How did you get through school financially?

ZooMommyRN, ADN, RN · Apr 30, 2008

On a wing & a prayer lol I was awarded a scholarship for work contract so I was able to use grants & scholarships and minimal stafford loans to float by and cover what bills my husband's salary didn't

Acosmo27 · Apr 30, 2008

well my parents paid for some but mostly student loans. Many hospitals have great incentives for example one hospital will pay back 1500 dollars of your student loans in exchange for one year of work. (ie. a 2 year contract: they will pay 3000 dollars of your loans etc..) So i will probably take advantage of that! college is expensive and unfortunatly i dont qualify for financial aid so i had to take out loans...

futurecnm · Apr 30, 2008

Went to community college, just over $100 per credit. Then I didnt' have to take out loans.

MB37 · Apr 30, 2008

What type of school do you want to go to? I'm paying for my ABSN on loans, since as a second degree student I don't qualify for federal grants. Florida happens to be a cheap state to go to school in, so I will have borrowed a total of $15,000 when I graduate in August. That includes all my tuition, all my books, and an extra couple thousand each semester. I did work throughout my first semester, so I didn't borrow anything. I'm married and my husband works, but his salary only just covers rent, bills, and groceries. Not enough left for tuition or any entertainment at all.

MB37 · Apr 30, 2008

OK, it wouldn't let me edit since 5 minutes passed while I was typing. I wanted to add that since you're only 20, you probably don't already have a degree. That means there is a ton of federal aid available to you. You won't be considered independent of your parents unless you're married, have a kid, or are/were in the military, so they will have to fill out a FAFSA. If they can't afford to help you out, you'll probably get awarded some grants. If they're choosing not to help you out, then hopefully you'll at least get some federally subsidized loans. You can look into scholarships, through your school, local hospitals, and online. Also, the only reason I don't work anymore is because I'm in an accelerated program and I took 18 credits last semester. Most of my classmates who are in the traditional program work at least part time (unless they have great parental support), and the ones who are on their own work 30+ hours/week. You may have to find a different type of employment, but hospitals are open 24/7 and many offer tuition reimbursement. I'm a bartender, and that works too, as does waiting tables.

goodstudentnowRN · Apr 30, 2008

I am working fulltime and attending nursing college fulltime. However, I had to take private loan to help me along the way. I will be well worth it when you are done.

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2008

worked full-time until I reached Critical Care. Only had to work part-time for about 3-4 months of school.

BabySweetpea · Apr 30, 2008

I'm not proud but I took myself and my two kids and moved into my parents basement. Plus my situation was also that I needed help with the kids for before school care and clinicals started soooo early. I also work per diem, soooo if I was ok in school I picked up more hours, when I was swamped I laid off. Hospitals love to get nursing students as CNA's and almost all understand the per diem basis. It was also alot of extra clinical/hospital experience for me.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2008

" I'm not proud but I took myself and my two kids and moved into my parents basement."

No shame in using the support networks you have!

I'm nervous about affording school too. I am a 2nd degree student, so am nearly at my undergraduate Stafford cap. I'm currently unemployed and doing prerequisites full time which is great in terms of being able to focus on class, but financially...not so much. And my credit for private loans is not great (mostly due to income to debt ratio, but I was also irresponsible in my early 20's) and there is no one to cosign for me. Accelerated programs are expensive near me, and even the state school and the community college (for an ADN) are not affordable without some kind of aid. I'm just hoping that it will work out when the time comes (I'm applying to programs for Fall 2009) and am looking in to getting a part time job now.

caliotter3 · Apr 30, 2008

I applied for scholarships and grants unsuccessfully, took out loans, and worked full time at night and part time to pay for school. I was a single parent and had to provide for my child as well as myself so I had no alternatives but to work my way through school.

ShiphrahPuah · Apr 30, 2008

Working for a hospital, in ANY position, is a great way to help you through nursing school financially! I had no idea about this until my next-door neighbor who works in a hospital lab told me this when I started my nursing pre-reqs. I got a job doing patient registration in the ER, which is just basically a clerical job. At all the hospitals near me, if you work 20 hours per week (two 8 hour shifts one week, three 8 hour shifts the next) , you can get benefits including insurance if you need it and tuition reimbursement. The way the tuition reimbursement works at my hosptial is that you fill out paperwork and submit it at the beginning of the semester and pay your tuition yourself. After you get your grade report at the end of the semester, you submit that, and then you get a check to cover that past semester's tuition, which helps you pay for the next semester. GREAT way to pay for school. Most hospitals have caps on how much they will pay out per year, but if you go to a community college or state university, you probably won't go over the cap. You don't even have to wait until you are in the nursing program -- my hospital payed for my prereqs and for my Spanish classes since that helps me in my job. Once you are working in a hospital, you may be able to get a scholarship through them -- mine awarded several full-ride scholarships to the nursing program at the local community college including tuiton, books, and uniforms. There is a requirement that you work at that hospital for a year or two after any class they pay for (or you may have to repay the tuition reimbursement), but the added benefit of working at a hospital during nursing school is that you have your foot in the door and are first in line for a job as long as you have a good work record. I landed a job in OB for after graduation (which was my heart's desire) because my manager and director put gave me excellent recommendations. There are lots of clerical positions in a hospital that only require a high school education -- registration, patient scheduling, greeter/receptionist, switchboard operator, etc. It's great to get a patient care tech positon for the patient contact, but to be honest, I make more money doing patient registration than the techs make, so I stuck with my position through school.

If you are worried about finances, community college is a great way to go and will save you boatloads of money, and you'll still be an RN. If you decide to continue your education and get a BSN after you finish an associate's degree at a community college, the hospital where you get a job as an RN will likely pay for your BSN tuition. Many RN-to-BSN programs (completing a BS after getting your RN through community college) are very flexible, with online classes or face-to-face classes held at local hospitals.

Good luck to you!