Guaranteed Seat Worth the Extra Cost?

Hoosier_RN, MSN · Dec 18, 2015

Stay away from debt. No degree is worth wrecking your financial future, especially if you can avoid it.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Dec 18, 2015

Look up the cost of repaying $40K. Imagine what lifestyle choices you will have to make as a new grad to pay that back. Not worth it. (You could take a lot of sunny Florida vacations as a gainfully employed nurse with $40k)

GatezRN · Dec 18, 2015

Keep costs low if you can. My student loans currently total about 41,000 and my payment is about $500 a month and this is with fairly low interest rates. I also had a private loan I took for school totaling 9,000, but I paid that off using tuition reimbursement over a few years that I received from the hospital I was working at. Five hundred a month may not seem like a ton of money to pay per month, but also factor in other life expenses as you get older....car, car insurance, mortgage/rent, food, kids activities, health insurance, emergencies, travel, entertainment, ect.... it really adds up. Borrow responsibly would be my advice. Good luck!

twozer0, NP · Dec 18, 2015

You know how many employers care where you get your degree from? Very few (if any). As long as you are an RN, nobody will question where you got your BSN (because the RN is a state licensure, and required to operate). If I had the option of doing school free or for 40k, the answer is pretty clear. The less debt you can come out with, the better your life will be. Sure you might be near a beach, and have some ammenities but you'll probably not have much time to enjoy them.

If you want an honest opinion, aside from teaching masters level classes, there is no benefit to a DNP. Of which, you should have some years under your belt as a nurse too before you are actually teaching them. I see a lot of posts where freshmen and high school seniors seem to be a in a rush to get to the highest degree the fastest way possible. This isnt always the best scenario (nor is it the most practical). Educate yourself more on the DNP degree. You'll find many here that share the same sentiments as I do about it, and we're all practicing nurses with many years under us.

Do your BSN on the cheap, save your cash, and live well!

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Dec 18, 2015

You know how many employers care where you get your degree from? Very few (if any). As long as you are an RN, nobody will question where you got your BSN (because the RN a state liscensure, and required to operate). If I had the option of doing school free or for 40k, the answer is pretty clear. The less debt you can come out with, the better your life will be. Sure you might be near a beach, and have some ammenities but you'll probably not have much time to enjoy them.
If you want an honest opinion, aside from teaching masters level classes, there is no benefit to a DNP. Of which, you should have some years under your belt as a nurse too before you are actually teaching them. I see a lot of posts where freshmen and high school seniors seem to be a in a rush to get to the highest degree the fastest way possible. This isnt always the best scenario (nor is it the most practical). Educate yourself more on the DNP degree. You'll find many here that share the same sentiments as I do about it, and we're all practicing nurses with many years under us.
Do your BSN on the cheap, save your cash, and live well!

They do do care if it's a for profit college. I know Austin Peay is an excellent university. If you are planning to go for your doctorate, Austin Peay will be more favorably looked upon when applying to graduate schools.

At some point you may have to have your doctorate to be an NP. Not right now, but in the future. I disagree with the PP. You have the time to complete this goal right now and I would take advantage of it.

I would not go into huge debt for it though. My sister did for her doctorate and pays more than a house payment to repay that debt. Yes she makes great money but she still cannot afford a house and she is going to be in her mid-thirties next year.

Do what you want to do in life as you are the one living it, but I would stay in TN right now, graduate with your BSN and then start working in Florida and go to grad school. That way you still get to experience Florida while you are young.

Im counting down my years until I can possibly move down south!!

twozer0, NP · Dec 18, 2015

They do do care if it's a for profit college. I know Austin Peay is an excellent university. If you are planning to go for your doctorate, Austin Peay will be more favorably looked upon when applying to graduate schools.
At some point you may have to have your doctorate to be an NP. Not right now, but in the future. I disagree with the PP. You have the time to complete this goal right now and I would take advantage of it.
I would not go into huge debt for it though. My sister did for her doctorate and pays more than a house payment to repay that debt. Yes she makes great money but she still cannot afford a house and she is going to be in her mid-thirties next year.
Do what you want to do in life as you are the one living it, but I would stay in TN right now, graduate with your BSN and then start working in Florida and go to grad school. That way you still get to experience Florida while you are young.
Im counting down my years until I can possibly move down south!!

In regards to the BSN I was refering to employment and not graduate school as stated in my first line. As it is right now, there is no requirement for a doctorate for NP. This could change in the future but those with current masters degrees will likely be grandfathered in. The only advanced practice that is now requiring a doctorate is CRNA which is pushing to get all schools transformed over by 2025. Ask any CRNA and see if they feel this is necessary (its not). It's all political garbage and attempting to have "parity" with higher degree's. As far as actually doing the job, it will offer no benefit, much like DNP does today.

What does the OP intend on doing with their DNP? Advanced practice? Teach? In most cases, actual income will be higher if just working as a staff nurse, especially when compared to teaching. I'm not a strong advocate for jumping into this degree until it starts to show some salary compensation and real benefits other than the fact of being terminal.

elkpark · Dec 18, 2015

I agree you should take the less expensive option. That $40,000 (and the interest you would pay on it over the years, if you're talking student loans) would buy you a lot of nice FL vacations.

Apple2020 · Dec 18, 2015

RNinIN, Absolutely, thats what I've been thinking about, the way I see it, $40,000 could more than buy my dream car or a down payment on a house, so I'm really leaning towards going to a state school instead. Thanks for your input! :)

Apple2020 · Dec 18, 2015

meanmaryjean, I would have to agree with you, this has been my thinking as the logistics of paying this off would be very difficult, plus if I had saved $40,000 I could have bought my dream car of an Aston Martin DB7 and still have another $20,000 haha (or, as you said, take quite a few vacations to my favorite state!) Thanks for your input! :)

Apple2020 · Dec 18, 2015

Thanks so much for your input! And yes, I don't want to become another statistic of a student who over-payed for an education. I am leaning towards going to a state school with no debt

Apple2020 · Dec 18, 2015

twozer0, thanks for your input! After hearing from everyone hear, and then some family and friends, I think my decision is going to be a state school and end up coming out debt free :) as far as my intentions, I strongly desire to be a Nurse Practitioner and hopefully specialize for work in the ER, ICU, or surgical. Later in my life, if I prove to be a confident and knowledgeable worker, I'd like to be a head nurse at a hospital. This is why I was thinking of going ahead and getting a DNP after working for a while, at least while I'm younger and don't have as many responsibilities.