Commuting from Oakland to SF for nursing school - What's it like?

[mika_sf]

I just got accepted to CCSF nursing program for spring 2011 and I'm thinking about moving to Oakland from SF to have cheaper rent while I'm in school. Does anyone have any experience with this? I'm assuming that getting to and from class will be easy since CCSF is right next to a BART station, but what about clinicals? Was this a huge pain? I've never actually lived in Oakland before (lived in SF for about 10 years), we're looking at the Lake Merritt area. We have a car, so I could drive if I have to, but I would prefer to take public transit if at all possible.

[runtagua]

I'm wrapping up my second semester in the RN program at CCSF. Maybe I have a little bit of information for all of you considering commuting. (I don't actually commute myself, however.)

There are many students in my class that commute to the city for school, some from as far away as Novato and Santa Rosa. It can be done, but you have to think about the picture as a whole. The student who comes from Santa Rosa leaves for school at 4:30 in the morning.

Clinicals during the first semester are two days every other week, broken up into two groups, A & B. Group A goes one week for two days, group B goes the next week, etc. You have to be at the hospital at 0630, and they definitely frown on tardiness, so take that into mind. Also, for first semester, you go to the hospital the day before your clinicals to do your pre-lab work. The hospitals we went to for Fall 2009 were CPMC, General, St. Lukes, Davies. Not sure if they have changed or not.

First semester of CCSF will rock your world. It will run you into the ground. It's possible to have a tiny bit of a life, maybe. It can be done by commuting, but you need to take all that time and energy into consideration for your lifestyle. It may be worth it to just live in the city. And yes, BART is very expensive.

[lilykiss6]

@runtagua,

if you don't mind me asking, what was it like during your first semester, i start mine this fall and would like to have an idea of what i would be getting myself into, so if you could pls gimme details of your experience, i would really appreciate it.

thanks.