Help with how to become a nurse

[ANChar]

I am 48 and realized I wanted to leave my job and get into a Nursing Program, knowing it wouldn't be a risk because I graduated with a BA top 10% of my class, near 4.0, so its a matter of putting my focus to it, but come to find out its impossible to get into a program. I'm taking only 1 class at a time after work for the prerequisites since I can't gamble my job with that as the reality, but its a 20+ hour commitment going to lecture twice a week, a lab, and Im logging something like 15 hours a week in homework too. I don't have time to fix computer problems, work out, or cook healthy meals anymore, and am completely MISERABLE. And I have to do this for 6 semesters (3 Years?) only to not know if I'll even get into a nursing program? And I can't leave my job to focus on school just to find out I can't get in after taking all my prerequisites either. I am beside myself. Does anyone have any ideas, are there any other paths to becoming a nurse? I looked into becoming an LVN and paying for schools but they are all at least 30,000, so the debts would far outweigh how long it would take to pay off all the loans because I also have at least that much in living expenses. I'd have made a wonderful nurse, and this is breaking my heart.

[Farawyn]

OP, everyone has to give up something for school, but it sounds as if you are sacrificing way too much for something you maybe thought would have been easy. This is what I'm getting from your post.

I have a BA in Psych. I graduated with a 4.0 in Psych and 3.75 overall, summa cum laude.

Nursing school? I was a B student and it was much more challenging for me. That being said, my life didn't stop while I was in school, either. I still worked 35 hours a week and went out, socialized, etc. and passed the NCLEX the first time.

It's definitely doable. People do it all the time. It sounds like you are making excuses and looking for a shortcut.

Oh, and there is no nursing shortage.

I'm in my 40s and plan on working at least 20 more years.

[OCNRN63, RN]

American Association of Colleges of Nursing | Nursing Shortage

Did it ever occur to you that these colleges have a vested interest in continuing to promote this "nursing shortage"?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Did it ever occur to you that these colleges have a vested interest in continuing to promote this "nursing shortage"?

Yep. There's definitely no nursing shortage in the OP's profile location of San Francisco, California. Next to NYC, SF has one of the worst employment markets in the country for new grads and it has been this way for the past six or seven years.

[UCFAshley]

... If I had a nickel for every time someone alluded to the fact that nursing (even pre nursing) should come easy because they are a 4.0 student then I would have a lot of nickels..

[la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN]

Is it that hard to save up some money and take out loans to really make it work? Or are you completely bound by your job? It's hard to break out of the mentality of having a certain living situation but sometimes it's hard to see the forest for the trees. You may be having trouble actually seeing what you really could do if you took a big risk and changed everything about your situation.

...or, do you just really hate your current job and are in desperate need of a change?

Also, there is a shortage of nurses but not for the reason you would expect (hint: they aren't hiring enough people on purpose and the actual shortage is on the floors). Nursing school is not the only thing you need to get a job. You have to be outstandingly competitive and do many extracurricular things to network and get your face out there to ensure you actually get a job after you graduate. It's not a cakewalk but working full time plus OT does not make that tenable.