This may be a bit premature since I haven't been accepted to my program yet, but I'm already frantically crunching numbers and trying to figure out how to afford the cost of my program plus the cost of living. So I wanted to ask my fellow nursing students: how do you do it?
A little background info about myself: I'm 23, single, have a BS in kinesiology, and currently work in an urgent care clinic as an uncertified medical assistant. I will be moving to another state this summer (assuming all goes well with my application) to begin a post-baccalaureate Accelerated BSN program. I don't know anyone in the town I'm moving to with whom I could live, so I will have to budget for rent and utilities. I've also been advised by the admissions director that students don't usually work during the program due to the time-consuming nature of the accelerated program (although as far as I'm concerned, choosing to work while in any nursing program requires extreme motivation, excellent time management, and a bit of insanity). He also mentioned that financial aid doesn't typically cover the entire cost of attendance (over $55,000 for 18 months...yikes).
Would I be insane to try to work while in an ABSN program? I worked 1-3 jobs at a time while getting my BS to stay afloat, but I know nursing school requires much more time on campus or at clinicals than what I'm used to spending on school. Does anyone on here have experience working through nursing school (accelerated, or otherwise)?
I would love to hear everyone's personal stories and am grateful for any advice you can offer!
And full time nights???? Oh my gosh...I tried to balance night shift (8p-4a) immediately followed by class (8a-2p) for about a month before I couldn't take it! Your friend must have INSANE levels of dedication and perseverance!!!!!
I agree! I know I couldn't have survived nursing school doing that. I remember hearing that she kept a pillow in her car and was constantly found napping before class. I'm surprised she want napping IN class!
I actually tutor A&P right now and I love it too!!! Do you mind if I ask whether you took out any private loans, and if so, what your experience is/was with them? I'm dreading the all-too-real possibility that I will need to take out private loans, but have heard nothing but horror stories about them.
I took out private loans for each semester on top of the federal loans (federal didn't even pay my full tuition). I definitely wouldn't have survived without them. As it is, I'm nearly broke and I don't start work for another three weeks (three and a half months after graduation).... I don't have any horror stories yet (hopefully not ever), but I would love to hear if anybody else has stories they'd like to share about their experiences with private loans!
I'm in the same boat as OP in that I have no clue how I'm going to pay my cost of living through school. I live on my own and am a single mom working full time. I'm going into a full time program this fall and I just have no clue how I'm going to swing school full time AND work full time. I applied for federal aid and am maxing out my Pell Grant and I'm going to apply for scholarships because my school offers several different types that cover tuition. If I could get a full ride for tuition, I could apply my Pell Grant to housing costs, which would help a little bit at least. I'm still going to end up taking out a lot of loans though, definitely am not looking forward to it fortunately, I have enough money saved up to get me through my first semester without having to work, hopefully I'll be able to use my first semester to find a job that works with my schedule and brings in at least a bit of money. I'm a paralegal with 6 years of experience so I'm hoping to freelance paralegal stuff and get compensated maybe 20% of of what I charge per hour when I'm working on a case (I bill to the tune of $100/hr, so that could be lucrative for me AND for an attorney who needs some help handling his/her workload).
fortunately, I have enough money saved up to get me through my first semester without having to work, hopefully I'll be able to use my first semester to find a job that works with my schedule and brings in at least a bit of money. I'm a paralegal with 6 years of experience so I'm hoping to freelance paralegal stuff and get compensated maybe 20% of of what I charge per hour when I'm working on a case (I bill to the tune of $100/hr, so that could be lucrative for me AND for an attorney who needs some help handling his/her workload).
heb06004
127 Posts
I agree! I know I couldn't have survived nursing school doing that. I remember hearing that she kept a pillow in her car and was constantly found napping before class. I'm surprised she want napping IN class!