Age and Nursing School

[NursingGCW]

So, I hope nobody takes offense to this but I've been wondering. In my pre-requisite classes for nursing school the ages ranged from 18-50 I'm wondering if nursing school is the same way? I'm also wondering because in my pre-req classes it seemed to me that people who were older seemed more focus where as my age group (i'm 19) did not. I'm just a focused person so it doesn't really phase me but have people noticed that in their programs. Maybe also since we are mostly all females there always seemed to be a bit of tension between the younger crowd and the older crowd. I really don't care if that happens in nursing school because it was hard enough to get in the program and I have way to much to lose but I do wonder if that is a trend that others see not just me!

Congratulations to everyone who got into their respective programs for Fall 2011 way to goooooo

[hsienko]

Our youngest is 18 now (I believe she started at 17 and our oldest student was 58 (no longer in the program) there are around 50 of us left, ages range from 18 to 47, pretty much on a standard bell curve with the average age being somewhere between 27 and 32. I think for the older students it's often a desire for something new (we had a MS mechanical engineering, MS education, and a MS Biology) guy in our class, whereas for the younger students it's the pressure to get a job in one of the fields that is still hiring. Success is a complete crapshoot however, because there are so many people from so many backgrounds. I have noticed though the younger students tend to excel at the math and pharmacology while the older students tend to have greater analytical/prioritization/commonsense-life experience skills. It tends to balance out the tests and making passing any individual test hard for everyone! Fun stuff. Study hard!

[TryinHard]

I'm 41 and having the time of my life. I wish I had done this 20 yrs ago. I decided to go when I was laid off and I havent looked back... We finish this fall!! Our class ranges mid twentys to 41

[PMFB-RN, RN]

My nursing class had age ranges from 16 (yes 16) to 63. Many people like to exagerate how difficult nursing school is. It's not really very difficult in comparison to some of the other science / professional degrees out there.

In my class it did seem that the students in the late 20s-late 30s seemed more focused and did better. That said three people had perfect 4.0s and one was the 16 year old.

[nursel56]

I turned 19 in May of my first year and was out working by 21. The oldest person was in her mid-50s and one of my classmates was younger than I was with most somewhere in between.

The focus issue was more about personality than age from what I could tell. We had a young single mother and a CNA who worked every weekend who worked their tails off because getting an education to them was a very serious undertaking.

There were others in the same age group who kinda acted like it was all a lark and Mom and Dad foot the bill without expecting they show much in return. I would say 80% of my class was focussed. Only one dropped out early on.

[JustDes]

The program director stated the average student in our program was in their mid 30's and had 2 children. The majority that I have met our either early 20's or late 40's. I feel stuck in the middle and like I don't belong. I'll be 27 with 4 children when I start. At the open house, you could already see the cliques starting. I've seen 40 year olds who were to focused on their children and husbands to even make it in pre-reqs, just as I have seen a 19 yr. old ace classes and have more focus then half the class.

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

I will officially start nursing school on my 42nd birthday and will graduate before I turn 43. What a way to celebrate!

[FLmomof5]

I graduated Aug 2010 at the age of 48. I worked fulltime + OT while in NS EVE/WE program, have 5 of my own children (most were grown) a new husband who has 4 kids of his own that was deployed to Afghanistan and could not be there for my graduation. I took the NCLEX on Feb 7th and passed on my first attempt.

I waited until my IT contract concluded before starting to look for a nursing job. Tried for a few weeks in SC that didn't pan out (hubby works in SC). I came back to FL, got an interview right away and will be starting next week - either Tuesday or Wed will be my orientation.