insight needed on decisions to be made

[truestory97]

Hi,

This is my first post and I decided to make this account because i have been so conflicted lately on what to do about my future. I am currently a sophomore at the University of Mississippi and majoring in finance because i love math however i do not see myself in any job positions in that field nor am i passionate about it. I really would love to do nursing its always been in the back of my mind but i always considered myself not smart enough despite making A's in biology and chemistry. The thought of nursing has been consuming my brain now and i believe its what i would enjoy the most but I am overwhelmed with the whole process. The problem is that if i switch majors i am starting at square one with my pre-reqs and you can not graduate from Ole Miss with a nursing degree, you can only do a 2+2 program where you would transfer to UMMC or another nursing school. Also another issue is I'm from Texas so I'd almost rather transfer and do my nursing there because i will most likely live there when I'm graduated if I'm able and pay the in state tuition. I have tried to contact people in my community here at school to see if i could possibly shadow nurses in the area and have had no luck. Im afraid i will go through all this work and be disappointed if its something i don't love as much as i think i do. I want some reassurance before making this commitment as i have already wasted money and time. Here are some questions I have.

Is there a four year degree i can get at ole miss that would be beneficial and then go to nursing school? or is it better to go straight into nursing

is there a 4+1 nursing program at Ole Miss? *note* I know there is but i don't know if they are accepting students any longer as it is not advertised anymore so i was wondering if anyone knew any info

is there anything i can do to reassure my decision or do i just risk it?

What schools in Texas would be a good transition for me, I am from the Dallas area and am wanting to tour TCU, TWU, West Coast, UT Southwestern ect but i know those are competitive and i don't want to get my hopes up.

If i do nursing at UMMC will i have a hard time finding a job in Texas right after graduation?

Also do I transfer to another school ASAP in order to do my pre reqs there and then apply for there nursing program or finish my pre reqs here at UM?

any and all suggestions/thoughts or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

[203bravo, MSN, APRN]

I would strongly encourage you to continue to attempt to find a nurse to shadow prior to making such a decision... but to attempt to answer some of your questions:

you seem really concerned about wasting time and money -- if this is the case and you decide to pursue nursing, then I wouldn't consider completing a BS with the intention of getting an accelerated BSN.. this is definitely the most costly route.

Not sure if UoM still offers the ABSN in Jackson, but they were the only institution in Mississippi that did have an ABSN program and it is insanely competitive... I have known candidates with a high 3.?? GPA that were not accepted.

It wouldn't matter if you complete your nursing degree in either Mississippi or Texas, you'll take the same NCLEX and the job search would be exactly the same. (it could be argued that completing the degree in Tx would allow you to establish some nursing contacts during clinicals that would assist your in securing some job leads.)

If you decide on the nursing route, check out any schools that you are interested in applying for and make a list of all the pre-reqs.. it's always a good idea to apply to as many programs as possible to increase the chances of acceptance. If you like Oxford, then go ahead and complete those courses there..

Consider Delta State University in Cleveland, Ms... they are expanding their program and are geared to accept more students in future years.. PLUS they charge no out of state tuition and have the lowest tuition in the state.

Best of luck.

[Nightmaren, BSN, RN]

Hi there! I am someone who completed a 4-year degree and then ended up going to nursing school a few years later because I sincerely did not fit into my prior career choice. If you are feeling that Finance is not a good fit for you, I encourage you to explore what interests you about nursing and pursue it! 203bravo's suggestion is a good one -- since changing career focus is such an investment, shadowing a nurse or even briefly volunteering at a hospital on the floor would help you make an informed decision.

I cannot comment on Mississippi, but I attended nursing school in Texas. Especially since you've likely completed some of the program prerequisites, an accelerated BSN is probably the way to go for you. These will vary from school to school and can help tremendously in selecting a program (and perhaps you can take the corresponding courses at your current university too if you choose to complete your degree).

You are right that the programs you listed are competitive, but I believe that they are totally attainable. The turnover rate for accelerated BSN programs in particular is very quick. I encourage you to apply broadly however if you choose to apply in Texas by including other cities such as Houston; Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world and has numerous educational institutions as well.

All the best!