Get BSN or ADN-MSN (Frontier)

oldsockventriloquist · Jul 13, 2016

What is your educational status? Do you have a degree already? Do you qualify for financial aid (legal citizen or alien in good standing, low family income, have not reached maximum financial aid amounts...)? Are you looking to staying in your state? Do you have good enough grades and test scores to be admitted to your in-state schools and maybe receive a scholarship to an out-of-state schools? Could you add something to a program in terms of diversity, for scholarship purposes? How close are you to finishing your prerequisites for an ADN or BSN program? Generally, a BSN program will require a few more courses, which could be completed very quickly. And you usually don't need to have every prerequisite done before applying. Why are you looking at this one ADN-MSN program when there are others across the country? Does that ADN-MSN program or the other programs you are considering have a good reputation with local employers? For personal information purposes, you don't need to answer the second to last question, but these are questions you should really think about before you consider what is the fastest or cheapest route.

Also, does that ADN-MSN program really save you some any time compared to getting an ADN, then BSN, then MSN? If you look at the the Frontier website for their ADN to MSN+DNP (Bridge) Entry Option, it will take three years to complete the program to get an MSN, if you are full-time (four years if you are part-time). Generally, ADN to BSN programs take about a year, depending on the state, and MSN CNM programs take about two years. These are just some things to think about when deciding on a program.

BrittK, CNA · Jul 13, 2016

I don't have a degree already, right now I am a SAHM but, I have a few prerequisite already done from the past couple of years. I do qualify for financial-aid, that's what I've used in the past. I don't believe I'm at my limit. I have about 16 classes to take before I can apply to a BSN program (they have a list of what they require). So for me doing it part-time right now would take me a lot longer. At least 2 years. For my local ADN program I think I only have maybe 5 classes to do before I can apply.

I live near the Houston Med Center which I know they mostly all want BSN degrees. However, my ultimate goal is to become a CNM.

As as of right now if I do the ADN-MSN it's 6 years total. BSN-MSN (with all prerequisite) is 7-8 years total. In the past I had slacked in some courses (right after HS) so I have to retake them. I've already retaken A+P I and II and made A's in both courses. I know that with hard work I can do well in the other courses, so I may be able to apply for a scholarship for whatever BSN program I apply to. Mostly, I just don't want a lot of debt and I don't want to not be working until I'm well over 30 (I'm 26 right now).

oldsockventriloquist · Jul 15, 2016

I don't have a degree already, right now I am a SAHM but, I have a few prerequisite already done from the past couple of years. I do qualify for financial-aid, that's what I've used in the past. I don't believe I'm at my limit.

So, the first thing you should also determine is whether you have the support to go through an ADN or BSN program, with your child(ren). You'll probably have commitments that can run from as early as 4-5AM all the way to late at night, especially for clinical. If you have a significant other who can pick up that workload, if the school you are planning on attend has childcare services, or if there is a nearby daycare center, that will all help. You mentioned living in one state, but attending a graduate program in another (Frontier). How will that work with your responsibilities as a parent?

Next, you mentioned financial aid. First, how do you know you haven't reached any limits on your financial aid? Have you actually sat down with a financial aid counselor and went line by line on what you qualify for and what you don't qualify for? Even if you have had a brief conversation with one, you really need to sit down and figure out where you with those limits for each aid type that is offered (Pell Grants, FSEOG, Work-study, etc.). If any counselor ever says that there are no maximum limits or that cannot backup what they are saying with writing, you should go to their supervisor. More important, how do you know that financial aid will cover the MSN, once you finish the ADN? Maybe, you will need to take out private loans. You really have to think about how your going to pay this off. If you decide on working for a year to save on the cost of graduate that might help with the MSN.

I have about 16 classes to take before I can apply to a BSN program (they have a list of what they require). So for me doing it part-time right now would take me a lot longer. At least 2 years. For my local ADN program I think I only have maybe 5 classes to do before I can apply.

Here are the prerequisites from some local ADN programs: http://www.sanjac.edu/sites/default/files/Nursing%20ADN.pdf, http://www.hccs.edu/media/houston-community-college/coleman-college/pdfs/admission-steps/RNSG_Spring-2017-Revised.pdf, http://www.alvincollege.edu/Portals/0/userfiles/documents/adn/pdfs/packet_2yr.pdf

Here are the prerequisites from some local BSN programs: BSN Prerequisite Guide - Prospective Student - The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Nursing, RN BS Admission Requirements - TWU College of Nursing - Texas Woman's University, http://www.nursing.txstate.edu/prospective-nursing-students/bsn-admission/BSN-Requirements/Prereq-Courses.html

You might notice that there is a lot of overlap with psych, anatomy and physiology, English, and microbiology. Because those prerequisites usually have requirements to take them, you will probably take some form of general chemistry and biology. After you take intro to psychology, lifespan would be the next class you would take, so not too much trouble. Nutrition could also be taken after you take chemistry and biology. The only classes that might give you trouble would be the foreign language (which might take care of other requirements, as well, like arts), arts, history, and philosophy. Again, there might be a few classes you don't need to take by the time you turn in your application, that are only needed to be completed before you enroll. It's up to you, but it seems like you will be spending a year bridging that gap in the ADN-MSN to cover what you would have learned as a BSN. You should see if you can fit those extra classes during the time between when you turn in your application and the start of school. You should see if classes can be applied to multiple requirements. If you have to call up or email the school, that might help with figuring those things out. But you won't know which route is faster, unless you know what you can do with the prerequisites.

As as of right now if I do the ADN-MSN it's 6 years total. BSN-MSN (with all prerequisite) is 7-8 years total. In the past I had slacked in some courses (right after HS) so I have to retake them. I've already retaken A+P I and II and made A's in both courses. I know that with hard work I can do well in the other courses, so I may be able to apply for a scholarship for whatever BSN program I apply to. Mostly, I just don't want a lot of debt and I don't want to not be working until I'm well over 30 (I'm 26 right now).

Then, what I would do is create a table or a spreadsheet and figure out what would cover your ADN and MSN bridge program and what would cover your BSN and MSN program. This information is available now, I would just use current interest rates, maximum borrowed amounts, and any other numbers, to figure things out. That should give you an idea what way would be cheaper. I don't know how you calculated the 6 and 7 year projections, but I would definitely make sure they are correct.