Is nursing school worth it?

Published

  1. Experience with Chamberlain College of Nursing

    • 3
      Excellent, Worth it!
    • 2
      It's Okay, Could be Better.
    • 1
      Disaster!! Get out quick

6 members have participated

Hello Everyone

So I currently attending Chamberlain College of Nursing in Houston and it is great, but crazy expensive. I am only in my third session and I am already in debt for $8,000. Is there anyone out there going through or have experience with the same financial situation? I am thinking of putting school on hold,maybe exploring another, cheaper major. I just feel like I am giving up, but then I also feel like I am saving myself from financial destruction. Is a career in nursing worth it? I wanted to become an NICU or Labor and Delivery Nurse? If any NICU or L&D nurses are reading, how would you rate this profession? Is it something you have been doing for a long time? How do you deal with the death's? Sorry I am rambling, but that is literally how my brain has been. I can't sleep, I am having anxiety attacks because I am so worried, because I have to make sure I am paying my car note and school and gas and food and insurance and then I got a speeding ticket so that is just icing on the cake. Is there anyone out there who has felt how I am feeling? Overwhelm I guess.

Thanks for who ever reads this

Confused Nursing Student

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You are experiencing the reality of choosing an overly expensive school program. Instead of getting yourself riled up to change your choice of career, you might want to rationally (when you are well-rested), consider putting Chamberlain on hold while you seek a less expensive nursing program.

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Nursing school is definitely "worth it" if you want to be a nurse. However, you're at a notoriously expensive school. There are significantly less expensive routes to licensure. You don't need to explore a cheaper major, you need to explore a cheaper school. Best wishes!

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

Houston community college, far cheaper

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As an RN with a BSN who has been such for 24 years, I have very mixed feelings.

-Treatment of bedside nurses is bad. Backstabbing tends to be quite common, (and the reason the average stay in nursing is 7 years. )

-The pay is very good, and you can basically go anywhere and get a job.

-You have the opportunity to become a Nurse practitioner with ease. The jump in pay is good if you are a young nurse, but generally if you have been in nursing 10 or more years, it is not that significant (if you work some overtime.)

-Putting up with the minutiae of ever increasing new edicts gets old, as does management changes every 2 to 3 years.

-The ever increasing patient ratios are getting out of hand. Even in states that limit patient numbers, employers have other ways to make every moment of your day "productive."

Bottom line, If I was looking at nursing school today, I would run. . .

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I would find a cheaper school. I've never attended yours, however I have heard it is VERY expensive. I would go the cheaper CC route.

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It sounds like you jumped into college without figuring out how to finance it for 2/ 4 years. $8000 per semester is not unreasonable not sure what you mean by 3rd session? if that is 3 semesters, that is really cheap. some private 2 year programs run 2 to 3 times that amount. I would go and talk to the financial aid office ASAP.

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I currently attend a community college nursing program and have not paid a dime out of pocket for my degree thus far. I also don't plan on needing to pay for my BSN or NP but I have lots of trick up my sleeve. ;)

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Specializes in TBI and SCI.

You should have student loans I don't see the problem? Do you have to make some sort of payment while in school?? If so, talk to financial aid they will work with you because they want to keep your money.

You made the right decision getting into nursing. I don't know how chamberlain works, but this doesn't sound expensive to me at all. I paid $32k for a LPNA program in cali.... if it's a good school and you like everything so far, stay. Just make it work. Don't stress. You will be making a lot more money once you become a nurse!!!

Nurse life- get a 12hr job 3 days a week then do prn somewhere else to get extra money if you are financially struggling. You can always put student loans on hold as well- without be penalized, the interest will still accrue but no late payment fees.

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For those who were wondering, each session at Chamberlain is 2 months long. Yes, it's a very expensive school, especially if you haven't gotten most of your prerequisites out of the way. My opinion of the school has changed for the worse lately, but I'm stuck now until I graduate (only 6 months left). Whether you stay or not is completely up to you. Hopefully you are using federal loans (FAFSA), because they are low interest. I hope you can make a decision you're happy with!

And I agree, you gotta hustle while in school (by that I mean get a full time job). Just do what you can.

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Specializes in Cardiac, COVID-19, Telemetry.

This is a silly question to me. If you choose your future career and happiness based on money you'll never really be happy! I have a BS in Political Science. I spent 5 years at a small liberal arts college in Alabama. I graduated with $22,000 in debt. I worked in a law firm for five years and was absolutely MISERABLE. Now, I'm pushing 27 years old, I am married with two kids and I'm going back to school to be a nurse. I work as a tech at a hospital and I enjoy caring for other people -- I found my niche. If you're questioning nursing solely because of the cost, check out your local community college. I am VERY limited in what financing options are available to me since I already have a Bachelors. I am in the process of getting on with a contract through the hospital that I work at and they will pay my tuition and books for nursing classes. I'm certain that when I pass the NCLEX and become an RN, I'll be just a nurse just as much as someone that graduated from the University of Alabama, except I'm going to the community college that is about 15 minutes from my house. I intend to secure employment as an RN, save up about $10,000 and then go back to school for my BSN online. You can do it, just might have to take another route than what you originally expected.

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Specializes in Cardiac, COVID-19, Telemetry.
You should have student loans I don't see the problem? Do you have to make some sort of payment while in school?? If so, talk to financial aid they will work with you because they want to keep your money.

You made the right decision getting into nursing. I don't know how chamberlain works, but this doesn't sound expensive to me at all. I paid $32k for a LPNA program in cali.... if it's a good school and you like everything so far, stay. Just make it work. Don't stress. You will be making a lot more money once you become a nurse!!!

Nurse life- get a 12hr job 3 days a week then do prn somewhere else to get extra money if you are financially struggling. You can always put student loans on hold as well- without be penalized, the interest will still accrue but no late payment fees.

So true! I work at a hospital -- 12 hr shifts. 2 on, 1 off, 4 on, 7 off. It works well with my schedule and I work nights 7pm-7am. I also held my student loans in forebearance while I worked in the legal field because I did not make enough to pay my bills AND my student loans and the company I worked for did not provide insurance.

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