is nursing really worth the debt

[starnurse2b16]

Hello everyone,

I would really love to be a nurse. But, because I made a c in both human anatomy 1 and 2. I have been denied acceptance to my local community colleges. I am now forced to turn to private nursing college which have higher tuition. The two schools that I am looking into are keiser college which is now accredited and jersey college. Keiser college only offers an adn which cost 38,000. Which does not include any books , uniforms. This amount only includes the tuition and nothing more. if I choose to attend this program I would be in a lot of debt. When I already owe 9,000 in loans from a previous college.

Or i can attend jersey college, which offers a lpn program . This program will cost me 15,000. I will probably average about 6,000- 8,000 more in debt. Later I can attend the local community college bridge program which my financial will be able to cover . So my lpn-rn program will be free. I will just have to pay back the loans I have already accumulated.

The reason I want to attend keiser college, everyone says lpn are being phased out. I have spoken to several lpn who tell me to go straight to becoming a rn. I do not want to accumulate too much debt an I will only receive my adn. The reason I want to attend jersey college, I will have less debt. I can work while attending the bridge program. Where I live lpn can only work in long term faculties. I do not really want to work in long term facilities. I want to work in a hospital.

Finally, my question is : For the nurses who accumulated debit from loans while in nursing school. Was it really worth it to become a nurse in the end? Is your debit manageable?

PLEASE ONLY RESPONSE IF HAVE DEBIT. PLEASE DO NOT RESPONE STATING THAT UOUR EDUCATION WAS FREE.

[CWONgal]

I don't get why nursing schools demand such high GPAs. I've run into many nurses who don't seem particularly bright or professional for me to believe that high GPA makes a good nurse. I legitimately wonder what classes some of these people took to pull 3.7+ GPAs and if that number matters at all.

Nursing schools demand high grades for several reasons. NCLEX pass rates are a big deal and if you have students who have mediocre grades they may bring down the results which ultimately affects their reputation. If students fail out of class or the program (as was mentioned previously the med-surg classes were make or break for some folks staying in the program) the school loses money. Remember, a BSN requires a set core of classes during the first two years of school (chemistry, statistics, A&P, etc.) so if they are pulling the high GPA's they did so on their own merit....no one gets into nursing school with fluff classes.

[nursefrances, BSN, RN]

I have tried retaking my human anatomy 1 and 2. I was told because I passed both classes with a c. Which is a passing grade. I will have to pay out of state fees to retake these two courses. Which will be:(373 x 4= about 1,000 per course). I can not afford this at this time. This why private school are my options. The reason I did not pass these two classes. Was due to the fact I was not focused at all and I didnt attend these classes much. I know stupid right, I was young and was not as focused on school as I should have been. Now i have to pay for my poor choice. Thank you everyone for responses

I think it would still be worth trying to go the traditional route. Maybe you can get a student loan for those two classes? It sill seems cheaper than going the private school route.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do. Keep us posted.

[ArtClassRN, ADN, RN]

I don't get why nursing schools demand such high GPAs. I've run into many nurses who don't seem particularly bright or professional for me to believe that high GPA makes a good nurse. I legitimately wonder what classes some of these people took to pull 3.7+ GPAs and if that number matters at all.

I took the same classes everyone else did and I worked my buns off to get my 4.0 GPA. Since you were wondering. I see nothing wrong with higher performing students to get preferred placement.

Make no mistake, that number does matter. The OP should seriously consider if nursing is for her if she is struggling so much in prereqs. I know it isn't rainbows and unicorns, but neither is nursing.

[BlueLightRN]

Where are you getting 190,000?! Do you even have time off? Even with OT I'm finding myself doubting this, sorry.

Agree. Starting pay for RNs in the US is a range of about 18-40 dollars per hour depending on where you are located. No 190k jobs in nursing really exist lol.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

Agree. Starting pay for RNs in the US is a range of about 18-40 dollars per hour depending on where you are located. No 190k jobs in nursing really exist lol.

He said he pulled in that much, not that his job paid that. He didn't provide details. Ever been to San Jose California? I have a buddy there who regularly makes >$200K/year as a ER nurse. He works a lot of OT to get it but he does. He has a regular job that pays around $130K/year full time, then does per diem at a couple other hospitals. Over 8 in a day is time and a half (exceptions for people under contract). Over 12 in a day is double time. Back in 2007 when i was working per diem in San Jose I was getting paid $62/hour, plust $7/hour NOC differentional. I was ALWAYS asked to stay for a 12 and 4 hours OT. Several times a week I would be asked to stay for a 16 hour shift. When that happend I would gross well over $1400 for the double shift. I usually did 2 doubles a week. Despite being assined to an 8 hour shift, every single time I was asked to stay for a 12. I would gross just shy of a grand for every 12 hour shift.

Every week for 9 weeks I averaged three 12 hour shifts and two 16 hour shift, 5 shifts a week. That is exactly:

12 hour shift - $952 x 3 = $2856 / week

16 hour shift - $1448 x 2 = $2896 / week

Total gross of $5752/week

I only did it for 9 weeks. However if a person was to do it for, lets say, 50 weeks a year they would gross $287,600/year

After 9 weeks I came home with enough money to pay off a huge medical bill and make a nice down payment on a house.

I know others. He are some examples:

Million-Dollar Nurses Show California's Struggle to Cut Payroll - Bloomberg

[RunBabyRN]

I have tried retaking my human anatomy 1 and 2. I was told because I passed both classes with a c. Which is a passing grade. I will have to pay out of state fees to retake these two courses. Which will be:(373 x 4= about 1,000 per course). I can not afford this at this time. This why private school are my options. The reason I did not pass these two classes. Was due to the fact I was not focused at all and I didnt attend these classes much. I know stupid right, I was young and was not as focused on school as I should have been. Now i have to pay for my poor choice. Thank you everyone for responses

I would think $2000 in fees would be a lot less expensive than the program you're considering. Look at the long term good here, and how much you're really considering taking out in loans.

I had to work to make up for my mistakes that I made when I was young and dumb and didn't care about my GPA, or when I took on too much at one time (like 3 science classes and two jobs at the same time). Plenty of us have done it.

[DowntheRiver]

I have a friend who pulls close to or at $190,000 in rural Alaska with benefits working four 12 hour shifts a week. Maybe same area?

[jallen326]

Sounds like I need to move to Cali

Where are you getting 190,000?! Do you even have time off? Even with OT I'm finding myself doubting this, sorry.

Your doubt doesn't change the veracity of what I posted.

$62/hr with differentials...

OT is mostly limited by my energy...

DT after 12 (at least 3 times per month, sometimes 3-4 times per weeks)

1.5T over 40... averaged 5 days per week...

time off? Some... not much. I average about 55 hours per week.

It's not unheard of for people to work 15, 20, 25 days straight... not common but not unheard of.

Where? Northern California...

You obviously work 2 to 3 jobs 160hrs a week. I have been on both sides of the nursing field, and find it hard to believe any nurse is making $109 an hour in any part of the country. But, that's just me being pessimistic...(realistic in my book)

One job... approx 55-60 hrs/week...

Say I work 5 shifts which is pretty typical for me and say I do one 4 hour stay-over...

Let R = Base Rate (incl NOC diff)

Weekly gross is then R*36 + R*4 + 1.5*R*20 + 2*R*4 = 78*R...

Let R = $57/hr...

G = 78*57 = $4,400 per week

$4,400 per week x 52 weeks = $231,192 per year

I don't work quite as much as I assumed in this rough calc but I work A LOT...

Many, many of my colleagues are grossing in the $115,000 - $140,000 range...

[generalRN2008]

Retake the classes and get higher grades then reapply. 38,000 is really a lot for ADN. I paid maybe 6,000 for mine at a community college then right on to BSN and loans. BSN cost an additional 20,000

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I don't get why nursing schools demand such high GPAs. I've run into many nurses who don't seem particularly bright or professional for me to believe that high GPA makes a good nurse. I legitimately wonder what classes some of these people took to pull 3.7+ GPAs and if that number matters at all.

True, it's certainly not rocket science. It is, however, a VERY in-demand educational program (note I didn't say in-demand occupation).

The more limited the seating in these programs, the more choosy the admissions process can afford to be. Right now, with people swarming to become nurses, it should be easy to see why only the very top students will qualify.

To answer your question about whether the prior coursework to get into the nursing courses is relevant......the classes used to qualify are typically pre-determined science courses; obviously if your 3.98 GPA was earned in Theatre and Modern Dance, it isn't going to get you into the nursing program you desire.

One does not need to be Albert Einstein in order to pass a typical nursing program nor pass the NCLEX exam for licensing....but one does have to prove oneself a stellar student to gain seating in a program where hundreds apply for every few seats.