Tons of student loans, pursue DNP still?

Nursing Students NP Students

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hello all,

it's been quite some time since i've posted on here. i am currently a rn, bsn that graduated last august. i have been employed as an rn for almost 9 months now. i am looking to further my degree and move into the position i've always wanted to be, that is a family nurse practitioner. so, here i am now, looking to pursue my degree and i think i'd rather just go for the dnp degree rather than the msn in fnp. i've already checked into quite a few programs and am very interested in them.... my issue?

well, i already have a ton of student loans from when i was in nursing school to attain my bsn (it was accelerated, so i had to take out private loans for living expenses). i really don't want to add more student loans, but if i want to pursue my dream, i think i'm going to have to. yes, i've already looked into tuition reimbursement at my employer (which they don't for this profession because they have too many), and scholarships.... but none of that is guaranteed anyhow.....

the other thing i don't know is, how much time does graduate school take per class for studies and homework? is it like nursing school was: for every 1 hour in class, there are 2-3 hours of studying and homework? i am still working full time and i will continue to work full time, but i also have two younger children that i don't want to be absent from (like i felt i was during nursing school).

any advice?

thanks so much!

Specializes in Dementia & Psychiatry.

Hi,

Just got an e-mail this week from my college (I'm in a BSN-DNP program, paying for it with student loans) and now grad school doesn't qualify for subsidized loans - I'll still get the same total amount, but they will all be unsubsidized (interest from the day I get them).

Homework-wise... well I had a scholarship that put me through RN - BSN and once I got the RN I started working. Now I'm just over a year into the BSN-DNP. I would say the difficulty level is increased by about 1.5 on average (some classes about the same, some double). So for every credit hour of class (I have to phrase it that way since my whole program is online) you have not 3-4 hours of homework, but 4.5-6.

I hope you didn't sell any of your books from the first four years (I cited many of mine so far) and I hope you are very skilled in APA (even for "discussion posts").

Yes, you will be absent. You have to decide if it is worth it. Because if you don't do it now, it's unlikely you ever will.

Dian

Specializes in Corrections.

Honestly, alot of the advice you are getting regarding holding back and waiting until you get a certain magical amount of experience is probably from individuals who are simply jealous that you are trying to follow your dreams. You need to just try and get it done so you don't regret it later. You don't want to be one of those people who just puts up barriers to their own dreams.

1 Votes

So, I suggest you work longer to work off most,or better yet, all of those loans before taking on more debt. Do a little investigating into the many articles regarding how long it takes to pay off all that debt. There was a thread on an recently regarding this matter. Fact of the matter is crushing debt is no funny matter. Are you looking to take bankrupcy to get out from under it? Do you want a home and a good life for your children? Seems like your best option is to put off more debt for awhile.

Looking at mountains of debt for your whole life is no fun. I am old and not at all jealous. It makes me angry when I read many articles in financial magazines etc about people taking all these loans out and feeling sorry for themselves when the time comes they have to pay them off and start the "poor me" routine. Or put off paying them off and adding interest debt to the original debt for years because they never find any money to pay off the debt. Its time to be an adult and make adult decisions. If she really wants to go to school, school will still be there later.

Specializes in CT ICU, OR, Orthopedic.

I was told I could work full time while going through the DNP program. I told them I had a 15 month old. They assured me it was no problem. I was also promised tuition assistance. So here is the reality:

I was able to work 3 days a week my first 2 years I am in a unique position that my husband works a lot of weekends, therefore I am not able to work weekends (I am contingent so I am able to get away with that at work). I had class two days a week and no clinical. Oh, and where I work it is 8 hour shifts, so if you could do 12 hours, then perhaps you could work full time for the first two years. The work load was tough, but doable.

The second two years, however,

Specializes in CT ICU, OR, Orthopedic.
I was told I could work full time while going through the DNP program. I told them I had a 15 month old. They assured me it was no problem. I was also promised tuition assistance. So here is the reality:

I was able to work 3 days a week my first 2 years I am in a unique position that my husband works a lot of weekends, therefore I am not able to work weekends (I am contingent so I am able to get away with that at work). I had class two days a week and no clinical. Oh, and where I work it is 8 hour shifts, so if you could do 12 hours, then perhaps you could work full time for the first two years. The work load was tough, but doable.

The second two years, however,

Oops

The second two years, I had/have, 1400 clinical hours to complete. Clearly, working at ALL has been difficult. I have 300 NP clinical hours per semester (to be completed in 10-15 weeks, depending on the semester, and if you are able to start the very first week). Then there are 250 DNP clinical hours X2 semesters.

I am not trying to be negative, just realistic. I was very much misled. Oh, and I got some tuition assistance, in that about $7K/ semester was loaned to me via the school (the cost per semester where I go is about $12K/semester). The catch is, I have to teach for 4 years, to pay off 85%. How am I going to find an No problem! job that allows me to coordinate a teaching schedule?

Specializes in Neuro ICU/Trauma/Emergency.
Honestly, alot of the advice you are getting regarding holding back and waiting until you get a certain magical amount of experience is probably from individuals who are simply jealous that you are trying to follow your dreams. You need to just try and get it done so you don't regret it later. You don't want to be one of those people who just puts up barriers to their own dreams.

I hate to be the one to burst bubbles, but jealousy and envy is not a personality trait i posses. I have 4 degrees and am well respected in my career. Not to mention, I have been in her situation of being overly ambitious and burying myself in too much work and debt. When there is insight coming from someone who has gone through and overcome, the reason you ask advice is to hear other's opinions, not to have yes men. A yes man will steer you wrong all the time. Grow up!

Specializes in CT ICU, OR, Orthopedic.

*NP job, not No problem! Job. Dang autocorrect!!

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Honestly, alot of the advice you are getting regarding holding back and waiting until you get a certain magical amount of experience is probably from individuals who are simply jealous that you are trying to follow your dreams. You need to just try and get it done so you don't regret it later. You don't want to be one of those people who just puts up barriers to their own dreams.
It has nothing to do with jealousy. Many of us don't want to see Simone so young buried in a mountain of debt that ruins her future and that of her children.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
It has nothing to do with jealousy. Many of us don't want to see Simone so young buried in a mountain of debt that ruins her future and that of her children.
Another dang auto-correct! That should have been "someone," not "Simone."

Go for it! My friend is going for her DNP and it is far better! Might as well jump thru the hoops to enjoy life later :) and do what you were created for : ) She has 2 children and married! Depending on where you are starting salary 6 figures and job security:yeah:

1 Votes
Specializes in CT ICU, OR, Orthopedic.
Honestly, alot of the advice you are getting regarding holding back and waiting until you get a certain magical amount of experience is probably from individuals who are simply jealous that you are trying to follow your dreams. You need to just try and get it done so you don't regret it later. You don't want to be one of those people who just puts up barriers to their own dreams.

I disagree, I am in the same boat, and am just letting her know what to expect. I admit I am a little negative right now bc of the amount of stress I am under, but I was misled as to everything from cost, to work load and level of difficulty.

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