How old is too old?

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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this is my first time on this forum. i have been reading for a while and enjoy all the questions and comments....it has been very helpful in my quest.

my question to you all is "how old is too old?". i am 52 years old and just working on my pre-requisites. yes, you read that right. this means that i will be about 54 when i apply for nursing school. am i crazy? has my ship sailed and i should just hang it up? i have always wanted to be a nurse. i listened to my mother, who completed 8th grade tell me that i would never be able to go to college. i listened to her and 2 days after graduation from h.s. i was married. eight years and 2 babies later i was divorced. then i was a single mom trying to make ends meet. i finally signed up for some college classes, even though my mom was giving me those mom looks and making me feel it was a stupid thing to do. i made a's in my classes and that only encouraged me more. mom was shocked. i met a man who lived 3 hours from me and was raising his two kids. we were married a few months later and my life has been devoted to raising children. finally, i am to a place in my life where i can do something i want to do.

the community college i attend takes a total of 60 nursing students in their program. forty during the day, twenty at night. most 4 year colleges are the same. the community college had 400 applicants last semester. my chances are very slim at best. this will be a total career change for me. i am so excited to finally do this. i am strong and very encouraged. i am so scared at the same time. i don't want to waste anyone's precious time or money. this is an agonizing decision. you all are nurses, some may be my age. do i stand a chance? do i push on?

thank you for your help.

mb

Specializes in none.
this is my first time on this forum. i have been reading for a while and enjoy all the questions and comments....it has been very helpful in my quest.

my question to you all is "how old is too old?". i am 52 years old and just working on my pre-requisites. yes, you read that right. this means that i will be about 54 when i apply for nursing school. am i crazy? has my ship sailed and i should just hang it up? i have always wanted to be a nurse. i listened to my mother, who completed 8th grade tell me that i would never be able to go to college. i listened to her and 2 days after graduation from h.s. i was married. eight years and 2 babies later i was divorced. then i was a single mom trying to make ends meet. i finally signed up for some college classes, even though my mom was giving me those mom looks and making me feel it was a stupid thing to do. i made a's in my classes and that only encouraged me more. mom was shocked. i met a man who lived 3 hours from me and was raising his two kids. we were married a few months later and my life has been devoted to raising children. finally, i am to a place in my life where i can do something i want to do.

the community college i attend takes a total of 60 nursing students in their program. forty during the day, twenty at night. most 4 year colleges are the same. the community college had 400 applicants last semester. my chances are very slim at best. this will be a total career change for me. i am so excited to finally do this. i am strong and very encouraged. i am so scared at the same time. i don't want to waste anyone's precious time or money. this is an agonizing decision. you all are nurses, some may be my age. do i stand a chance? do i push on?

thank you for your help.

mb

i'm 64. still an lpn. still in the trenches. hearing went 4 years ago. state gave me two aids. knee went 6 months ago. getting a new one from veterans. still pushing that med cart. we need kids like you. somebody has to take over when my mind goes and i start to sing the mickey mouse club song. go for it.

Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.

79-year-old nurse retired last month at my facility.

I asked the same question a few years ago when I went for my LPN. I'm 53. I was a stay-at-home with occasional part-time jobs. Your husband sounds like mine. Anyway, there is SO MUCH to be said for being new and excited, no burn out. Having life experiences will help you so much more than a "young brain". Having memorized facts doesn't mean you'll have the maturity to react appropriately. I'm doing the transition to RN program now. I have a 3.5ish avg. The younger ones memorize for the testing. I work to understand the information, memorize, and know how to quickly retrieve it should I forget. You can do it! I know many 50 and 60 yr olds doing this because they want to! You'll get older no matter what you choose to do! There are mushy brains at all ages and it sounds like you do not have one! LOL!

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
this is my first time on this forum. i have been reading for a while and enjoy all the questions and comments....it has been very helpful in my quest.

my question to you all is "how old is too old?". i am 52 years old and just working on my pre-requisites. yes, you read that right. this means that i will be about 54 when i apply for nursing school. am i crazy? has my ship sailed and i should just hang it up? i have always wanted to be a nurse. i listened to my mother, who completed 8th grade tell me that i would never be able to go to college. i listened to her and 2 days after graduation from h.s. i was married. eight years and 2 babies later i was divorced. then i was a single mom trying to make ends meet. i finally signed up for some college classes, even though my mom was giving me those mom looks and making me feel it was a stupid thing to do. i made a's in my classes and that only encouraged me more. mom was shocked. i met a man who lived 3 hours from me and was raising his two kids. we were married a few months later and my life has been devoted to raising children. finally, i am to a place in my life where i can do something i want to do.

the community college i attend takes a total of 60 nursing students in their program. forty during the day, twenty at night. most 4 year colleges are the same. the community college had 400 applicants last semester. my chances are very slim at best. this will be a total career change for me. i am so excited to finally do this. i am strong and very encouraged. i am so scared at the same time. i don't want to waste anyone's precious time or money. this is an agonizing decision. you all are nurses, some may be my age. do i stand a chance? do i push on?

thank you for your help.

mb

jobs are scarce

bsn becoming increasingly mandatory

ageism exists

how much money will you owe as unemployed nurse?

follow your powers of logic, not your "dream."

I am 49 and 11 months... :D I got my RN in Feb 2011 and I am working on a Med/Surg floor. I am fairly fit. I say 'fairly' because I have genetically produced cardiomyopathy (with hypotension not hyper). I also lost my hearing 6 months ago and now wear hearing aids.

I don't have any more issues than the average NG. Most patients assume that I am experienced because I am older. I am not ashamed that I am a NG, I do admit it when asked.

I have one blessing though....I don't look my age!

I have not experienced ageism yet. I have an ADN and my student loans cost me $200/mo.

I've been an LPN for 22 years. Just recently graduated from ADN program and passed RN NCLEX this last week, I'm 52........

You're never too old to follow your dreams !!

I submitted my application for the ADN progam in December and am hoping at the end of March to hear that I've earned one of the coveted sixty places. I have a 4.0 GPA and scored well on the TEAS. I'm 57 years old. Too old? I don't think so!

Specializes in Progressive Care.

How old is too old?

Dead.

You're never too old

Go for it.

Specializes in none.
How old is too old?

Dead.

You're never too old

Go for it.

I'm not too old for nursing, I'm just sick over what it has become. I personalty never go back to school. This is just me. Anyone that wants to go back, more power to them.

Just do it. You may be the oldest in your class - you may not be. Most importantly though, don't worry about it right now. You can't make the pre-reqs go any faster, so take them one semester at a time. Re-evaluate at the end of each semester. If you're enjoying them, the material, being a student, your classmates and instructors - then keep going. Focus on what you can control - making As in your pre-reqs. If you do that, the doors will open for you and you'll get the answers you want. But if you struggle through the pre-reqs, you'll struggle through nursing school.

A nursing program is hard work but you'll have lots of advantages over younger students.

Specializes in MedSurg, OR, Cardiac step down.

I wouldn't bother with an LPN, LVN, or ADN-lots of hospitals are gearing towards BSN's. You may end up having to go back! Best of luck!

Specializes in MedSurg, OR, Cardiac step down.
Maryea, without going into gruesome detail, let me just say that our stories are eerily similar.

However, today I am 55 years old, and next week I'll begin a BSN program at one of the highest-ranked schools of nursing in the country. Despite normal age-related cognitive deterioration superimposed on chemotherapy-related brain-cell suck, I managed to get As in all my pre-reqs, and score in the 99th percentile on the TEAS. I'm in better shape - physically and mentally stronger - than most people half my age, and I have an enviable work ethic and a realistic view of the world.

curious what school you go to? I would like to see an up to date list of top ranked nursing schools-I wonder where mine ranks :D

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