Is $49,000.00 too much for ADN program?

Published

In your own experience is 49,000.00 too much for ADN program (uniforms,textbooks and supplies included)?

I am taking a loan out for all of the tuition and living expenses,how soon do you think i would be able to pay it off after I graduate and find a job?

Specializes in Emergency; med-surg; mat-child.
In your own experience is 49,000.00 too much for ADN program (uniforms,textbooks and supplies included)?

I am taking a loan out for all of the tuition and living expenses,how soon do you think i would be able to pay it off after I graduate and find a job?

My god yes, that's too much. Mine cost about $7k.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CVICU.

Omg yes that is wayy too much!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Midwifery, Women's Health, PCP.

Not only is it too much, the degree you get is essentially worthless: those programs tend to be lacking in proper clinical areas so it's near impossible to get a job, and none of your classes will transfer should to you decide to do a RN to BSN/MSN program.

Also, the "wait-list" thing tends to be a myth--there's supposed one at my school, too, but in reality there isn't.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency.

Ahhh I asked myself the same thing. I'm an LVN right now and was going to start a transition BSN program. Was going to cost me 66K for the two years to complete the program and that's because I have all the pre-reqs done. Was 92K before pre-reqs (which I didn't do at this school so I didn't pay that much). I have decided I am not going to do it. I make decent enough m oney as an LVN to not have to put myself in debt like that. On top of that all the nurses that are RN's I work with told me not to do it. So, I am applying else where and praying I get in the next go round. Maybe hold off. I wouldn't pay that much especially if you have a good gpa, you should be able to get in somewhere if you have a good science/pre-req gpa. I on the other hand need to get my grades up but i'm still going to hold off. Good Luck to you!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency.

"West Coast University is a private trade school that charges $132,000 in tuition for a generic BSN program, and we still see many people on these forums who are interested in attending."

Ahh yes this is the school I was talking about. I was suppose to start June 18th and was going to be paying 66k. But I have all my pre-reqs done. It's 132K if you are going in with absolutely nothing at all. So the 132k will cover all your pre-reqs and the actual program. Anyways as I said, I decided not to do that anyways but I don't blame people for doing it. If you keep getting denied or wait listed at regular schools then eventually you stop thinking about the cost and just want to get in a program and get done.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Particularly a rip-off given it is very likely NONE of the classes will transfer and if things continue to shut down for ASNs at the rate they are and BSN becomes the gold standard, you'll be starting all over to get your bachelors. Seriously. Walk away.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

I'm not understanding the hatred for ADNs and the whole "not transferring" thing. My understanding was that an RN-to-BSN degree is simply that -- you have an RN license, you take more classes and get a BSN. It doesn't matter if you have a diploma RN or an ADN/ASN RN -- you have a license that states that you are a registered nurse, so you get to enter into an RN-to-BSN program.

While I totally agree that spending $49K on an ADN is waaaaayyyyy too much money, I don't agree that it "won't transfer" to a RN-to-BSN program. Am I missing something here? Instead of them actually being "RN-to-BSN programs" are they really "RN (only if you went to a school that we like, regardless of whether the BON already gave you an RN license for going to an acceptable school)-to-BSN programs"?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CICU.
In your own experience is 49,000.00 too much for ADN program (uniforms,textbooks and supplies included)?

I am taking a loan out for all of the tuition and living expenses,how soon do you think i would be able to pay it off after I graduate and find a job?

Yes.

1,000 years.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Holy cow....our community college is only $100/credit hour! And I will tell you that many bigger hospitals shy away from hiring people from some of these smaller institutions, such as Bryant and Stratton, etc. You are better off going to a community college so that you have a better chance of getting hired and not being totally in debt...and if you can't find a job right away, you are sunk...the banks want their money and they don't care if you have a job or not!

And many of those classes may not transfer, they have to meet a certain criteria. I have classes from my diploma school that didn't transfer when i was working on my degree and I had to retake them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

My local community college is $53/credit hour, has a nursing program, and THERE IS NO WAIT LIST because they do merit-based admissions.

I'm not understanding the hatred for ADNs and the whole "not transferring" thing. My understanding was that an RN-to-BSN degree is simply that -- you have an RN license, you take more classes and get a BSN. It doesn't matter if you have a diploma RN or an ADN/ASN RN -- you have a license that states that you are a registered nurse, so you get to enter into an RN-to-BSN program.

It isn't a hatred for ADNs. It is about the school itself. Some RN->BSN programs ask for both state and NATIONAL NURSING ACCREDITATION, ie the state BON and NLNAC. Most public and non-profit RN->BSN programs won't accept credit hours from a school with NATIONAL ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION like ACCSC (trade/career school accreditation), but expect REGIONAL ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION from the HLC (academic school accreditation).

Most super expensive for-profits only have ACCSC and state BON. So, the RN may not matter and the creidt hours certainly won't transfer. Those that have NLN still probably aren't HLC so you can get into the RN-BSN program and will have to come up with another 30-60 transferable credits.

Of course, expensive, unaccredited for-profit RN->BSN programs will take your expensive, unaccredited credits. So you can pay $49K for your ADN, then pay another 60-70K for your BSN completion later, then find that nobody will take your for a MSN if you ever want to go that way except for more expensive unaccredited for-profit schools. Sweet! You can then pay $120K+ for your masters degree!

All said and done, the for-profit route can cost you 200-250K by the time you are done with your MSN. Don't lock yourself into that track at the start.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Forensic Psych.
I'm not understanding the hatred for ADNs and the whole "not transferring" thing. My understanding was that an RN-to-BSN degree is simply that -- you have an RN license, you take more classes and get a BSN. It doesn't matter if you have a diploma RN or an ADN/ASN RN -- you have a license that states that you are a registered nurse, so you get to enter into an RN-to-BSN program.

While I totally agree that spending $49K on an ADN is waaaaayyyyy too much money, I don't agree that it "won't transfer" to a RN-to-BSN program. Am I missing something here? Instead of them actually being "RN-to-BSN programs" are they really "RN (only if you went to a school that we like, regardless of whether the BON already gave you an RN license for going to an acceptable school)-to-BSN programs"?

No, going from an RN to a BSN is basically just transferring a certain number of your ADN hours (usually around 70) toward a university's BSN degree. So if none of your credits transfer, you get to start all over again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That's correct and who wants to start all over?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion