Help me PLEASE!!

Do not do it.

Start taking prereqs at night and pay off bills and get ready for nursing school and then go. Get a community college degree wihich is super cheap all things considered.

State places may be horrible and you will owe a TON of money back if they are giving you 23000 bucks a month all through school that must all be paid back if the employment doesn't work out.

You can do it without resorting to those tactics.

Whoever said it's "too late" to go back to school is an idiot. Seriously. It's never too late to go to school. I'm 24 and there are people twice my age in school.

Change is scary. You'll get over it.

If you want it, you go for it. Don't let anyone talk you out of it. It's your life, you're free to make decisions. Who cares what others think.

My in-laws are upset because I'm going to be in school for another 3 years or maybe even more. They know they aren't getting grandchildren for a while. Well you know what? It's my life. This is my dream. My husband supports me. So they can lick my bum.

You live your life for your happiness, not anyone elses!!

As far as this school is concerned, do your research before committing. I wouldn't commit like that. There are plenty of options available to you.

I changed careers in my late 30's! I went back to school and worked at the same time to get my RN in 1985 (so now I'm an old nurse). I have "never" regreted going back and have "never" been unemployed since I finished my RN. Not many people can say they never had a problem finding a job in this economy, but for nurses this is true. Just one thing, nurses do what they do because they love the work, and not for the money. While we are fairly well paid, you can not be a nurse unless you like the work, as it is not always pleasant. We see and do things that make other people cringe. We watch people suffer and die, often on a daily basis. But we help people to get better more often and we (if we're lucky) get to save a life from time to time. So...if this is for you, by all means go back to school. If you love it, you will never, ever regret it!

Too old to go to school? That's ridiculous. I went back to school in my early 40s.

As far as the state school goes, I agree with the above poster who said 'don't do it.' You can go to a community college and take two classes a semester which are super cheap. That's the way I did it. It took me 4 yrs to get my associates degree. To me, for someone to be successful in school, it takes determination.

If you are indeed determined to be a nurse, then nothing can stop you. Just don't sign contracts!! You will regret that.

How will you feel about yourself in ten years from now if you don't give it a shot?

I ditto that it is never too late to go back to school. I got my LPN at 42 and my RN at 47. I am not working on my BSN with thoughts of getting my NP. Consider that you will probably be working until you are 67 - why not invest now?

how long would you have to work to pay back the debt? I would consider it at least.

Otherwise, call a local school and talk to someone in financial aid about grants, etc. Hospitals in my area of Texas reimburse employees for education, so getting a job in a hospital can be of benefit in several ways. I worked full time and went to school. Do not say it was easy, but can be done.

As for age - you are going to get older anyway. Might as well be working towards a goal.

It's never too late to go to school. Learning is a life long process. I went to school at 19 (RN) at 31 (B.Sc.) at 34 (M.Sc.) and at 44 (Masters in the US).

Tuition can be expensive, requiring student loans... but one can continue working part time to pay living costs and repay loans later - when you are a professional earning a professional's salary so it isn't too difficult. As long as you live within your means, which entails sacrificing certain superfluous luxuries (bye bye BMW), you can do it.

Essentially one has to weigh up the pros and cons and one's personal values - e.g., expensive fast car or interesting and fulfilling job that benefits the wellbeing of the community, which in itself - to me - is more satisfying than that new car.

Eventually you will have both, if material goods are really important to you. I am kind-of-old and paying bills etc. is important, but at the end of the day it's great to know that one has made a difference in someone's life - even if they don't admit it at the time!

It's totally worthwhile...

Not one single nurse began her career knowing everything. We all started out with a desire and of course fear. It really is true, everyday you learn something new. Why not try?

Do not do it.

Start taking prereqs at night and pay off bills and get ready for nursing school and then go. Get a community college degree wihich is super cheap all things considered.

State places may be horrible and you will owe a TON of money back if they are giving you 23000 bucks a month all through school that must all be paid back if the employment doesn't work out.

You can do it without resorting to those tactics.

I agree with that. Why are you afraid of math & sci? You just go over and over it until it does sink in. Many people take one glance at the problems and panic. Math is the easiest thing in the world because it's systematic and it has to always go by the rules. So, you learn the rules and you know how it works and it is consistent. Real life should be that well ordered, hehe. Plus you don't need to learn anything except algebra for nursing.

Metric also known as SI units to English units conversions are also easy and a system with rules. It's akin to multiplication and division, really. You memorize a very few conversion factors, and then you either use them right side up or upside down, as required, and SI is all multiplies of 10. So if you can count dimes or figure out how many dimes or dollars you have, given a certain number of dimes or dollars, then you already have the gist of units conversion. (Assuming you are in the USA, and know what dollars and dimes are.)

A&P is a lots of rote memorization.

So, for now, start knocking off your math, etc. and then when you get your brain into the "learn" mode, maybe you can take advantage of the tuition offer. Do they also pay for part time courses, or reimburse your for them?

For bills, find roommates. Sell off whatever you don't need. Cut all spending on depreciating assets like clothes and vehicles. Eliminate either cell phone or land line, and cut the extra cell services like text and Internet. Cook your own meals. Shop at thrift stores and consignment stores. And yes, I shop Craigslist, too, and I've bought furniture long distance and bought and sold items long distance and I haven't been ripped off and I'm still alive. But I have loads more age on me to draw from, too. You are far too young to not start over.

I am 54 and on the verge of graduating from an LPN program. I say go with your gut and then you won't have to keep asking yourself the "what if's" later.

Going back to school for nursing is not easy.... but I feel like KNOWING that it's want I wanted in life is a great incentive to do well. When I sit up late at night worrying about money and how difficult it is for me to do school full time and work part time I never question my decision to go back to school because I believe I'm not only working towards a better career but towards something I am proud of and will make me happy in the long run. :redpinkhe

*I actually feel like I complain less than the other students because I know that school is only temporary, and I'm just trying to soak up every opportunity to learn (I am in my last semester of an ADN degree, btw)*

My advice, and I would give this to any friend of mine, is to start with one or two pre-requisites in the evening or weekends (or whatever your schedule allows). This way, you are working towards your goal WHILE getting used to the school environment again with the least amount of pressure.

And try not to tell yourself that you can't do it because you didn't invest yourself in high school... these few years in the "real world" have already taught you how to manage bills, how to be a responsible employee and how to be an adult in general. In fact, my experience has been that nursing school admissions offices appreciate applicants who have done some time outside of school and therefore have more incentive to work hard to pass the program.

I wish you the best of luck and I hope that you aren't afraid to take the plunge!