Am i doing the right thing?

[hokiefanatic]

Hello All!

So I'm going to give you a brief background of my current situation and why I want to be a nurse. Then some feedback would be awesome, because I feel like I'm lost.

So I am currently finishing my last semester of undergraduate studies at Virginia Tech majoring in psychology. I'm finishing with a GPA in the 3.9 - 3.95 area and have some academic scholarships to Ivy League's and other very prestigious universities. BUT I would be continuing in a field of study I cannot see myself staying in the rest of my life.

I have reciently made the decision to attend a smaller liberal arts college and pursue a second bachelor's degree in nursong. I have wanted to be a nurse for quite some time, but I was always told to go to med school, or get into clinical psychology. I basically went along with what other thought was best, hoping that I would eventually fall in love with what others wanted me to be. But I have realized that I want to be a nurse, and I will not be happy in any other profession. Now I have 2 questions that I would really like to hear from others.

First, because of my GPA I have been admitted into some of the top nursong programs in the nation. But because this will be my 2nd bachelor's degree I am already broke and have decised to attend a 4 year college that is close enough to my hometown that I can go back to living with my parents to help with the cost. So will this decision come back to hurt me further down the road? I plan on going beyond a BSN and want to be competitive for graduate programs. Will earning a degree from a lesser know college hurt me in the long run?

My second question is kind of a 2 parter. I'm a male who is pretty masculine. I am an athlete and gym rat who wouldn't look out of place on a construction site. I do feel like I am more compassionate than most if not all of my friends, but my appearance can be a bit intimidating. I'm just scared that I will not fit in well as a nurse because of my gender/looks.

So basically I'm wondering if others have this same apprehension? Am I alone in these doubts, or is this pretty common for the nursing student?

[Saysfaa]

Both are common concerns of people as they prepare for nursing. Well, the *is my physical form a problem* comes in several flavors, but the same basic concern.

I think there is little difference between a mid-tier four year school and a top tier school as far as the rest of your career goes. I would avoid distinctly poor quality schools but I don't think that is what you are asking about.

I think being a large, fit male would be an advantage in all areas except possibly gynocology, labor/delivery, and mother/baby. Have you seen the male student nurse section of allnurses? That might help put your mind at ease.