ADN/ASN or BSN?

[Stressed1998]

I am a second degree bachelor's student. I am $10,100 in debt from my previous degree (all federal loans). I was accepted into a nursing program that would allow me to earn my BSN in two years (credits from my previous degree are transferred). However, the total cost will be around $50,000. I called financial aid and I only have $14,900 left in federal loans (subsidized and unsubsidized). This leaves me with $35,000 remaining. The school does offer an annual $10,000 scholarship, but we aren't notified until the fall and there is no guarantee I will get it. I can also ask my mom to take out a parent plus loan (a type of federal loan) since I am still a dependent, which will cover an additional $10,000. This leaves me with roughly $25,000 left. The only option for paying this off is through private loans or a scholarship (e.g., nurse corp scholarship, which I've heard is pretty competitive and there is no guarantee I would get that). If I were to get the scholarship the school offers that would mean me taking out $15,000 ($5,000 if me and my mom are approved for the parent plus loan). This route takes me 2 years. I've heard that a BSN is more desirable than an ADN/ASN.

 

The second option is going the community college route. There is a local community college that charges $408 per credit hour (if you are out of state, which I am, but if I go this route I may consider changing my residence). There is a total of 37 nursing course credits I need to take to obtain an ASN assuming they let me transfer the prereqs I've already taken (bio, A&P, psych). They also require I take the TEAS, which I have/I performed above what they require, which is encouraging.  Afterwards, I would do an RN-BSN program. One of the school's in the area has a dual admission relationship with a community college nearby (for out of state it is $1,325 per credit and in-state $394 for a total of 31 credits. If I went this route, hopefully by this time I would have changed my resident status). If they let me transfer some of the courses from my other degree, if I understand it correctly, this route would take 2-3ish years. With this route, assuming federal aid is the same for associates and bachelors (is it?) I would take out the least amount of money. 

What do you guys think? I am 23 so I don't have too much pressure to hurry up and get a job, but at the same time I got into the BSN program and even though I seem to meet the requirements for the ASN option, there is no guarantee I will be admitted. On the other hand, I already have a guaranteed seat with the BSN program. Both schools have comparable NCLEX pass rates (98-100%). The cc has more test takers though than the BSN program). I just feel like with the associates option there is more stuff up in the air since I haven't applied/gotten in (the deadline for the Spring term is in July). Also, if I do the associates route I'd be stuck in the house doing nothing productive for longer since it wouldn't start until the Spring semester (I help take care of my grandfather who has dementia and I'm not working at the moment since I can't drive/can't leave the house since I am responsible for my grandfather). Also, $7,500 of the $10,100 that I have already taken out is actually from taking additional prereqs for the BSN program (they gave me a conditional acceptance based on my performance on the TEAS and my completion of additional prereqs (patho, intro to sociology) at their institution...I know big mistake). So, I feel like since I have already invested in this program in a way, I might as well continue with it.

 

Also, what is the difference between an ASN and ADN. Are they both treated the same for an RN-BSN program?

 

Also, it seems like a few hospitals in the area don't have a requirement for a BSN to work, but I don't know if that will be different two years from now