Need some input please.

Nursing Students Chamberlain College

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  1. Are you willing to pay 88K for a Bachelor’s degree?

    • 2
      Definitely!
    • 13
      Reconsider your options.
    • 23
      It’s not worth it.

38 members have participated

I am an aspiring nurse at 46. I've been working as an Ophthalmic Technician for 14 yrs and decided to pursue a career in the same field but more in depth caring for patients. I came across Chamberlain University while I'm searching for universities and community colleges. They are offering a BSN degree in 3 yrs at a cost. Factoring in my age and the mandated situation in hospitals for ADNs to acquire their BSNs. Would you recommend paying 88K for a Bachelor's degree? We are not rich by any means , just a very supportive husband.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
I'm not retaking my classes you sound crazy lol I waited a long time get where I am yeah retake them and SPEND more money that makes no sense by time I spend money on retaking 6 classes that money could go towards my current school lol and then my HESI score will expire and then I would have to retake it all over again clearly you didn't think all that through before you decided to reply thanks for your suggestion but that is a terrible one

I actually did think through it all and took the time to respond. You are free to take or leave the advice, of course. But to call someone 'crazy' who- based on their decades of experience- took time to offer you a slightly different perspective, reflects badly on you, not me.

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Thnx but your advice is not needed. Yo don't know me are my situation so your advice doesn't fit or match my situation. Just because you have experience doesn't mean your advice is best in regards to my individual situation. The degrees behind you're name has nothing to do with the path a person should go in their education all it means is you have knowledge pertaining to nursing to practice in the field.

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

Get your RN through a community college and pay significantly less. $88K is way too much debt to take on at your age. I'm a bit older than you and changed careers later in life. I paid out-of-pocket with my savings for my ADN. Then worked as an RN. The hospital that hired me paid for me to complete the BSN. I'm now earning my FNP, which I have to pay for, but it is only $32K. Definitely don't go in to significant debt for a BSN.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
Thnx but your advice is not needed. Yo don't know me are my situation so your advice doesn't fit or match my situation. Just because you have experience doesn't mean your advice is best in regards to my individual situation. The degrees behind you're name has nothing to do with the path a person should go in their education all it means is you have knowledge pertaining to nursing to practice in the field.

I was addressing the OP in regards to your devil-may-care attitude to finances. Hoping he/she is wise enough to listen to reason.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I know how excited you must be, especially after wanting to be a nurse for a while now. But, just as an example to look at it differently, if somebody said they would give you $65,000 cash if you would graduate in DEC 2020 instead of JUL 2020, would you take it? As others have mentioned, you can turn an ASN into a BSN while working as an RN and maybe even get your BSN paid for. I totally understand the urgency you're feeling though. I got my BSN as a second bachelors so I understand where you're coming from. I'm now doing my FNP. BSN + FNP (at Chamberlain) will be about $65K for both of them together. I pay out-of-pocket because the burden of student loan debt just isn't something I'm comfortable with. If you'd be using student loans, that $88,000 will almost assuredly turn into a regret as soon as you start making payments.

If you decide to wait for the community college, you'll have an admissions decision in a few months, so the pain of waiting isn't for too terribly long (fingers crossed for you!). If you find that you're set and determined to start at Chamberlain, keep talking to the community colleges and see if there are any options to transfer in. If you do end up at Chamberlain for the whole BSN program, if you can swing it, pay for as much of the tuition as you can afford out-of-pocket and only take student loans for the portion you can't cover. That would really help reduce the pain of the the many, many years of student loan repayment.

I wish you luck no matter which path you end up on. Keep us posted!

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I'm in TX and the slots for the program is very competetive and limited. The lure of having the BSN in 3 yrs and not waiting until Fall of 2018 is very tempting. I'm 46, you can imagine my dilemma.

I'm 45 and just heading to nursing school...I really wouldn't give too much thought to your age. I don't. But what I *would* give thought to is the level of debt you are considering taking on. Absolutely no way I would want that hanging over me. Period.

I understand your journey has taken time.....mine too...I started pre-reqs about 8 or 9 years ago, and along the way I ended up completing another AA degree....it's been a long time coming, I can assure you! However - a year or two extra waiting to relieve yourself of that debt level is worth it....then when you enter the workplace you're not working to repay your loans....you can enjoy the fruits of your hard labor!

it's your call, I understand the lure of getting going in a month.....but you'll stop your self "getting going" after graduation if you take on so much debt.

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If you are at the point of being able to apply for the nursing program at your community college, then you have probably satisfied the majority of your pre-requisites. I am at Chamberlain and finished all my pre-reqs before entering the program so my cost is nowhere near 88k! Definitely get your pre-reqs done first and then go to Chamberlain, it'll drop your cost to about 20k.

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Take prerequisites at a cc then free. You can cut your money and time there by at least 1/3 this way

NNM

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What school did you get your ADN from?

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I paid less than $15k for my ADN, BSN and MSN. And I started my ASN after age 40 and did all three degrees in 3 years. At your age, and really, at any age, $88k is way too much.

What school did you go to for your adn degree?

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