Help...just a few questions!

[Teachertorn]

Hi everyone,

I have just a few questions!

I am currently a public school 2nd grade teacher and wanting to make the switch to nursing. I was just wondering if schools will weigh in my graduate school transcript as well.

I have a bachelors of arts in psychology GPA of 3.0 and I have a masters in childhood education GPA of 3.9. I took statistics in 2007 and received a C+.I have no other prereqs done except intro to psy I received a B+ but its been alongg time.

1. Will programs focus on my Gpa of 3.9 will it help me or will they focus on my undergrad?

2. Would you retake statistics?

3. Im really interested in NYU ABSN (even tho I cant afford it I already have 70k in loans ) just wondering what prereqs should I take first before applying?

4. For someone like myself with a bachelors and a masters should I go the Associates degree way?

5. What is the most affordable route in becoming an RN?

6. For any teacher turned nurse, when you went on interviews did they ask why youre making the switch? What did you say?!? Or maybe what was your answer to the questions: why nursing and why nursing now?

Thankssss guyssss

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

The most affordable way to become and RN is an associate's degree program in a state-sponsored school. Most schools look heavily at your prerequisite GPA, and not much else. Every school is different. You need to do the legwork on figuring out which school requires what.

My best and first advice for people like you is this: Spend some time shadowing a nurse. If he/she does not sit down/ pee/ eat in that 12-14 hours, then neither do you. THEN decide on a path moving forward.

NO SNARK INTENDED: We often see these types of posts from people who hold degrees that do not lead to jobs. (Psych, biology and kinesiology are the three I most often see.)

For many of them, nursing is not an intentional choice, but more an act of desperation ("Yikes, I've got a degree now and it just now occurred to me I wouldn't be awarded a job upon completion!") Not sure what your change of career is based in- but you need to think long and hard before starting down this path.

Be intentional about your pursuit of nursing. It is wicked hard, demanding and not for everyone. Best wishes

[FutureNurseInfo]

I am a teacher hoping to become a nurse. I would also like to do an ABSN. Like pp said, the cheapest route is AS degree in nursing. I know Columbia has a master's program that is specifically designed for students with bachelor's. However, it is ultra expensive, I think like $150,000 for the whole program. On the other note, the money you borrow come from your master's loan pool, and not your bachelor's. Another option is to do LPN, then bridge to RN.

[Neo Soldier, BSN, RN]

The cheapest way is the ADN route.

I would recommend looking at the community colleges and finding out what they want. What prerequisites they need. Look at their point system. Type in the school then type in "nursing adn point system." Schools in my area look at your GPA but they take other things into consideration for example, you may get 10 points for having a bachelors degree, 40 points for having a 4.0 in anatomy, physiology, and microbiology, 4 points for taking statistics and getting a C or better etc.

Is it realistic to become a nurse? nursing school is intense and if you don't have financial support, it will be next to impossible. You need a reliable car to take you to your clinical sites, you need to study, and do projects, do you have time for that?

I wouldn't advise you to take more loans since you're in debt already.