In desperate need of advice

direw0lf, BSN · Sep 27, 2015

If you can get any bachelor degree in 2 years, have you thought of doing that then pursuing an accelerated (usually 14-16 months) BSN degree? I personally would just be tolerant of a different religion and yes hack it out rather than get a diploma because of job opportunities in my area. But if you're miserable you have to do the right thing for yourself and not what your family or anyone else thinks. I struggle for a 3.9 gpa so my thoughts are that you have any opportunity you'd want in your hands right now with a 4.0 and your science prerequisites done. Explore all your choices don't be swayed by friends and family. Talk to professionals to make sure the info you heard about diploma hire rates are correct.

Edit - I'm at a Catholic university too. I had to take 2 religion classes. I guess it depends on the teacher but mine was very respectful of all religions and I feel like I learned a lot.

I hate that I need to take philosophy to be a nurse! Give me religion over that any day. Existentialism depresses me. But that's a BSN requirement.

But I mean it sounds like from the beginning you've never made your own choices...you even said: "I want my parents approval so I picked nursing." Maybe you won't be happy until you make a decision yourself?

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Sep 27, 2015

Sketchy programs can be found online or on-ground. You will have to check the programs accreditations to see if they are quality. This means checking with the agency that accredited them, not just what the school says they have (there are a lot of different types of accreditation, you will want to make sure that they have ones that are actually valued by employers and transferring colleges). You can check if your local diploma program is accredited as well.

You will have to do what makes you happy. Pleasing your family is great and they help to guide you in the right direction. However, this is your life, your education, and your career. The only one who can make the right choice for you is YOU. Take some time, do your research, and don't make any quick decisions. You'll know what's the right decision once you have all the facts. Good luck with your education.

Awesomocity0 · Sep 27, 2015

There are some fallacious statements in your initial post, like that 98% of people are hired guaranteed. Past statistics do not guarantee future ones. And when you factor in that more and more hospitals are forcing BSNs on ADN nurses and not hiring ADN ones at all, walking in as a diploma nurse is a death sentence. I had a co-worker who was a diploma nurse, and she worked at an urgent care clinic for five years because no hospital would take her. So you might get a job, but it might be doing paperwork. Do you really want to limit yourself there? And if you don't find a job, what are they going to do? Hold a place hostage until it hires however many other students to reach their 98% quota?

Also, there's the problem of how you chose nursing. You gave yourself three choices and eliminated two. There are more than three choices in life. And fear of having a hard time getting a job shouldn't be the only driving factor (and is especially ironic if you're considering going into a diploma program, where you will have trouble finding a job, I'm willing to bet). I was the type of person that listened to my parents all the time, too, and at 24, I have already acquired a massive amount of regrets that I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. I'm working now to go back and do the things I wanted to do, even though my parents discouraged them. Should you listen to your parents when they say don't get a face tattoo? Sure. Should you listen when they try to discourage you from another academic passion? Absolutely not.

If you're miserable at your school, transfer. I can also say this from experience. I transferred twice before I found a school i loved. Picking a school solely based on academics or aid is not always enough. For some people it is, but for others it isn't. My first two schools were in cities I found boring. I like being in an urban environment, and going to a top ranked school not in a metropolitan area was not a good fit. I walked out of both of those schools with stellar grades and disapproving parents, but I traded that in for being comfortable and happy, and I have zero regrets about that.

Look into other options. I would not, under any circumstances, do a diploma program. An ADN maybe, but not a diploma. And honestly, since you're young with good grades, I have no idea why you'd do an ADN either. Just transfer to another four year school. How about a public one where tuition is cheap, you're likely to get scholarships, and you can take out loans for housing expenses? It'll give you an opportunity to get some breathing room from your parents, too, and see what it is that you truly want.

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2015

First if you want a bachelors degree you need to take "mindless electives" and you need to do well in them. You are expected to be well rounded and semi intelligent. The fact that you view them as "mindless electives" demonstrates immaturity. Also blaming your parents and taking advice from your brother (how is he an expert on nursing degrees?) also shows a lack of maturity.

You are over 18. If you want to go join the French Foreign legion you can. If you want to go to Community College then go do it. If you want to sit in a field and contemplate string theory you can do that as well. You are an ADULT.

You must understand in nursing you will be required to do things you may not like doing (kind of like mindless electives) and you are expected to perform all tasks in a professional manner (mindless or not).

FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN · Sep 28, 2015

I think you are on the right track. Go back to the community college. Your parents will get over it, when they see you succeed.

Good luck with everything.

Little wolf · Sep 28, 2015

Thanks for your advice, and taking the time to reply.

Little wolf · Sep 28, 2015

Thank you! I'll consider everything mentioned here.

Appreciate it.

Little wolf · Sep 28, 2015

Direw0lf, thank you for your advice and taking the time to respond to my post.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Sep 28, 2015

Hate to tell you, but most BSN programs anymore require some kind of religion class or a philosophy class. A Bachelor's program has many general education credits. So, if you are eventually planning on a BSN, you are going to have to take them at one point. It's just not all nursing classes. And while you may think they are mindless, they serve a purpose which is to make you think, which is an important part of nursing.

There is a desperate need for teachers right now. I'm not sure where you are getting your information from. Yes, your pay won't start out all that great, but you will be starting from the bottom as you will in any career. But you have to do what is going to make you happy in your career. I agree with the PP that said there are way more than 3 degrees out there. There are tons. Research something. Don't just make a decision based on, well, a default career. That's silly.

Why on earth would you do a diploma program in this day and age? Do you understand the difference in a diploma, ASN, and BSN degrees? Diploma programs are rare these days. Mostly because hospitals do not hire them as entry level practice anymore. Maybe the hospital that is affiliated with this program hires these graduates, but what happens if you don't like this certain hospital? You are pretty much screwed at getting a job anywhere else. At one point and time, diploma programs were great and produced some fantastic nurses. Many who still work today. But that was a different time. Many places in the country are pushing for the BSN nowdays. Have you actually researched the job market in your area? Are there plenty of jobs? What kind of degree are they looking for? These are things you need to look at because going to school and not getting a degree in nursing these days is a complete waste of your money.

I kind of agree with your dad here. You are making an extremely impulsive decision because you don't want to do a religion class. One thing I do know from my sister attending a private catholic college and getting her Phd in physical therapy, is those schools are expensive and tough. They are hard. You have a full ride scholarship there, most certainly take advantage of this!!! Do you not understand what a gift this is? What kind of financial aid would you be getting from another school? Have you figured out the cost? How will you pay? Don't expect your mom and dad to. You won't qualify for Pell Grants until you are 24. Otherwise, they have to figure in your parent's income and I'm guessing you may not qualify for anything. So, I'm guessing you will want your parents to cosign loans? You are getting a free education. I'm sorry if I am sounding harsh, I am extremely frustrated with this. So many people would kill for a free education at a private college and you want to throw it away over general education credits.

You are not seeing the big picture here, which is something you need to be looking at. It's not about what you need to do now, you're 19. It's about setting yourself up for the future, while you have the time, and the financial support to do it. I'm 39 and going to graduate from my ASN program in May. I've been at this since August of 2013. I had lots of prereqs and coreqs to do. Psychology and Sociology were extremely helpful in nursing as they teach you how to deal with people from other cultures and people whose minds sometimes work a little differently.

But I also know, you cannot tell a stubborn teenager anything can because everyone knows it all at 18. I thought I had it all figured out back then. I don't even know if I have it all figured out at 39. Listen to your family. They are truly not trying to steer you wrong. They have your best interests at heart, believe me. A parent's love for a child is like no other. You never want them to make a mistake, you never want to see them hurt, and you always want better for them than what you had in life. That is pretty much true of every parent. It's something you will never understand until you look into your child's eyes, but from that moment on you devote your life to making sure everything is perfect in theirs. Even at 19. I promise you that.

Little wolf · Oct 1, 2015

I wanted to thank everyone for their advice. I just want to explain a couple of things.

First, I receive no financial aid. I earned my scholarship it did not fall out of the sky as some gift that I am going to stupidly squander. I worked hard for it, I was not given it. Secondly, I pay my parents rent. Albeit, not as expensive as it would be elsewhere, but I pay the amount dictated by them, I pay for my own food, and my own books.

I never have asked for either of my parents to cosign a loan.

I just need to address the fact that you all seem to believe I was handed this on a silver platter. Not so.

Also, as far as being immature, I probably am in a lot of ways. I'm 19. But I'm very mature in other ways, I pay my own way and I work hard. I don't expect things to be easy or given to me. But I am allowed to consider things such as creative writing a mindless elective because that's my opinion. Sure they are mandatory, and I have never received less than an A, so I am aware you are expected to do well in these courses.

Lastly, I didn't limit myself to three choices, those were the choices I narrowed it down to based on my interests.

All of that being said, I think I got the answer I was looking for regarding my decision.

fcp4life · Oct 1, 2015

I already have a degree in CJ so pretty much every class i took is mindless now Criminal Law, Criminal Investigation, Technical Report writing, at least it knocked off some classes for my ADN in nursing like my psych, english and math, If i get my ADN I should be well over 50% to my BSN heard it's all Upper English courses and a management class well at least at AIC (American International College) it is