Affording Nursing School: What did you do?

nlion87 · Jul 31, 2009

Check with the school you are attending. They usually sell insurance to students.

MHSA LPN · Jul 31, 2009

I'm taking a risk. I have no health insurance, so I don't eat junk and I work out 6 days a week.

kmwyman · Jul 31, 2009

I was working full time when I got accepted into nursing school. I'm starting school in a few weeks, and my job is up in the air right now. They're deciding whether or not they'll let me stay part time, so I've made a plan for either way. I definitely can't afford not to work, so if they decide to let me go, I'll be looking for jobs elsewhere (waitressing, wal mart, a hospital, anything!). I plan on getting insurance through my school if I need to--I don't want to lose my coverage....so if I can't find a job that will offer benefits that's what I'll do

Also, I filled out a FAFSA and got a loan through that, so I'm not actually paying for the tuition right now--I'll pay that off when I graduate. I don't really know what I'd do if I had to pay my tuition all right now lol--even with my job I couldn't afford that! Maybe set up a payment plan with my school or something....?

Congratulations on getting accepted!!!

sneakymom2011 · Jul 31, 2009

My school also offers health insurance if you don't have it.

I'm not working right now. Thankfully my husband has a job (there are days I wonder if it's well-paying LOL) and the family's covered with health insurance.

We were lucky in the fact that most of the prerequisites I paid for out of pocket. But it took FOREVER to get through them- esp when you're only doing 1 class a semester. It was the only way I could think of to save money. I did have to get a small student loan my last year of prerequisites.

For NS, I did qualify for a Stafford secured loan. :yeah: The community college I went to never offered me one. My current loan is unsecured, I don't want to even think about how much I'm going to eventually pay in interest. The stafford loans though are probably only going to cover half. That's what I'm assuming, my loans this year covered half- then they offered me 2 unsecured loans (which I didn't take). For now- we refinanced the house, and took out enough money to hopefully cover tuition.

If I wind up not having enough (because some of the money is for an emergency) I can still look into unsecured Stafford loans. Or, we thought possibly a home equity line of credit.

XYcsccSN · Jul 31, 2009

I had a full time job in another field, I kept the job for close to two years after starting nursing school and saved every penny I could. When the time came, I left with a fat stack of cash and just concentrated on school until I found a flexible position in a local hospital. I work now only for experience (mostly to network), the cash is a bonus. I buy private health insurance through Aetna, its reasonable at less than fifty bucks a month but it is a high deductible plan so it's basically only there just in case something major happens.

AuroraRN87 · Aug 1, 2009

you can see if the hospital offers a contract. My hospital paid for school if i worked for them for two years. I personally had no insurance in school but you can try to keep your job and only work part time, many people in school did that

DMB_Love · Aug 5, 2009

Thanks all for your help!!!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 5, 2009

I took a risk when I attended an LVN/LPN program 4 years ago. I was unemployed, uninsured, living off my savings and unemployment checks, financing the tuition with student loans, and a few straws short of financial ruin. Thank goodness that the financial mess didn't come into fruition at that time.

I now attend an RN program. I work two 16-hour double shifts at a nursing home as an LVN/LPN every Saturday and Sunday for a total of 32 hours per week. I have financed part of the tuition with a Stafford unsubsidized student loan, and I am paying off the remaining balance to the school in the form of monthly cash payments. I have health insurance through my workplace, but it is so crappy that I'd rather not use it unless an emergency arose.

cwa82 · Aug 6, 2009

I quit my job when I started NS, since there was no part-time option and it was a 9-5 job. Luckily, my husband makes enough to support us for the time being and I was able to get on his health insurance. Our school also offers a cheap insurance plan, and I believe most schools offer something similar. We simply decided that the small amount of money I might be able to make by working while in NS wouldn't be worth the risk of falling behind in school. I got both Stafford and private loans for school and am trying not to worry about the total I'm racking up until I graduate in May!

LifelongDream · Aug 6, 2009

I sold my soul to Wells Fargo! I will be paying it off for years to come, but it was worth it. I'll make up the difference in income in the first year! :yeah:

GaMBA · Aug 6, 2009

Blue Cross Blue Shield offers something called Tonik (yes, with a "k" lol)insurance which is fairly affordable and offers good coverage. I used it for myself and my son after I left the corporate world. You can Google it to find more info about rates and if it's available in your state. I was able to sign up online, took less than 5 minutes, and if I remember correctly, coverage began as soon as you're accepted, which you find out within 24 hours. When you don't need it anymore you just call them up and cancel it. It provides health, vision and dental coverage.