Attention WEST COAST GRADS OR CURRENT STUDENTS

Libby1987 · Apr 15, 2015

I'm torn between "good one" and AYFK??

calivianya, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2015

Holy moly, that is a HUGE loan! There is a recent thread where someone with a $60k loan is paying back $800/month. I think with an almost $140k loan you could expect to pay back twice that, maybe $1600/month.

I would like to caution you against taking out a loan that big. New grads on the West Coast often have trouble finding jobs - some have to move to lower-paying states to find work. If you had to do that, you might not make California wages. I myself take home around $2500/month after taxes. If your salary ended up looking like mine, you'd only have $900/month to cover food, housing, gas, car payments, etc. I personally could not live off of $900/month for the next 30 years.

I paid about $20k for my BSN and I would not recommend going to a school that costs any more than $20k. Even that is a lot of money, but that can at least be paid for out of pocket if you work through school so you would be able to avoid loans. Best of luck!

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Apr 15, 2015

While I personally have had no experiences (good or bad) with West Coast U, it is well-written about on AN that it is a GIANT rip-off.

The price tag is astronomical, the education only average, and the ability of graduates of this school to pay back the massive loans is poor. Job market is TIGHT, and you will be carrying a very expensive loan (plus interest) for a long time before you can afford to pay much of anything.

Please reconsider.

allnurses Guide · Apr 16, 2015

My nursing degree cost around $5K including books and uniforms. My BSN cost 9K all inclusive. That is 14K for a BSN. The loan amounts you are looking at are the very definition of insanity. Take those courses at community college. Make A's. Apply to nursing school after the basics are done. Nobody will pay those off for you when you graduate and you won't make enough as a nurse to survive with the loan repayments. THAT is if you are able to pass NCLEX, which a significant number of people who don't flunk cannot do from that school. Run.

WookieeRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 16, 2015

I think it's a blessing in disguise for you to not have gotten a loan. That price is RIDICULOUS. Find a cheaper school, seriously. You won't regret it.

Do you really want to be paying back $1600/mo or more for 30 years for your student loans?

verene, MSN · Apr 16, 2015

Find a different school - that kind of price tag is Ivy league cost, with out a top reputation to bank on, nor their generous endowment funds to provide financial aide. Look at CC programs, public and private non-profit university programs, you should be able to find something much more affordable. A BSN from my local, well-respected public university, would run about $25K in tuition. Maybe 40K total when you add in living expenses, books, fees, transportation, etc.

nurseB32 · Apr 27, 2015

Thank you all so much for your feedback on this topic. Yes the price for West Coast is quite steep. Almost to the point of complete insanity and ridiculousness. It's darn near the same thing as buying a house:nailbiting:. Now the MEDIAN wage for an RN in California is 32.23/hour

( http://www.bls.gov/oes/2011/may/oes291111.htm ) this equals to well over 60k/year based on a 40 hour per week. Here is the way I looked at this situation: As a caretaker I currently make 25K a year :arghh: . As I struggle to finish pre-reqs added with the amount of time it will take me to complete a BSN program not to mention wait lists, I'm looking at approximately 6 years or more to become an RN if I go the traditional route (finishing pre-reqs, wait list etc.) If I continue working as a caretaker in these 6 years of attempting to finishing a traditional RN program, I am losing out on years of precious RN salary. West Coast University will cost me 136K but it will also give me the opportunity to finish RN BSN program in a time of 39 monthss (3 years 3 months). I will be working as an RN 3 years or more earlier if I go West Coast route than if I choose the traditional route. I am losing over 100k of potential RN wage by working as a caretaker. Southern Cali RN programs are so impacted at the community colleges. It's a nightmare trying to get into a program. I did the Math and Based on the median wage of an RN in southern Cali I will be losing out on over 100k of RN wage by taking LONGER in finishing the RN program the traditional way. So I can understand West Coat Universities concept. TIME=MONEY. The faster you get it done the faster you can start making money. Just wanted to share my perspective and enlighten the issue. Ask anyone here in southern Cali who wants to pursue nursing. It's a nightmare. Community college demands are on point and extremely competitive. One CC has a requirement that you MUST reside in the county of the RN program in which you are applying to! Makes things very difficult to continue. cost of education is insane. It's frustrating, almost makes me want to have a change of heart and switch professions. and feedback is always appreciated. Thank you!

nurseB32 · Apr 27, 2015

1600/month for 30 years is 576,000 lol I highly doubt it would be that steep. Maybe 1600 for 10 years (192,000$) not justifying it because that is still a huge loan (with interest) :blackeye:

caliotter3 · Apr 27, 2015

Give up your dog. No, just trying to make light of it. Not many people can come up with the wherewithal to get that kind of loan. And if you do, they sure as the devil don't care how you pay back whoever lent you the money.

nurseB32 · Apr 27, 2015

LOL I feel as if I will have to give them my first child LMBO! It's an investment for sure.

SquishyRN, BSN, RN · Apr 27, 2015

1600/month for 30 years is 576,000 lol I highly doubt it would be that steep. Maybe 1600 for 10 years (192,000$) not justifying it because that is still a huge loan (with interest)

Student loans are typically 10 years, not 30. 30 year loans are typically for mortgages. I have a former co-worker that graduated from WCU and she told me her student loan payments were $800/month. However, she was an LVN prior and did the LVN-RN bridge, not the complete BSN program from scratch.