Finish my degree or quit and do nursing

[ChristinaVL]

I am 33 years old and a little over a year away from graduating in psychology with a BA. I have always wanted to be a nurse, and yet I chose the easy way out because I have always been petrified of nursing school while having 2 kids and working. I am ready to bite the bullet BUT I am so torn on finishing my current degree or changing my major and starting the prerequisites. I have nutrition, micro, chem, anatomy and physio that I need to finish before I can apply to a BSN program.

I am feeling discouraged because it has taken me 8 years.... yes 8... to get my bachelors degree lol So do I quit or stay in the program and then do my prerequisites?! Will a BA in psychology benefit me in anyway? I feel as if I am committed and invested in this degree, however, I also do not want to waste my time!

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

Do you think it would be feasible to take some pre-reqs at a community college while you finish your degree? Then do an Accelerated BSN?

Depends how strenuous the last of your bachelor's is.

[bitter_betsy, BSN]

Be warned that having a degree changes your financial aid availability. DO NOT complete your degree until you talk with a qualified Financial Aid specialist. I would have waited to take my last class to graduate until I completed my RN had I known better.....

[SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP]

Be warned that having a degree changes your financial aid availability. DO NOT complete your degree until you talk with a qualified Financial Aid specialist. I would have waited to take my last class to graduate until I completed my RN had I known better.....

^^^This!

If you're relying on financial aid, then you should change your major. Once you get the bachelor's degree, you are not eligible for financial aid for the BSN. You can do an MSN program that awards the BSN, but you will be charged at the graduate tuition rate for your courses and will have more years of graduate loans. Definitely talk to a financial aid counselor at your school.

[Chrispy11, ASN, RN]

I think it depends on the amount of time you can commit. Nursing is not part time. The work and clinicals were so intense in my last two semesters that I wasn't able to work. I know a few of my classmates had small kids and were not able to work or had a lot of juggling between school and parenting. You can graduate, work a while and then go back to school. My class ranged in age from teens to 50s. Its never too late. You more than anyone would know the amount of time you'd be able to commit. I would say my last semester alone consumed 50-60 hours of my time per week.