Direct-entry MSN, mother and wife...is it possible?

Nurses General Nursing

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I have a MS in Bacteriology and have worked in research for awhile now. It didn't take me long to realize that I need to work with people and not in a lab. In fact I was pre-med as an undergrad and in grad school, but never did it. I am leaning towards applying to a direct-entry MSN at Marquette University. I am very familiar with the medical field as I've volunteered in a burn unit, HIV care clinic, and hospice program and have worked in a plasma clinic. I have even taught medical micro to nursing students. I just am so scared to take the leap. Mostly because of the money. It is so expensive $40K for the pre-MSN portion and then I'm eligible for the RN. After that MSN courses are $800/cr! I am hoping to work p/t and get tuition reimbursment for this. Does anyone have any advice about the money part. I mean I might end up with $70K or more in loans. Is it hard to get this kind of $ for loans? We will need xtra money for child care expenses. My husband's salary alone just won't cover all of this. Also anyone have any insight into direct-entry programs or Marquette's program? Thanks.

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

The cheapest way is to take any prereqs you may need from a community college and then apply to a BSN or ADN program you will quickly then be eligible to take the NCLEX exam and get your nursing license. I think this route would be the easiest and most realistic way of doing it besides pursuing it via online...

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Why must you go direct entry? Is there not a state university that has a four year BSN, most of the prerequs you would already fulfill, meaning you have two years at a state university (and therefore cheaper tuition) and then you can go for an MSN?

Why do you need an MSN? Why must you immediately get your MSN, rather than simply getting your BSN and then working for a while, perhaps at a place of employment that would reimburse you for part or all of your tuition if you went back for your MSN? Do you know what area you want to study for your MSN? Geriatrics, family practice, education, women's health et midwifery, mental health? All these are MSN options at my local university--I'm sure that other programs offer a variation of the same.

Another route is a community college route to get your RN, then an RN to BSN or RN to MSN program through a state university. In my area, the state university tuition rates are approx 250cr for undergraduate and 350cr for graduate courses.

I would personally explore your other options before you shell out 70 grand for a degree that you may or may not need. I'm a 2nd career/2nd degree student paying cash for my 115 per credit hour community college ADN. From there I'll probably wait a year or two then finish my BSN. If I want to go from there, it's an option. I'm personally not interested in saddling myself et my husband with debt for a second degree. My kids will be in college within 10 years--we certainly can't pay for three people to be in college, and still live a comfortable lifestyle. I don't want to be paying off student loans when my retirement is within sight, you know?!

A lot of people choose the expensive options like Marquette, and they probably just make it work and feel it is worth it. I'm not trying to say that it is a poor decision--just that if money is really an issue, there are other options available for you that may not be nearly as expensive.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

J

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Thank you for the advice. I have looked in to a lot of different options. All of the ASN programs in WI have 2-3 year waiting lists. I'd like to go on to be a nurse practitioner. So that would mean waiting 2-3 yrs to get into ASN, then at least 3 years in ASN while working full-time, then a RN to BSN program and then a MSN program. By then the new rules would be in effect to be a NP and I'd have to get a Ph.D. So we are talking about at least 10 years before becoming a NP versus 3-4 with the direct-entry program. My son is 8 months old. I guess I just wanted to get done with my schooling as quickly as possible so we could move on with our lives. Oh, and the BSN program have a lot of prereqs that will not work for me....like working as a CNA, taking a ton of classes and then there is no quarantee that I will even get in after all of the money spent on the prereqs. With this program I only need one prereq....don't even need to take the GRE and after 15 months I will be an RN and can work while doing MSN courses. Still worried about the money part though. I know it's just a mess!

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