Four years to earn an ADN :/

TLizS · Jan 4, 2015

I understand your frustration....I started my pre-reqs 2 years ago....I am married and have 2 kids....and was running my photography business (which has since taken a back burner because something had to give) i start my ADN program in a week and plan to pretty much go straight into a rn-bsn bridge if possible.....

It pains me to think i could have had my bsn faster by just applying for a bsn program but this is the route that worked best for our family. It will be worth it in the long run but it's frustrating....especially since I feel like I have spent so much time in school and am just now headed in the right direction .

zzbxdo · Jan 4, 2015

It's normal. You're towards the left of the median age curve. Finish up and move on.

Stephalump · Jan 4, 2015

It took me four years to get my ADN as well.

Trust me, those kinds of thoughts only matter when you're at the starting line. You won't be the least bit concerned about the details of getting there once you hit the finish line.

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Jan 4, 2015

If a student is able to get all their prerequisites done (including graduation requirements) in 2 years and is immediately accepted into either a BSN or an ADN program, the student will be in a nursing program for 2 years and graduate with one of those two degrees and one of them usually is more expensive than the other. The core nursing stuff will be virtually identical. You'll find that a BSN program will require a Nursing Research/Critical Analysis class, a Community/Public Health Nursing class, an Upper Division Writing course (if a Nursing course doesn't already count for that), and a "societal-cultural" course.

anh06005, MSN, APRN, NP · Jan 4, 2015

It seems like everything in nursing education takes a bit longer.

Sure I got by BSN done in 4 years but plenty of my classmates gave it 5 or more.

That masters degree? Sure in almost every other field it's 2 years but with the MSN it's more like 3-4 (4.5 years in my case).

Nursing is just a lot. Don't let the time thing discourage you. As others said graduating debt free would mean more to me than graduating by a certain date. I've been able to pay for most of my MSN schooling myself but even with my debt by my calculations I should have everything except my mortgage paid off within the next 12-18 months (this includes my car). Not too shabby for a 20-something....even though it took me 4.5 years lol. I wouldn't be more proud if I had racked up debt and been done in 2 years....

MicrobioloLI · Jan 4, 2015

It's not depressing! I'm also 25, but am married with 3 young children, and first started chipping away at pre-reqs spring 2011. Now 4 years later, I start my 2 year ADN program spring 2015. It's been a long time coming! I kick myself a little for procrastinating, but it is what it is. Congrats on not taking out loans! Wish I could say the same. ..

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Jan 4, 2015

So true that everything in Nursing Education takes longer. I was "ready to start" in 2007/2008 and it only took me 4 years to get accepted... If I'd been accepted relatively early on, I would have been done in 2009 or 2010... 3-4 years ago.

AspiringNurseMW · Jan 4, 2015

I think you're really smart to do it this way to graduate with minimal or no loans. VERY smart. yes, you may get a BSN in the same time frame, but the graduating without debt is highly commendable. My school has really really light prerequisites so it's only going to take me a year to do my prerequisites. I am actually applying to 2 other BSN nursing programs nearby but financially is just not worth it. I took out one loan this year since my tuition was a little higher since I was considered out of state, but I'm determined to have my ADN program fully paid for with scholarships and grants. Don't doubt!

Sizzline · Jan 4, 2015

I think you are absolutely doing the right thing! I am a wife and mom; I started taking my pre-requisites part-time around a full-time work schedule back in 2010. I finally completed them in Spring 2014, was waitlisted for one semester, and am starting the ADN program in a couple of weeks. I'll graduate (hopefully!) December 2016, then probably another 2 years for the RN-to-BSN program. Total time it will take me: 8 years for a BSN. I have done it (so far) without any loans, however, and being able to spend time with my family, so it is worth it for me.

HDHRN · Jan 5, 2015

Don't feel bad. I started my RN program in the summer of 2011 at 30. I wound up pregnant a few months later. I made it almost halfway through the program when I had my son in the summer of 2012. I got dismissed for failing a few classes and tried to get reinstated but no. So I spent the next year and half being a wife, nurse, and mommy. Fast forward to about a year ago. I decided to try again to get back into my school. I loved it and really wanted to finish. I was able to come back after getting reinstated! I started back in April of 2014 and I start my final term tomorrow. So it has taken me three years to finish almost. Please don't feel bad. I will be graduating at 33, but my son will be 3 in June and I have had to sacrifice a lot with him, but I wanna do it while I am young and motivated. There are many young girls in my class and we have two ladies who are in their 50s. So please be proud and I am impressed you have no debt. I will have like 40,000 to pay back when I am done. Good luck!

PVCCHoo · Jan 6, 2015

Been said by others, but that sounds about right for the total time for an ADN. I came in with a bachelors and transferred some credits, but it will still take me 3.5 years from when I started back in schools.

Started pre-reqs in January of 13, started nursing program August of 14, will graduate May 2016.

And yes that is working full time and not taking full class load for pre-reqs. I could have shaved a year off that by taking more classes in less time. I think the fastest someone just starting out in school could even do it would be 3 years.

cynmrn · Jan 7, 2015

Don't worry about time spent. I know it feels like forever, but you eventually get there and it is all worth it. I started going to school in Fall 2007 and I did not graduate with my ADN until Spring of 2013. I just graduated with my BSN in December of 2014 at 30 years old. Much of the time, I was working and going to school part-time. I didn't get into nursing school on my first try, so I had a "dead year" where I took one class a term toward medical assistant, just in case I would need to go that route first. As you can see, it took me forever. I saw other people in my class who were 21 and getting their ADN and it felt depressing. But, now, I am doing the job I worked so hard for and my family is no longer struggling!