Do you have a lot of Debt to pay off

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2012

I currently have about $9,000 in student loan debt and hope to have it paid off within the next couple of years. I worked full-time as an LPN/LVN while attending an RN completion program.

Full-time employment can be maintained with full-time school, regardless of the partial truths that school administrators feed to students.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 14, 2012

I am impressed with all of you who have little to no debt. I wish I was in that position. I went to school later in life and both my parents were retired when I went, so I HAD to borrow money. I have 4 degrees and about 80K in loans left. I basically paid off my first 2 degrees, but made the mistake of not doing my research when I went back to school to get my teaching degree; going to a private, for profit school (50K for my Masters). I, too, had to borrow all that I could to survive financially while going to school. I have 2 kids (one with special needs) and a mortgage, but I am blessed to have a great husband with a good job. It has been a struggle, but I graduated, passed the NCLEX and start my new job Monday. It will work out. One advantage is that I know that the loans go away when I die, so my kids won't have to worry ;P

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 14, 2012

It will work out. One advantage is that I know that the loans go away when I die, so my kids won't have to worry ;P

I know you are partly joking in the quote above ... but I still find it sad. Too many people don't see anything wrong with living off other people's money that they know they will never pay back.

kaiamc · Jun 14, 2012

I will max out for my bachelors degree @ $45,000 in student debt. I have three kids and since I am a stay at home mom during the day, (student at night and part time mental health worker at a psych facility) so we will have to pay for childcare which will hit us at about $600 per month while Im in the program plus gas for my 40 mile per day commute and miscellaneous other expenses due to having a family and home to maintain. I plan on serving at a county facility for a few years to work it off through the federal healthcare incentive program (under served hospitals/ populations). I have a shoe in since I already work there. Ive got a plan so Im not afraid of the debt but if I were getting an ADN it wouldn't be possible to apply for the federal program.

allnurses Guide · Jun 14, 2012

No debt.Tuition reimbursement and a scholarship through work...I paid about $1000 out of pocket.That's as good as free.

tiny6807 · Jun 15, 2012

Wow,that amazing!

No debt.Tuition reimbursement and a scholarship through work...I paid about $1000 out of pocket.That's as good as free.

pat8585 · Jun 15, 2012

Too many people don't see anything wrong with living off other people's money that they know they will never pay back.

yep...just look at the welfare system.

MedChica · Jun 15, 2012

About $7500 from my previous B.S. program.

No debt with my nursing school program.

I can pay off $7500 in a year.

I own my cars. I have no kids. I pay utilities. It's realistic.

For my RN, I plan to work FT and pay out of pocket. Hopefully, I can. I want to enroll in an RN program within a year and I'm thinking that it'll have to be online. I'm kind of afraid of Excelsior, though. LOL The pass/fail CPNE's scares me...but the school is so cheap! The program's a year long. I just don't want to fail and have that year wasted.

I kind of wanted to attend on campus for my RN. I guess if I can get a few months of LVN experience under my belt BEFORE enrolling in an RN program, I'll feel more comfortable.

The actual BSN degree? It doesn't matter where I take that. Excelsior's cheaper. Of course, I'm not one to poo-poo on a degree, but I've always valued exp. A nursing degree is just a slip of paper for me. I only want it, because I HAVE to have it. I may not want to be a floor-nurse forever. 50, 60...70 and yes - there are 70 year old nurses out there. I'm related to them!

They've been nursing since LBJ was in office. LOL One of my aunts retired 2 years ago. Her birthday is Saturday. She'll be 75...and that 'crusty old bat' is STILL nursing.

I like psych. I'll never work in a normal LTC.

I have an interest in working the ER, too. Just seems like a lot of fun.

Maybe I'll want to progress to CNS or NP or something. Bottom line: I like having options.

notpuurfctbtgdenghns · Jun 15, 2012

And it seems to me that if you have less debts to pay and to worry about, you can focus on your study a lot better.

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Jun 15, 2012

I finished my ADN with about $20,000 in debt, including debt from a previous degree. I attended a community college and worked full-time, but I still had to take out loans. My job did not offer tuition reimbursement.

I made my last loan payment 2 months ago. It's nice to have that weight off my back. I'm debt-free and intend to stay that way. I have no intention of getting another degree unless my employer pays for it.

leenak · Jun 15, 2012

For my first undergrad degree (no parental help), I had 11k in loans for 5 years of school. Those were paid off a few years after I graduated. For my BSN, I'll be paying out of savings so no debts.

macgirl · Jun 15, 2012

I went to community college. No debt when I left. It was around 500 a semester. When I started I found out the hospital would pay for our schooling but we would have to work for them for two years to pay it back. I didn't want that kind of obligation but now with the economy and how far I have to drive it might have been a good thing.