Help! University Vs. Community College!

[Gbeans]

Hi everyone! This is my first post!

I'm currently going to be a junior in college at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. My major is Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive science. I know that I want to be a nurse in the future so I took last semester off from Michigan finish my nursing prerequisites.

In January I can start a nursing program at a community college in CA (where I live). That way, I'm done in 2 years and I can start working. My other option is to go back to MI for 2 years, finish my B.S. degree in Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive science, and then apply to accelerated B.S.N programs. This is of course, the harder route. What if I don't get into any accelerated BSN programs?

I want to do the A.D.N program in CA because I figure, if nursing is what i KNOW i want to do, why not just do it? I can be close to home, in sunny weather, and I wouldn't have to wait another 2 years to get into nursing. I also have this great internship where I get to work in different departments of the hospital and I get to see and do lots of things! (open heart surgeries, bag dead bodies, change diapers on adults and infants, etc.)

On the other hand, I feel like my MI degree will give me more options in the future. It will give me time to develop my critical thinking, reading, writing, etc..Plus, I graduate in about 3 years (if you include the accelerated B.S.N. year in there) with 2 Bachelor's degrees.

Is it really easy for me to find a job with only my A.D.N degree? In other words, do employers really care if I have an ADN or a BSN? What is the difference in salary? In the long run, I plan on getting my B.S.N in nursing anyway and I hear I can be reimbursed for my tuition. Should i go for the ADN program, work for a year and then get my bachelor's? Do RN-BSN programs require me to work for a year or two before applying?

Sorry I am asking so many questions. I am just stuck! I don't know what to do. Any advice is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks! :)

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Just wanted to wish you good luck! Although people will surely come along here and give you their opinions, I thought you might like to know about this site's search feature. You can search for 'ADN BSN' or something similar and you will find tons of threads with hundreds of opinions on the very questions that you're dealing with right now.