How long did it take you to earn your degree?

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I am curious. I'm a freshman taking prereqs at university. Beginning to dislike my decision. Wish I could go into the workforce faster, but my grades aren't showing that to be likely. I'm scared that I will end up getting my bachelors degree within 5-7 years.

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Hello. I think you can have a career that is very fulfilling if you have the aptitude for caring for sick people. With that said, can you tell me what is making you dislike your decision? Is it the course content? What courses are you taking? Are you uninterested in it? Or is it difficult to understand?

If you dislike science courses, you won't like nursing curricula. If it is math, you can get help to make it through the few classes; if it is writing you don't like, again, nursing requires lots of reading and writing. Tell me more about what you are experiencing; maybe I can help. I have a few nursing degrees.

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Its taken me 4 years for an associates but I have 3 young kids so that slowed me down. I will have 9 months for my bachelors left when I graduate in April so 5 years total.

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

It took 3 years for me to get my diploma, 2 years to get my Bachelor's and now 3.5 years to get my Master's. I could have been a doctor by now! It's taken me 25 years to get to here.

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Specializes in Home Health, Education.

It took me one year to obtain my LPN certificate, one year to complete my LPN to RN bridge program and obtain my RN license, and six months to complete my RN to BSN through WGU. So 2.5 years of schooling in total.

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CLVRN,BSN,RN did you have a degree is some other field before you started this nursing journey? That's incredible that you have a BSN in 2.5 years. OR did you take heavy, heavy course loads each semester?

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I should have worded it different. I dislike the decision of taking my prereqs at a University. My community college is less than 5 minutes away, where my University is 40 minutes. I think if I had taken the prereqs at my community college I would have done better in the academics. I also dislike the decision because I just got my fall term grades and they aren't very great. Chemistry -C, Math 95 -C, and Writing -A.

I think nursing is a great career. There are somethings I dislike, like the vomit, feces, etc. But other than that I love it. Pursuing nursing was because of a personal event that happened in my childhood.

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I understand the commute problem. It saves so much time and energy when the campus is close. Can you change any of the things you dislike? For instance, can you transfer to the community college and use those credits toward your degree? (I say it that way because some nursing schools don't accept community college credits in prereqs). If not, then I suggest finding a good study group or partner and make studying enjoyable. One thing that helped me a lot is reading ahead of the lectures, so I could ask questions to clarify certain points. Another thing I did was record all my lectures. It was amazing the things I didn't catch while listening and furiously taking notes. I would listen to the recording and fill in my notes. Wow! An "A" in writing is a HUGE deal!! I hope you celebrated!!!

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My BS took four years at university, plus one extra course in a summer term for an elective I messed up the first time around.

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Specializes in Mental Health, Maternity & Well-Woman Care.

It will be 4 years for my AAS in nursing next may, and another year for my BSN in spring 2018.

Best wishes!

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Specializes in Home Health, Education.
CLVRN,BSN,RN did you have a degree is some other field before you started this nursing journey? That's incredible that you have a BSN in 2.5 years. OR did you take heavy, heavy course loads each semester?

No, I didn't have a previous degree before going into nursing. No heavy course loads, I completed one course at time for my RN to BSN program at WGU. Since the program is competency based, I was able to complete my courses very quickly.

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I've been taking classes on and off since 2009 for mine, but I'm older with two kids to juggle along with school. I've been back at it full time for just over a year, and I have another year until I start nursing school - so over all about 5 years. But I'm also getting my EMT-B certification, and an Associates of Science in Biology before my BSN.

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