Financial and Career Guidance Needed

[Atelophobia]

To make a long story short, I am on my last semester of prerequisites before I am able to enroll in a BSN program. After this semester, I will have completed just over 60 credit hours at a community college, paying out of pocket with the money I make working part time and with grants. FASFA has provided me no financial assitance because of my fathers salary, who I live with and claims me as a dependent. I have told my father about my concerns with taking out ~$60,000 in student loans, which is what I have figured out will probably cost based on the university (Lewis University) I consider attending. I am open to other options but I feel as though there are none. All of the state universities (cheaper tuition) I would need to move out and pay rent, which would just add to my financial situation. The only one close enough to drive has their nursing program filled till Fall 2019. I have thought about just postponing my BSN and going for the ADN at my community college, which has tuition I would be able to afford, but the application deadline already passed and based on the career planning software, it would take me just one semester less than completing my BSN at Lewis would. Possibly even the same amount of time. Currently I work two part time jobs, a resident assistant at an elderly home and one day a week at a retail job I've had since high school. Both of them are a little over minimum wage and at 21 years old, I am getting a little more urgent to graduate so that I can move out and have more independece, along with less stress, which obviously comes with working while attending college for 3 years straight. What are my options in IL?

Additional info (short story made long):

My father gets upset with me when I talk about money and that I should just take out the loans, that's what people do if they want a good education. He said we don't have the money to pay out of pocket and that he will help me with the loans as much as he can before he retires in 3 years. My boyfriend says he will do whatever he can to help me pay off the loans, but he travelled out of the country to help his family for the time being. I don't want my educational expenses to be a burden on anyone and make it clear to them, but they just feel like I'm being cheap or afraid to accept help. In the end MY student loans will be MY responsibility to pay off, and they don't get that I am thinking about long term. I have heard plenty of stories where people 5, 10, 15 (even more sometimes) years out of college are still in debt, paying almost as much interest as they are on actual payments. I guess I just need a little guidance on my options and would like to hear about what some of you ended up doing, including those of you who took out loans.

[harvestmoon, RN]

I really would avoid taking out loans if I were you.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

If you have decided to go to Lewis, my advice is to work as much as possible before nursing school and save as much as you can. Every dollar you save is one less dollar taken out as a loan. Once you finish school and get a nursing job, live at home for another year. You will be able to pay more towards the principle each month which means you pay it off sooner.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Do the community college thing.

You get out and working in the same amount of time as the BSN - EXCEPT- you don't have the student loan debt hanging over your head. You then get to work for RN wages, do an online BSN in a year or two and voila' - employed, debt-free (or close to it) and living your adult life.

The community college way you are still an RN on the same timeline- just without the debt.

[idkmybffjill]

I personally would not take out 60k in loans. An ADN might take you just as long, but it's significantly cheaper and will give you the ability to be independent once you graduate without loan payments and figuring out how to live while making those payments hanging over your head.

If you really just want a BSN right off the bat, try to figure out what the cost would be to go to one of the universities. I imagine it'll still be cheaper than 60k even if you factor in rent and living expenses. You may also find that the pay in those areas are higher or that you would be closer to jobs that would pay more in general. Also, if your father's income is on the edge of just being too much for financial aid, universities generally have a higher cost of attendance and might hit you into being able to get some type of financial aid.

[Atelophobia]

Thank you for the thoughtful replies. I am considering whether I even want to go to nursing school anymore, as I was exposed to a MRSA positive resident at my job with no notification. God only knows how long she's had it.