

Congratulations! You outdid me. You are the first person I've heard of to take advantage of that as much as I did. I am so grateful for that arrangement. I hope more people will read this post and give Clep a try.

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
What the hell is a VA loan? and how do I get one?

*** I was wondering that too.............

Specializes in Pediatrics and Med Surf Float.
380 per credit my first year (32 credits), 400 per credit the second year (16). plus student fees , health service fees (800), lab fees (800x2) etc.

pay per credit. if you take all 68 credits, tuition is close to 35K. I graduated from PBISN in the city and yes I think its a for-profit never really checked.

*** That is outragously expensive. I assume there are either no community colleges, or they have such a long waitlist it's impractable?

and yes, thats the cheapest RN-BSN I found that suited my needs. 375 per credit for 34 instead of 300 per credit but 58 credits, or 515 per credit.

*** have you checked into U of Wyoming, Ft.Hayes State, or WGU? All of them are in the $5-6K range.

CC's wanted prereqs I did not want to do before getting my ADN. 2 programs were available and this was the cheaper one

and I told you, I chose the college that worked best for me. obviously, those werent it. I dont think I need to explain why I spent to choose more money on my education

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
and I told you, I chose the college that worked best for me. obviously, those werent it. I dont think I need to explain why I spent to choose more money on my education .

*** In no way is it "obvious". Many, many nurses and wannabe nurses really have no clue what their options are. Myths and inadiquate information abound in this field. Nothing in your message made it possible to distinguish wether you are poorly informed or had made informed decisions. No not obvious at all.

Specializes in Pediatrics and Med Surf Float.
*** In no way is it "obvious". Many, many nurses and wannabe nurses really have no clue what their options are. Myths and inadiquate information abound in this field. Nothing in your message made it possible to distinguish wether you are poorly informed or had made informed decisions. No not obvious at all.

then it must not be obvious to you. I made my decisions based on many factors, and did my own research. Please don't insinuate I am a naive person making decisions based on propaganda and misinformation.

Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
*** In no way is it "obvious". Many, many nurses and wannabe nurses really have no clue what their options are. Myths and inadiquate information abound in this field. Nothing in your message made it possible to distinguish wether you are poorly informed or had made informed decisions. No not obvious at all.

Not to mention part of your post was helpful. And no it's not obvious, given the sheer amount of fools who spend as much money as a starter home at for-profit schools with poor reputations and abysmal placement stats, coming out with a student loan payment that rivals my rent, apparently not reviewing projected salary versus student loan payment. In other words, hope they like overtime!

Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

PMFB-RNI am very frusterated by the false "nursing shortage" propaganda combined with the for profit nursing schools taking advantage of people desperate for a decent job.

****Vintage:**i agree that some / many people get degrees that aren't profitable and pay too much for these useless degrees.

PMFB: i was expressing my dismay and frusteration but I should have been more clear that it wasn't YOU I was dismayed or frusterated with.

****Vintage:**its all good. We are all passionate about our beliefs.

PMFB: Since it is LVN school you are in I know you are in Texas or California. Based on the starting pay you mention I would guess California.

****Vintage: ***yes, I'm in northern California. $21/$22 is the lowest end of new grad pay rates I've seen. I'm making my estimates conservative with regard to income. Thanks for the corrections tip! I'd definitely work there, as long as I could work it out so that I can still be there for my kids, as much as I can as a full time working mom(gulp)

PMFB:BTW you said your program is a year long. That isn't accelerated. that is the normal lenght,

****Vintage: *** in community college, here, in Cali, the lvn Prereqs can be completed in 1 semester, as long as you get in. You can't aply until after completion, this adds 1 semester, and the LVN program is 3 semesters long, and this does not include summers. So, if you got into your classes and the program with no delays, it would take 2 1/2 yrs to become an LVN. But, I have a friend who has been rejected 2 times! There aren't enough slots for students to get into the Prereqs or nursing programs here. It's a real problem. And community colleges in my city don't really use merit or a wait list, it's a random lottery.Yes, Community college here is super cheap, maybe $1500 for the whole program. Maybe $2000.

PMFB: When you do LVN to RN consider relocating. I moved to Wisconsin to do LVN to RN specificaly cause it only took two semesters and cost about $3,500 for ADN RN. RN to BSN was just another year at a cost of $6,400.

****Vintage: ***I've considered moving, but whats the process like to transfer a license back to Cali? It's called endorsement, right??Ironic coincidence: I have a friend who is a nurse here who is from Wisconsin! She still has the cute accent. We were comparing weather in Wisconsin versus Cali the other day!

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

****Vintage: *** in community college, here, in Cali, the lvn Prereqs can be completed in 1 semester, as long as you get in. You can't aply until after completion, this adds 1 semester, and the LVN program is 3 semesters long, and this does not include summers. So, if you got into your classes and the program with no delays, it would take 2 1/2 yrs to become an LVN. But, I have a friend who has been rejected 2 times! There aren't enough slots for students to get into the Prereqs or nursing programs here. It's a real problem. And community colleges in my city don't really use merit or a wait list, it's a random lottery.Yes, Community college here is super cheap, maybe $1500 for the whole program. Maybe $2000.

*** First, prereqs for an LVN program!? I have never heard of such a thing. Wow they get you between a rock and hard place. You can allow the CC to rob you of years of your life, or allow the private to rob you of your money. Here in Wisconsin a high school graduate can be working as a licensed LPN 10 months from when they start LPN school. Of course there are no prereqs, except background check, CPR, immunization titers, GED or HS diploma, and at some schools CNA, but no college class prereqs.

****Vintage: ***I've considered moving, but whats the process like to transfer a license back to Cali? It's called endorsement, right??Ironic coincidence: I have a friend who is a nurse here who is from Wisconsin! She still has the cute accent. We were comparing weather in Wisconsin versus Cali the other day!

*** No problem getting your Cal license is no problem what-so-ever. It's just a matter of submitting some paperwork and of course money. Or you can get it in a day if you show up at the CBRN with your documents and check book.

Uh, California weather RULES!

OTOH Wisconsin winters keep a lot of rif-raf away.

*** This is very good advice. I CLEP'ed every non nursing, class except Microbiology (not offered). I used CLEP to fulfill these classes in my ADN program

Written communication

Developmental psychology

Oral/interpersonal communication

Intro to psychology

Intro to sociology

Chemistry

2 electives.

I got 25 college credits In a matter of a few days for around $500. I just took them all and only studied for the ones I failed then took them again. I failed and had to re-take chemistry, developmental psychology and intro to psychology. The rest I passed without ever opening an book. I took all of them the same day I learned of CLEP. I am glad I didn't study for each one.

WOW! I never even thought of trying that! That might be a good option for a bright person who has no prior college coursework to knock those gen-eds out of the way. I am going to copy that and send it to some pre-RN students that I know. Thanks for sha5ring. :-)

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