Advice needed about changing majors... I feel like I've made a mistake

Published

Specializes in Psych.

Im 34 with a family. I've been on healthcare for 11 years. Im currently a Med Assistant. My employer provides tuition assistance, but only for *one* degree.

I was pursuing nursing initially and i was on a roll at first, passing A&P, micro,psych,etc... The only thing i had left to do was take general chemistry, organic chemistry, and pass an entrance exam.

So when i went for the general chemistry, i was doing fine until i got to the equations then i started failing... I had no choice but to withdraw instead of receiving a D or F. On a side note, i was also dealing with my father's death and my wife's unemployment all at the same time, so i dont think that helped either.

I got really discouraged and ended up changing majors to Accounting, thinking i could probably transition to the business side of healthcare instead.

Its been 18 months now since i switched and my excitement has slowly vanished due to my transition being unsuccessful. Ive gotten a few interviews for internships, ended up not winning any of them, no interviews for entry level positions. I know its because of my 11 years in Patient care but i chose to ignore it and be optimistic... Boy do i feel like an idiot.

This led to me taking another look at nursing, wondering maybe i gave up too easily last time around. Honestly, accounting school work wasn't really that difficult, it was interesting and i dont mind the work, but at the same time i feel kind of attached to patient care for some strange reason i can't put my finger on. I've been doing this for a decade, I've never been in any field this long before.

Problem is im supposed to graduate next semester from accounting, June 2020. I have 5 classes left (2 in accounting and 3 in liberal arts electives). Again, this is my first degree, no money out of my pocket, its being mostly paid for.

Should I switch before i graduate or just finish my BA in accounting first since its only 1 more semester?

As for nursing school options, im looking at the following:

1. Stay at my current school for the BSN. Science prerequisites have *no expiration* at my school's BSN program. So i would basically pick up where i left off, pass the two chemistry classes and take the entrance exam.

2. Go to community college for the ASN. While they only need 1 chemistry, i would have to retake only A&P 1 and 2 because this school has a 5 year expiration on sciences. I honestly don't care if i have to retake them, I'll do whatever it takes.

3. Go to an LPN school for 11 months. No prerequisites required. Just an GED-type entrance exam.

Im sorry for the long post but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology RN.

Sounds like you are here on a nursing board because you want nursing. Go for it. Go for RN school. Take those chemistry classes!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych.
7 minutes ago, Nurse.Kelsey said:

Sounds like you are here on a nursing board because you want nursing. Go for it. Go for RN school. Take those chemistry classes!

Nurse Kelsey, you put a smile on my face ? lol. But what should i do in regards to the accounting degree? Im one semester away from graduating in June 2020. Its not coming out of my pocket or anything but still....

Should i just finish it off since im close or just switch back to nursing in the spring and get started on that chemistry?

I suppose one quicker option (sort of) is to finish the accounting and then do LPN (less than a year)?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology RN.

Forget the accounting degree if you dont want it!

I myself did LPN school because at the time I was not able to get into RN school. I got some home health experience and went back to RN school because the opportunities are in RN jobs if you want to work in a hospital and advance your career. Go big or go home on this one! Go get em!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

I'm going to say finish the accounting degree WHILE taking your remaining prerequisites.

BECAUSE you may not get into a program right away- you may discover chemistry is your kryptonite, you will need to support yourself for a while and accounting pays well- I could go on and on.

6
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych.
27 minutes ago, meanmaryjean said:

I'm going to say finish the accounting degree WHILE taking your remaining prerequisites.

BECAUSE you may not get into a program right away- you may discover chemistry is your kryptonite, you will need to support yourself for a while and accounting pays well- I could go on and on.

Good point. I can definitely do that. That also works out well if i go the LPN route. Because, accounting will be done in June and LPN starts september and is only 11 months.

Regarding chemistry, this might be a dumb question, but i wonder if taking it at a community college is any different/easier than at a 4-year college?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
2 hours ago, jss1985 said:

Regarding chemistry, this might be a dumb question, but i wonder if taking it at a community college is any different/easier than at a 4-year college?

I hesitate to say that it will be "easier" but I am currently taking organic chemistry for the second time (I got Cs in both classes the first time I took them 8-9 yrs ago). The first time I took it was at a large university where I got my BS, my lectures were in huge lecture halls w/ 300+ people. Now I'm retaking at community college and the class is small, probably less than 30 people and it is so much more personal and easy to ask for help! Of course I'm older, a better student, and more motivated this time around so that makes a difference as well, but I think the class environment plays a role. I'm on track to get an A :)

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I vote to finish your BSN. It's the shortest and most practical use of your time from my standpoint. What's the point of finishing your accounting degree if you don't want to use it?

In regards to your chemistry courses, seek out any tutoring free or paid, clinics, smarter students, or other resources available at your school. I spent most of my free time at my school's chemistry clinic and made friends with several chem majors and graduate level students who offered me free tutoring outside of clinic hours. I've taken 6 different chemistry courses in my lifetime so far and I'm definitely not good with equations/math. You can do it!

Focus on acing these courses, because these grades are on your transcript forever and you don't want this to be the reason you don't get into your BSN program.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych.
24 minutes ago, coco1320 said:

I hesitate to say that it will be "easier" but I am currently taking organic chemistry for the second time (I got Cs in both classes the first time I took them 8-9 yrs ago). The first time I took it was at a large university where I got my BS, my lectures were in huge lecture halls w/ 300+ people. Now I'm retaking at community college and the class is small, probably less than 30 people and it is so much more personal and easy to ask for help! Of course I'm older, a better student, and more motivated this time around so that makes a difference as well, but I think the class environment plays a role. I'm on track to get an A ?

Congrats!

I took Gen Chem in a huge auditorium with 200-300 people as well at my school. But i also took micro at the same school one semester prior to that and got an A. But then again, there's no equations to calculate in micro, and thats what messed me up the most in chem was those damn equations.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych.
6 minutes ago, popopopo said:

I vote to finish your BSN. It's the shortest and most practical use of your time from my standpoint. What's the point of finishing your accounting degree if you don't want to use it?

In regards to your chemistry courses, seek out any tutoring free or paid, clinics, smarter students, or other resources available at your school. I spent most of my free time at my school's chemistry clinic and made friends with several chem majors and graduate level students who offered me free tutoring outside of clinic hours. I've taken 6 chemistry courses in my lifetime so far!

Focus on acing these courses, because these grades are on your transcript forever and you don't want this to be the reason you don't get into your BSN program.

That was my first concern, whether finishing vs. Dropping accounting would be the best use of my time. I guess part of me would feel like a dumbass or stupid for switching majors back to nursing during the last semester of accounting. I know my coworkers/friends are going to be like seriously? And probably call me indecisive and sarcastically ask me oh how much longer are you gonna be in school now?

The reason they would say this is because this would be my 4th time changing majors (1st i was looking into social work until i realized how low paying it is for a masters degree, 2nd was nursing which i mentioned above, 3rd was accounting (present), and going back to nursing would be the 4th time

I mean are those things i should be concerned about or am i making a big deal out of nothing?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych.

On a side note, everyone.... I just received my 2nd post-phone interview rejection email for an accounting internship in the past 2 weeks now. First one was with a major airline company and this one was with an energy startup company. And these are just intern positions, not even full-blown accounting jobs. I mean WOW!, they can't give students a chance?

Must be yet another sign pointing back towards nursing(?).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
13 minutes ago, jss1985 said:

That was my first concern, whether finishing vs. Dropping accounting would be the best use of my time. I guess part of me would feel like a dumbass or stupid for switching majors back to nursing during the last semester of accounting. I know my coworkers/friends are going to be like seriously? And probably call me indecisive and sarcastically ask me oh how much longer are you gonna be in school now?

The reason they would say this is because this would be my 4th time changing majors (1st i was looking into social work until i realized how low paying it is for a masters degree, 2nd was nursing which i mentioned above, 3rd was accounting (present), and going back to nursing would be the 4th time

I mean are those things i should be concerned about or am i making a big deal out of nothing?

Nahh, you have legitimate concerns. This matters. You have a good 30-40 years of work left in you. I am a career changer myself and won't finish schooling until my mid-thirties also. Job satisfaction is important to me and pay comes second.

Think about it this way. In 10 years when you're going to be in your 40s anyway, would you rather be 40-something and an rn/np/etc or an accountant?

8 minutes ago, jss1985 said:

On a side note, everyone.... I just received my 2nd post-phone interview rejection email for an accounting internship in the past 2 weeks now. First one was with a major airline company and this one was with an energy startup company. And these are just intern positions, not even full-blown accounting jobs. I mean WOW!, they can't give students a chance?

Must be yet another sign pointing back towards nursing(?).

I like to think of this as a sign, totally! One door closes, another opens, serendipity!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion