What to do with my other degree.

[Florence NightinFAIL]

Hi I'm new to this forum, in fact this is my first post, and I hope to get soem help. I was interested in nursing for as long as I can remember but while in college I decided to take psychology just to make sure that it is what I wanted (I don't know what I was thinking). Anyway, I wasted almost 5 yrs with my psych and am now 8 courses away from my degree. I also applied to nursing school and got accepted for a 4 yr B.S in Nursing program at a local college (applied twice for accelalated program but denied).

So I'm starting nursing hopefully this sept 07 and I was wondering for those nurses or student nurses who have previous degrees - what are you going to do with it/them? Do you just forget about them or use them somehow as a nurse/potential nurse? Do you think a psych degree is an advantage when looking for ur first job straight out of school?

I feel like I wasted so much money and time on a degree that I feel like would be no use to me since I changed my major to nursing.

so how can I make use of it?

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

I would check with the implications of financial aid if you are using any kind of financial aid. Here in the US, if you were to graduate with your bachelor's degree in psych, you would be cut off for receiving further financial aid in obtaining the BSN. However, if the two bachelors degrees are at the same college, then you can obtain a double major. The concern in the US with financial aid is once you have one bachelor's degree - you are on your own. No more financial aid for other bachelor's.

I'd check this out. In fact, I'd be curious to see the Canadian approach to this.

[gudiarani, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, NP]

I hope you'll finish your first degree, no matter what area it is, a degree is a degree is education! I just finished my first BA in Neuroscience, a semester early too. And now I'm waiting to hear back from 8 accelerated second degree BSN programs. Are these the kind that you applied to? I wouldn't even bother with those 4 year ones...too long for me plus the 4 years is for those who haven't done the pre-reqs I think. 2 years is a normal BSN program, I think.

Hopefully I get in somewhere. Good luck to you!

[biogeek]

A degree is never a waste!! I have a BS in genetics and a BA in chemistry. Some of my fellow pre-nursing classmates think I'm nuts and over-qualified for nursing with my science background. Rubbish I say! Psychology is something that every field can use and it will help differentiate you from the rest of the pack when you apply to nursing school.

[gudiarani, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, NP]

By the way, I'm going back for my second degree BSN and I will be getting financial aid...I am still a dependent at 20 years old.

However, if you are no longer a dependent, and have a job, the government calculates aid based on your income, not your parents, so unless you are making a lot of money, you should still get aid.

Even then, individual schools also give out plenty of aid money. I went to Hopkins for my BA in Neuroscience and once my sister also entered undergrad at another school, I got PLENTY of grant money from the school. Of course, Hopkins is a private school, so this is a special case. I know for a fact that state schools give much less in financial aid if anything at all, especially if you are out of state. I have no idea about community colleges.

[biogeek]

Those that already have a degree will not qualify for pell grants and other grants such as SEOG and the like, but they will still qualify for federal loans. There are, of course, other scholarships and non-federal grants that are based on the federal application for financial aid, so everyone should fill it out.

I earned my degrees at a large, public university and they had plenty of aid for in-state students and select out-of-state ones. I can see, however, how smaller public schools could be behind in providing enough financial aid for those that need it. No idea about CC though.

[gudiarani, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, NP]

There's also plenty of nursing scholarships out there, especially if you work for a hospital now or a company like Johnson & Johnson. Some hospitals will pay your way through nursing education if you sign to work with them for a certain amount of time afterwards.

Try discovernursing.com for scholarships.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

I just checked the US federal financial aid website, and it looks like it is the grants that are cut off when one already has a bachelor's degree. I thought loans would be cut off too - looks like not. Thing is the OP is in Canada, and we are referring to US regulations. So it would be wise to check the applicable regulations in Canada if financial aid is a consideration.

[biogeek]

Very true! Canadian regulations are probably different than the US with regards to financial aid. I know they have aid of various types, just not the process.