Differences in costs in obtaining a degree

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Nursing education in the US is expensive I recently paid over 20K to get my Masters degree, my kids both graduated from college, one a state school at for 4 years it was 70K which is cheap. My husband and I had to take a second morgage to pay this debt.

I pay over 50% of my salary in taxes, this does not include sales tax which is 5% of every purchase or my real estate taxes which are 3K. My state has a car tax which is about 1K.When you purchase gas most of the cost is state and federal tax. I also pay over 200 dollars a week on healthcare.

Average nurse in my area Northeast makes about 55k which doesn't leave alot to live on and support your kids in college.

My nursing students work full time and they go to class and clinical 3 nights a week. I often get asked, I can't afford the graduation and fees and the NCLEX fees since my rent is due. Many can't apply for student loans since they are on green cards. My students don't have internet and they can't afford any review course. I eapersonally have purchased review books for them since they can't afford the books. I see what they eat a at supper break and they always get very inexpensive food.

My question is I read how poor many foreign nurses are, but they have access to the internet and can pay for review courses, fly back and forth to US and their home country. They can afford review courses and barely afford the NCLEX. There parents can't help them out. And on top of that they don't think of themselves as poor.

My question when I read you are poor, how much debt do you have? How do you afford all the review courses and school? I know most work in call centers when you can't find nursing positions, but if you are looking for experience why can't you voluteer at night?

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Hi AlexK49, I know education in all ways is expensive, esp. for foreign students ... Maybe we take loans from our relatives, friends, or find other means to support our education, hoping that we will have a rewarding career at the end of all the effort, dedication and loans ... good job that will allow us to make fairly decent money so that we can pay back the bills ...

Some of them get funded by their family probably, some scholarship maybe, some loans ... I don't know about others, but the ones I have seen, they worked during summer holidays, fall break, spring break - every break to save money for college and did not go back to visit their loved ones ... Maybe, the ones that go back to visit their loved ones are in a not so bad situation to afford that ...

From my view, International students have to work extra hard to make it happen as they have so many limitations on them, "what they are allowed to do, and what they are not allowed to do ..." Not easy ... but everything is worth every sweat/tear/effort, if at the end of the tunnel, there is a prize waiting ...

For me, for one semester, I didn't really buy any books, when I just entered the nursing program ... It was a very very bad decision from my part. Because having your own book rather than borrowing your friend's books definitely makes a huge difference especially in Nursing ... I had kind Professor/classmates/seniors and friends, who understood my problem and worked along with me. Bless their hearts. My advise to any new nursing studnets will be to, "please beg, borrow or do anything, " but please, if you can, do buy your Nursing books, and if you can, try not to work more than 15 hours/week ... (Sorry for drifting away from your question/s)

I hope I answered a part of your question ...

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Even volunteering, I was afraid because I worried, if it would jeopardize my F1 status - Ignorance on my part ... Wished/wish that I had a good mentor to guide me all along ... rather than search for every single thing on my own, but no worries ... thanks God for the internet, it makes networking with the right people and right infromation so much easier ...

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

I think the UK citizens are lucky as there are no fees as such to be a nurse and depending on course can actually receive a fee for doing the course. It is just over a 3 year course either diploma or degree but tends to e more specialised than general. Usually first 2-18 months is general and then the remaining time is in their chosen area ie Paeds, mental health, general adult and learning disabilities. Midwifery is usually a 3 year course on its own unless you are already a RN then usually 18 months.

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www.nursingschools.com

Check this out guys. It gives nursing schools in the USA ... Didn't know which thread to post, so I posted it here, as it related somewhat to Nursing schools. Thanks.

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