If you had to do it over again, would you?

I didn't go to private school, but I went to a university vs a community college. The cc had a 2-3 yr wait list, the university did not. The university cost about 3 times what the cc would cost. I am now an RN and have my BSN where if I had gone the CC route I would only be starting my second year of school. I went about 30K more in debt at the university vs. the cc, but I am a nurse 15 (at the minimum) months sooner and making 50K a year. That 15 extra months of nursing will earn me 62.5K. Subtract the 30K in loan differences, and another 15K for taxes and I am still 17.5K ahead. Also, I now have my BSN. This isn't a BSN vs ADN argument, I chose the route that would allow me to become an RN the quickest.

To answer the original question, yes, I would do it all over again.

I agree. Do the route that will get you through a program as quickly as possible so you can start earning $$. Waiting 2-3 years to get into school will cost you financially and it is very emotionally taxing.

GL!

It only took me 1 year to get accepted after starting my journey. Although I have not graduated yet, I am someone who has already attended two expensive name schools and wracked up student loans in the process. I can SAFELY tell you it WAS NOT WORTH IT!

I worked in IT at one point making lots of money. Here is the catch 22 the others won't tell you... they have a degree, they have a good paying jobs, but they still have debts! I am not bashing the above posters. I do not know his/her situation. I am speaking from experience.

From experience I know that most of those who graduate with student loans and walked into good paying jobs DO NOT pay off the student loans debts any time soon! In fact most of the people I know still have them including Registered Nurses!

How can this be? Well, the reality is 50-60K is only a lot of money for those of us who are not in debt 40-70K. The rest making 50K-60K are really BROKE making 20-40K/year. :trout: Since I am not interested in only making 20-40K/year, I am not getting into student loan (private loan) debts.

My advice to you is to do what makes you happy. You either wait 2-3 years (which will come and go pretty quickly) and be debt free. OR you can be a broke Registered Nurse and serve a sentence of 5-life still paying off student loan debts. By the way, I only mention 5 years (sometimes less) because SOME people attack them with a vengeance. Please note: Most do not!!

On the other hand, if you are lucky maybe you will be granted parole and pay them off in 3 years with the help of employers? In my area employers are a joke. However, you might be lucky to find one that may throw some change your way in the form of reimbursement programs or "loan forgiveness", where the working conditions are not horrid and the terms of your indentured servitude will not be bad?

I would not count on it since there is a shortage for a reason! Employers who offer the best incentives usually have the highest turnover rate! Good luck!