Advice needed: Will I EVER get to nursing school?

[Peachy720]

I hope the mods will forgive me for posting in both Career Advice and Pre-Nursing. I wanted as many opinions as possible from both nurses and nursing students.

Hey everyone!

I apologize in advance, I know this is going to be long, rambling, and kinda confusing. I'm just so frustrated, stressed and disappointed right now.

I've been working on my first degree off-and-on for almost 10 years. I took off more than three years to manage a video store. While I was in school, after I realized I could never fulfill my childhood dream of being a vet (can't handle putting animals to sleep, among other reasons), I drifted from major to major, wracking up loans and useless hours in the process. Around a year ago, it hit me that nursing was for me. My dad has been in the hospital three times in the last two years, and I realized that it was the nurses and not the doctors that really made the hospital work. From that point on, I have felt serene in my decision...a first.

The problem? It feels like I'll NEVER get TO nursing school. Even though I have somewhere around 150 hours, I still have about 6 classes to go for a Psych degree, as well as my Developmental Psych, Nutrition, A&P I and II, and Chemistry (Not required at most of the schools I'm looking for, and I've already taken a major's chemistry, but at my "lovely" school, they won't let you take Nutrition until the nursing chem and A&P are taken. If I SQUEEZE (literally--take A&P I this summer with a Psych, 20 hours in the fall (A&P II, Chem, 3 Psychs and a Music for relaxation) and Nutrition and the harder Psych's in the Spring, I could graduate in the Spring. I'm just worried about it jeopardizing my grades. Also, I don't really plan on doing anything with Psych, and these classes just seem to interfere with my pre-reqs.

Or, I could switch my major to General Studies, graduate this fall with all my pre-reqs done, and take a Nutrition online.

My dream school is JHU. I will do whatever it takes to get accepted, whether it be waiting another two years, or whatever. I'm not sure if I'd be a competitive candidate this for next incoming accelerated program without a degree (although I would have it by the time I entered--but would General be good enough?) and still working on pre-reqs..as well as volunteer and letters....[edit: i know you're not supposed to put your eggs in one basket, but after "settling" the first time around, I'm going for my dream this time.]

A slight problem I feel is that even though I've called around in the past, I've never been able to volunteer with a hospital, and I'm wondering whether I should just wait another year either way before applying so that I can get more volunteer experience under my belt.

Also, although I have a 3.45 (I've had one "B" in the two years I've been back in school, but because I wasn't gone long enough for amnesty, trying to bring my GPA up), I'm not sure who the heck I'm going to ask for my letters of recommendation. The only person I can think of right now is an English professors. All my science professors know me by face, but I don't think they KNOW me well enough to fill out that info--any advice about how to get great letters of rec?

So besides the letter question, I guess I'm asking whether I should:

1. push ahead with applying in the fall and graduate in the spring with psych?

2. push ahead with applying in the fall and switch to general studies and graduate in the fall?

3. switch to general studies and graduate in the fall, and spend the next year working, volunteering, etc...?

4. expand the psych degree and take my time finishing up pre-reqs and psychs?

I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY appreciate ANY input you guys give me. I just want this so bad, and it just seems I'm no closer to my goal than I was a year ago.

I hope this made SOME kind of sense! :chair:

[BabyRN2Be]

Hey Peachy,

I'm sorry that I really can't offer you any concrete advice, but it looks like we have identical stories. I "settled" for my first degree because my mom didn't want me to become a nurse. I've never used it because I'd have to go back and get a Masters. I had a bad accident a few years ago (fell backward down a flight of stairs) and really didn't have the "oomph" to go back to get my Masters.

I've just decided now that I'm going to try to follow my dream and become a nurse. I'd like to swear that I'll become a nurse, but I guess I'm not seeing how it might be very possible right now because of the cost. I've just got married for the first time and we're trying to figure out finances right now. I've tried to tell the hubby that the price of nursing school isn't going to be paid on one lump sum, but the cost in the handbook is divided over the period of a few years.

Anyhow, like you, I've got some heavy classes ahead: I need to take a "booster" math class (my WORST subject), so I can take "Principles of Chemistry" or worse, "General Chem" if I want my BSN, then on to "Biology for Majors", separate A&P classes (they won't let you take the combined class anymore), plus "Microbiology." All sciences need to be taken within the last 5 years before applying.

Like you, I've got a long road ahead of me and I need to figure out how I'm going to do this financially (don't want to take out any more loans). I wish I could give you some advice, but I just wanted to let you know that you've got company in the boat. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you can get into the school of your choice!

Good luck!

[Jetaime684]

best suggestion i can give you...

Talk to the pre-nursing counselor, or the nursing school admissons rep. Any questions reguaring finances should be fielded to a financial aid counselor. Ask about grants too.

Dont be discouraged, there are people paid by your school to "advise" you

Good luck