Do a little more self-discovery before I enter an Accelerated BSN program?

[iridium54]

I wasn't really sure what to title my post . . . but I would like to hear some opinions. Here's my situation:

I graduated in 2007 with a double major in public health and Spanish. Since graduating, I determined that I wanted a clinical health care degree. After some research, I decided nursing seemed like the way to go. I quit my full-time job, have been working heavy part time hours at a bar for the past year while I completed all of my science prerequisites.

I applied to three schools. Waitlisted, ultimately denied by my top-choice school. Admitted into two others; deferred my admission to one because it required a very rapid move.

You see, this past semester I have been working approximately 25-30+ hours a week, while also taking A&PII, Micro, and Chem II (required by some of the schools I applied to). My last final is Wednesday, the 11. I was admitted late into a local program at a well-respected school (probably not nationally as well known, but in my metro region it is highly regarded as a health care teaching institution). I gave them a deposit and begun to complete all of the requirements.

I am not as excited as I feel like I should be. Everyone else I tell is quite excited for me, but I feel almost a sense of dread. For one, this program requires I borrow a fair amount of money. As someone with a BS already, I am only entitled to a certain amount of federal loans; the rest will have to come from private lenders. I expect to borrow around $45k. The program is only one year, though, and I will seemingly be "set" a year from now.

I guess borrowing the money really scares me. I feel like I will be enslaved afterwards, and forced to take anything I can get (if I am lucky enough to even get an RN job, since I hear they are hard to come by these days). The thing is, my ultimate goal (so I think) is to become a WHNP/CNM, maybe also get an MPH or an MBA, and ultimately help run some sort of international women's health organization. I would like to get experience delivering health care to women all over the world. Getting the BSN is the first step - but it is an expensive one!

Moreover, I think I am burnt out a bit. It has been an intense year of schooling and work. To start another really intense year of school and clinicals next week overwhelms me.

Lastly, truth is I have not had a TON of first-hand exposure to RN-hood, or NPs. I figure if I don't start the ABSN program next week, I can reapply/apply to new places, get some volunteering under my belt, etc.

I don't know what I expect anyone to say. I guess it feels good just to write this all down, if nothing else. If I don't enter this program next week, I'll feel a bit like a "loser," as I'm still just floating about, figuring out what to do, delaying the next step. I am 26, and with all of my goals, I feel as if I am losing time already. If I go now, I'll be done in a year. I'll owe a lot of $$ when I am finished, but I will have the credentials and will pay the $ back, right? I just hate the idea of feeling stuck . . . stuck with a job I don't like, since my ultimate goal isn't really to be a bedside RN, but that seems to be where the jobs are and the money, and stuck with lots of loans.

OK, I know that is a lot to read and digest. I'm not even sure if I understand what I am trying to say. Guess I just wanted to throw my thoughts out into the sphere of AllNurses. Thanks for reading.

[iridium54]

Haha, I wouldn't pay that much either for a car! I try to save and buy semi-decent used cars with cash, if I can (the two times I have bought one). I'm just saying that at least two people see the loan as analogous to that situation.

[leenak]

But it's not though. I mean with an education, you expand your horizons which can last your entire lifetime and for many careers, such as nursing, education is only the means of entry. For a BSN, you are most likely looking at $20k minimum and some schools are up to $75k for their ABSN programs. An education is valuable, a car is not :). And of course that doesn't mean you can't look for cheaper options or wait to save money but it will be costly no matter what.

I told my husband that depending on what school I get accepted to, my total education could be about $100k (RN and NP). He said no problem. If I told him I wanted a $100k car, he'd tell me I was out of my mind and would probably divorce me.

[KCbaby57]

now that i understand more of where you are coming from, i think that you should put the money thing out of your head. any of your next steps at this point are going to involve a large amount of money--whether you choose to get a BSN or a master's in something else--and the money always works itself out. sure, it might mean you have to make a 100-200$ student loan payment every month for the rest of your life, but once you have a decent salary you won't even realize the money is gone from your account. i would seriously not allow $45k hold you back from getting the degree you want. look for scholarships and grants for nurses, there are more out there than you know. good luck! (ps, i really want to go to duke's absn program and have a great shot at getting in this round, and it's over $55k. at first that scared me away from the program entirely, but now i've realized that all i want is to be an RN, and the money will work itself out. i'm not going to starve, i may not ever be rich, but it will be ok) good luck to you!