How did you afford to go to nursing school? (nursing ed. loan) I feel so overwhelmed.

Sarah010101 · Mar 29, 2010

holy moly!

You ppl are paying a lot..

Im from BC, CANADA, and im attending UFV, and our total program cost is approx 25,000 $.... for the BSN program...

nvsmom · Mar 29, 2010

Yeah, a Pell Grant would help, but I'm not eligible for one anymore because I already have a bachelor's degree.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2010

I attended a private LVN/LPN program in 2005 and financed the hefty $20,000 tuition with a Sallie Mae private student loan. I didn't qualify for any need-based financial aid due to having earned in excess of $40,000 during the previous year as a factory worker (I am single and childless, so my family size only consisted of one person). This loan has been paid off.

I attended a private RN bridge program from March 2009 to March 2010 and financed $12,700 with Stafford government student loans. I had a balance due of $7,500 and paid this off by making 15 monthly cash payments of $500 from January '09 through March '10. Again, I didn't qualify for need-based financial aid because I had earned more than $60,000 during the previous year from working 2 jobs as an LPN/LVN.

MiahMSN, MSN, RN · Mar 29, 2010

yes, I'm in California. I have a degree already and many of the schools (public) will not accept me b/c of that. I don't know if you all are aware of the educational crisis here. So right now, I'm left with private school options and program usually start at $50,000...I'm only looking into accelerated programs

You should look into Cal State Dominguez's MEPN program (2 year, accelerated direct entry, clinical nurse leader option). I will start in August. It's a little over $5200 year (plus $1800 for one summer). It is the most affordable out of all of the direct-entry programs, even the Cal States. I have a BA and MA already - but luckily I didn't max out my loan amounts, so I'm able to take out more (this time ONLY subsidized) to cover the program. It's a really great program - but definitely competitive and inundated with applicants, like all of the other programs. Good luck.

CeilingCat, ASN, RN · Mar 30, 2010

I go to a community college, which in total will cost me about $5k including books to get my R.N.

Can you look at state universities? Community colleges? Or perhaps getting most of your general & pre-req credits at the inexpensive community college, then transfer in to finish at the fancier one?

LETRN · Mar 30, 2010

I received Pell Grants, Missouri Access Grants, and subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans. I took the full amount available to me, which I used to live on so that I wouldn't have to work FT while in school and with two kids under age 3. I will owe somewhere in the neighborhood of $40K.

cbcle · Mar 30, 2010

I lucked out BIG time and got a job as a surgical tech in L&D in a hospital with an extremely generous tuition reimbursement benefit. I had to work full time during the program, but they reimbursed 100% of my schooling as long as it was in a clinical degree like nursing. Overall, they paid about $55,000 in tuition for my ridiculously expensive BSN from a private local Catholic University. I only owe they one year working full time as a RN from the last reimbursement payment. I am so grateful and even though the hospital I work for pays slightly less than the going RN rate in the area, I still came out far ahead. I never would have been able to pay that much myself and didn't qualify for any loans. Ask around at your local hospitals and see what the tuition benefits are. Good luck to you!

nvsmom · Mar 30, 2010

That's awesome, cbcle!

Maybe I've got to find a job in the hospital that would do the same. Thanks guys for your replies. I'm actually finishing up my pre-reqs at some community colleges here in CA, so I am saving a lot of money with that.

If that MEPN program is only 2 years, then might as well try to apply. I'm just so anxious to work and live a great life with my kids.