ADN or BSN

Someone with their BSN would know more, but my impression is that while, a BSN doesn't help much right out of school, it helps if you ever want to go into management. Nurses with BSNs are much more likely to be promoted in that fashion.

Also, since you're young and if can count on a hospital to pay off your loans, I'd go for the BSN. When you factor in all the time you'll be spending on prereqs an RN and a BSN differ in length by only about a semester's worth of courses. The ADN program may be only two years, but the process of becoming a nurse is definitely not that short.

In my area the ADN is promoted as a two year nursing degree but in reality it is closer to 3 years. They dont include all the prereq. you must take first as part of the program.

The BSN would be the way to go if you think you might want to someday go into advanced practice FNP, CRNA, etc.. As far as working I know a few Magnet hospitals will only hire BSN's and you cant join the Army nursing corps without a BSN.

Another option is to get your ADN, then do an online RN-to-BSN program.

Once you've got a job with a hospital, they may offer tuition reimbursement, too.

I would go with a BSN if I could. More opportunities there if you have a BSN.

I just finished up my prereq's for the Associates. If I get into the program, I will complete that and go right into a RN-BSN program. I figure that was the quickest route for me to a job.

Good luck whichever route you choose.

Matt