Help with Nursing Prerequisites!!!

[Rikki08]

Hello all!

I am looking to begin taking pre-requisites for nursing school this coming January but am having some trouble figuring out how to pay for these classes and where to take them. I currently have a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field so I will only be taking the science courses. I live in California but am thinking about returning to the east coast to live with my parents so that I do not have to worry about rent. My problem is, because I am out of state back east, the tuition for 12 credits at the cheapest community college is around $3,500. If I were to stay in San Diego, the tuition for 12 credits is around $320. However, I pay around $650 or so each month for rent and utilities.

How have all of you paid for the prerequisite courses? Is it possible to get financial aid (loans and/or grants) for those classes? Are there any other options out there? If not, do you have to pay for the classes in one large sum? Any suggestions would be extremely helpful.

Also, in terms of schools, has anyone has any trouble with their prerequisites being recognized by a BSN program if they are taken at a community college? Has anyone taken their prerequisites in another state then their chosen nursing school? I am looking at taking my prerequisites at either the San Diego Community Colleges, or at Harrisburg Area Community College in Pennsylvania. I am hoping to attend school at University Of Maryland. Anybody with knowledge of any of these schools would also be helpful.

Lastly, does anyone have any opinions about the best option for a student who already has an unrelated bachelor's? There arent really many affordable accelerated BSN programs in the areas I hope to attend school. I have thought briefly about getting my ADN first then doing a RN to BSN program, but it seems like it will take a lot longer than going straight for my second bachelors (even in a non-accelerated program). It just seems a little easier to take prerequisites at the same school I hope to complete my degree, however, I do not want to pay the higher price to take those prerequisites at a 4-year school

Another note: I am hoping to eventually pursue a career as a nurse anesthesis so I will be pursuing a masters if that helps with your responses.

Thanks in advance for you help! I am going crazy trying to figure all of this out!

[Anoetos, BSN, RN]

I had no problem at all getting a Pell Grant and loans for pre-requisites

[Rimzy]

I also intend to pursue a career in Nurse Anesthesia.... Lemme see if i could be of any help... I live in New Mexico and if u graduate from highschool or get a GED here, after your first semester in college if you have a 2.5 and 12 credits you automatically get enrolled in an 8 semester scholarship...for tuition..so there's that...and as for courses...yes all the courses i took at a community college transfered and they will count towards my GPA....i guess you need to talk to the schools you are planning on attending..and FAFSA is the organization that gives out student loans and also wells fargo...i dont know if this helps

[work&play]

There're student loans and pell grants that you shouldn't have a problem getting.

[jjsrn1]

I am in WA and have taken all my pre-reqs at a community college. I have been applying to nursing programs this Fall. So far, I have been accepted into a BSN/MSN program at a nursing school in PA. I believe that most, if not all, nursing programs will accept community college classes taken as pre-reqs, as long as the school is accredited.