Gateway part-time nights with full-time work??

Published

Has anyone gone through or do you know anyone who has gone through the Gateway part-time RN program while working a full-time job? I was praying and planning on trying the scholarship, quit my full-time job, attend CGCC or MCC and live on retirement funds while not working, but that scares the heck out of me. I have a good income where I currently work with overtime, but we have been losing pay to furloughs the last two years and I should mention that I am SO ready for a career change, which is why I am pursuing nursing.

I really do not want to add financial strain to the stress of going to nursing school. I have heard good things about Gateway CC and obviously, people make it happen while working full-time. Your thoughts?? :eek:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency/Trauma.

i'm not at gateway, but in anther part time program. several students worked through the first blocks without a problem, but it got a lot harder through block 3, and most have quit or are only working 1 day a week now that block 4 is starting. you can definitely do it, but i strongly advise cutting back on your hours as you progress through the blocks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you for replying. I am in a position where I cannot really cut my work hours without going down to a part-time status. I guess I will cross that bridge when it comes. I do not have kids, so that is one thing I would not have to worry about. My husband is SUPER supportive and picks up a LOT of the slack with my current overtime, standby, school and volunteering. I am saying lots of prayers to keep me strong. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Has anyone gone through or do you know anyone who has gone through the Gateway part-time RN program while working a full-time job? I was praying and planning on trying the scholarship, quit my full-time job, attend CGCC or MCC and live on retirement funds while not working, but that scares the heck out of me. I have a good income where I currently work with overtime, but we have been losing pay to furloughs the last two years and I should mention that I am SO ready for a career change, which is why I am pursuing nursing.

I really do not want to add financial strain to the stress of going to nursing school. I have heard good things about Gateway CC and obviously, people make it happen while working full-time. Your thoughts?? :eek:

I know all about the career change thing...haven't gone through anyones program yet (was an emt for 10 years) but might be able to help you out with the money:lol2: thing. if you have at least six months before your next semester (i do with the crappy J-O-B i have now) the scholarship and grant thing does work BUT, it takes a lot of work. the first time i went back to school to learn creative writing (1991-1994) i paid not one dime after my first semester. If you have a high GPA (I kept mine at 3.75), the school itself will have tons of info in its on campus scholarship office, but the real money is online and in the public library. while working full-time i was able to pay for all my classes, books and fees and still end up with about $2000-$3000 per semester in my pocket-and this was before the internet made it a bit easier. The reason why i say you need the lag time is you have to time the release of your funding with the start of your school year. for instants; the FNSNA Foundation of National Student Nurse's is a $2500 scholarship the releases January 1 of every year, that's perfect for the January 13 start of school at Mesa Comm College. But what about Health Careers Foundation's $2000 scholarship that releases on April 1st? I better have that in line for next semester. There are TONS of these scholarships and grants available and so far i've come across 45 of them (at $59k and rising) that fit my timetable (payable no later then January 10, 2012) and my career choice (writing and nursing). my goal is to not work at all in the three years i'll be in school. and for that i'll need $27K a year (no cup-a-soup for this brother:rolleyes:). my goal is to have 100+ of these out by October. this is a numbers game that you need time to impliment. you also have to choose the right funding. Everyone goes for the Tylenol Future Care Scholarship (and why not, it's $10000), but few even know about the John Murray Student Nurse Essay ($500). Enough of the small ones will ad up-I'm counting on it:D. Okay, if this helps you I'm happy. If you wanna know more, let me know...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks for the great information! I have applied for some more local, smaller scholarships. I was hoping to find larger ones, so this is a big help! LOTS of luck to you. I don't know your age, but I am tackling a career change at 38 (will be 38 in less than a month).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Thanks for the great information! I have applied for some more local, smaller scholarships. I was hoping to find larger ones, so this is a big help! LOTS of luck to you. I don't know your age, but I am tackling a career change at 38 (will be 38 in less than a month).

i'm 53. you can find tons of larger ones (I limit myself to ones that are $500-1500) nationwide. two excellent books are "college student's guide to merit and other no-need funding (gail ann schlachter) and "the college blue book-37th edition-scholarships, fellowships, grants and loans". between those two you have about 3000 grants and scholarships. these are two of about seven books (so far) that i'm using to reach my goal of $35k/annually until i graduate. keep in touch, i'll let you know how it goes as i go along to january, 2012

Up Vote Up Vote ×

had a couple private mails about my post to the above (i don't have enough posts yet to answer them). more then happy to share my secrets. 1) no, i don't use Fastweb or any other online scholarship search very often unless i know precisely the grant/scholarship i'm looking for. 2) the main reason why is everyone and their mother-upon seeing funding on said site-sends off a ton of letters to them. why join a crowd of 3000+ people for 10 awards when i can, with a bit of digging in the public library/barnes and noble, scan through eight or nine books (or more) with 10000+ awards that very few-if anyone-knows about. if i do use the internet i'm very finite in what i'm looking for. "Merit/No-need scholarships/Grants", "non-traditional students grants/scholarships" and the like will turn up some of the regular sites-like fastweb-but also sites (and sources) you usually won't find if you look beyond the first few pages.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Good question because I am also going to be working full time and going to Gateway in Spring 2012. I will keep that in mind that I might have to go part-time in block 3.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

To add to this, does anyone happen to know how the waiting list is for the GWCC part-time program??

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm currently in block 4 in the Gateway Part Time Evening program, working full time with two school age kids, and doing fine. It's most definately do-able. You just have to remain focused.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm currently in block 4 in the Gateway Part Time Evening program, working full time with two school age kids, and doing fine. It's most definately do-able. You just have to remain focused.

Thanks so much! This is very inspiring and puts me a bit at ease :) Lots of LUCK in the rest of your program and beyond!:yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm currently in block 4 in the Gateway Part Time Evening program, working full time with two school age kids, and doing fine. It's most definately do-able. You just have to remain focused.

Prettypinkbubbles: you must be ready to complete your program and graduate! How exciting! Just wanted to see how the rest of the 4th block went for you and to get an update on your journey! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion