**HELP!!! Need to decide which program is better for me**

[MissBre]

Hello, I am from San Antonio Texas currently trying to decide what route it is I want to take to become a nurse. All I know is that I want to become a nurse some way somehow. Currently I work fulltime as an insurance specialist and attend community college fulltime for my pre-requisites. I'm slowly approaching (Have about 8 more classes to go) the time where I will finish my required 62 pre-reqs needed to transfer but the universities here with the BSN program would require me to quit working and go to school during the day. As much as I would love to do so it is just not an option. I am highly thinking about doing a LVN program and at least get my license so I can start working then go back to get my RN-BSN. I know some people say If RN is what you want to do then go for it but I just can't afford to quit my job to go during the day or be on some waiting list for years to come. I figure get licensed and test the waters and then decide to commit. I'd just like to get feedback on others. I know I will eventually be an RN but I'm thinking about the easiest option for me right now especially considering my work schedule.

Thanks for reading

P.S. Does anyone know about how much LVN's make here in San Antonio?

[tfleuter, BSN, RN]

My first question is: do you literally mean you had to take 62 individual pre-req classes OR do you mean 64 credit hours worth????

Second, and you don't need to answer this on the board, but how much do you make vs. how much a starting LPN can make in your area? Salary.com says for the 78221 zip code, LPNs make anywhere from 30K - 43K with the average being about 36K. I'm assuming a new LPN would be starting on the lower end of the scale. Now an RN for that same area is about $47K - $68K with the average being around $57K. So starting out, you stand to make approx $15K more a year if you go straight for your RN instead of LPN. If you make more than an LPN already, would you be able to support yourself on that salary? If you make about the same, then perhaps it is a good way to go. In the long run, you might be better off going straight for your RN and taking out loans to pay for your expenses while in school. It all depends on how little you can survive on in school and if loans while cover this...