Is spending $80,000 on a private ABSN school a waste

[Big_Mike]

assuming that is the money I worked and saved for.

[Sour Lemon]

assuming that is the money I worked and saved for.

I suppose that depends on how much you value the education verses the money ...and whether or not you succeed and end up with a license and a job in the end.

[Castiela]

And how much said job pays. That amount would be over a years salary for me. I personally would not pay that much

[roser13, ASN, RN]

SUCH a waste.

[beekee]

Well, I will tell you that I had a bachelor's degree before I did nursing school. I did my prerequisite courses (2 semesters) and then did as Associates degree (3 semesters) at a community college. Each semester was less than $3,000, including books. I worked full time through it all. So, that was 2.5 years and less than $15,000. I worked right after graduating and at the same time earned my BSN in one term ($3500) from Western Governors. So, I spent 3 years and well under $20,000 for my BSN.

Some will I could have been done in it 1.5 years and worked as a nurse quicker. I like the way I did it. No debt! But it's for you to decide what's best for you.

[NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN]

$80k???!!! Yikes! Their diploma better be made out of gold for that.

Seriously though, there are tons of quality nursing schools that will not charge anywhere near that. Also, assuming student loans would be needed, calculate your payments and interest. They are probably a lot higher than expected.

[beekee]

And no one thinks they'll leave Nursing but many do. It can be a physically and mentally stressful job. Some leave by choice; some are forced to leave due to injuries. I wouldn't spend $80k for a degree where 1:5 leaves in a year and 1:3 leaves in two.

"According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, nearly 20 percent of nurses leave the profession entirely during their first year; another one in three is gone within two years. Considering the time and money that nurses invest in their education and training, it's alarming that such high numbers of new professionals are willing to throw in the towel so soon." See American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment

[seaofclouds21, BSN, RN]

I think that completely depends on the school and your other options for nursing school. Is there anything about this school that makes it stand out as being better than the other options in the area? Is there anything special that this school offers that other schools do not?

[EllaBella1, BSN]

Yes. It is a complete waste. I initially started a ~80k ABSN program, and left after a semester to attend a state school that cost me $18k for my ABSN. And nobody cares what school I went to in the end.

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

YIKES, no, please save your money!!! There are so many wonderful programs out there that cost literally a fraction of that price and are just as good if not better!!! In the end, your first employer after nursing school does NOT care where you went to nursing school, just that you have a decent GPA and you pass the NCLEX!! And any employer after that will pretty much just look at your job experience. It's amazing that you've saved that much up!!! PLEASE save it for the future!!! :-)

[amoLucia]

If I read right, you have a polling post also on AN asking about HOW TO FINANCE school? Money must surely be a concern to you.

I once read somewhere that your school loans should NOT exceed your expected first year of employment salary. Will you make $80,000 your first year?

Securing that first position might be delayed but your IOUs will continue to rack up. So you need to be cautious.

[Wannabenurseneko]

I would not spend that much even if I had the money all saved up , when I can go to the community college and become a Nurse . I would have to be making that same amount of money a week to do that ; I'd prefer to spend that money on a house.