LOST..need advice..-_-''

[melamin]

well, let's see,..before i start, this might turn out long just to warn you,..so you are advised to move on to more less time-consuming threads. =]

i am a first year student in a community college, and have been taking pre-major classes for biomedical engineering...but,..i haven't been exactly performing as well as i should if i really want to be accepted into ucla's engineering school.

of course, there are other equally good engineering schools out there,

but because of financial reasons, i cannot move out.

and the thing is, if i do force myself to go through finishing all my pre-major courses and get accepted to another notable engineering school,..i dont want to be worrying about finances to pay for tution, and housing,..and stuff like that. and i feel like those typical part-time jobs just don't pay enough to rid of the uneccesarry financial worries that come with being a college student.

plus, i want to know that wherever i go, i know i am going to get a good enough paying job that offers flexibilty to allow me to finish my bs in engineering.

so i thought that nursing would offer both very decent pay and flexibility to meet both demands.

but my problem is the cost of time.

is it really worth it to go through 3.5 years of adn [counting pre-reqs]

just so that i can be financially stable to pay for the financial demands of engineering school?

one other detail i should note: my parents pay for my tuition because i haven't been able to, or rather, i cannot get a part-time job. after school at noon i leave quickly to pick up my 7-year old sister from school and stay with through the day, since i am the only one available to pick her up and take care of her, and my parents cannot afford a baby sitter. [they barely make enough to pay for my college and the bills]..

so i feel like i cannot even worry about getting in engineering school anymore, since i can't just depend on my parents for my university education..but again, going back to my worry of the cost of time.

is it really worth it to go through 3.5 years of adn [counting pre-reqs]

just so that i can be financially stable to pay for the financial demands of engineering school?

i hope i gave enough detail for anyone out there to shed a light on my dark worrysome mind. and for those who actually read all the way here, i trully trully appreciate it, and am grateful for your patience. it means a lot. thank you!!!! thank you!!!!

i know i may seem like im just doing nursing for finances, but i love helping people...that's why i wanted to do bioengineering because i wanted to help people medically while involving my interest in engineering...also, i've been reading the posts here and it does inspire me more to be nurse..in fact, i feel like i might be stuck here and just give up engineering...who knows..

[SarasotaRN2b]

I wouldn't suggest it. You are looking for nursing as a money option, and it is so much more. If engineering is your niche, try to see what you can do about scholarships, grants, etc. I would really urge you to read through the threads, and you will see that it takes hard work and a real will to succeed...

[melamin]

Thanks sarasota for your opinion..

Don't worry... I am full aware of the demands of nursing school..I know people who have been through it before...

...

[carachel2]

YOU do what you *want* to do and then take out college loans. You are being wonderful to help your parents, but college is about choices that you make that will affect you forever. If your heart is in engineering, then you need to do that.

I took out at least 30K in student loans and never looked back, didn't bother me at all and then just paid them off after I graduated. As an engineer, your starting salary will be rather high and paying off the loans will not be a big deal.

It is better for your parents to save for their retirement than to pay for your education. College is also a time for YOU to be on your own and explore and gain some independence. Go off to college and do this. IF you take out loans, your parents will be able to afford a babysitter and you will be ready to encounter the full college experience.

[GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

I'll be honest here. Nursing school is very hard. Its not worth the effort if you only plan to be a nurse a few years. If you planned on working per diem or part time while working as an engineer, then I would say it is worth it. You would have to decide that. Don't be afraid of student loans. I took out $14,000 and had it paid off in 2 years. My dh took out over $40,000. He is still paying them back, 9 years later. But that is ok. He is a Civil Engineer and makes nice cash. No, we are not loaded, but I currently a SAHM and not strapped for cash. In one year his loans will be paid off. So if you can deal with student loans for ten years, you can have a very well paying job for 50 years. Please don't let loans scare you, unless you take up elementary education or psychology (or any other major where there are tons of graduates every year and few jobs for them) at a very expensive school and you wont be able to easily find a decent paying job afterwards.

[melamin]

see, i would get loans IF i could get loans..but i can't because of legal reasons...i'm not illegal; i've been here in the US for 6 years and my papers are still in process..[.i fear it's gonna take longer to process since post-9/11 government aren't exactly excited to make every immigrant permanent residents as quickly as possible]...so because of my legal status, i cannot get any form of financial aid...unless i assumed that all loans require applicants to be U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents. In that case, please correct me. ...It'll be great if anybody out there knows a way i can get a loan with my legal status.. Otherwise,..as of right now,..I can't pay for school. ..if i seem like im just not looking hard enough for options, then let me know please.

..

as of right now, nursing is the only job i know that can pay for my undergraduate and graduate studies,..that is, when i am able to go about that goal.

[carachel2]

see, i would get loans IF i could get loans..but i can't because of legal reasons...i'm not illegal; i've been here in the US for 6 years and my papers are still in process..[.i fear it's gonna take longer to process since post-9/11 government aren't exactly excited to make every immigrant permanent residents as quickly as possible]...so because of my legal status, i cannot get any form of financial aid...unless i assumed that all loans require applicants to be U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents. In that case, please correct me. ...It'll be great if anybody out there knows a way i can get a loan with my legal status.. Otherwise,..as of right now,..I can't pay for school. ..if i seem like im just not looking hard enough for options, then let me know please.

..

as of right now, nursing is the only job i know that can pay for my undergraduate and graduate studies,..that is, when i am able to go about that goal.

Well, I'm in graduate school and taking one class at a time. If you can't get loans, then I would slow down the pace and take just one or two classes at a time and work in at least some career that pays more than minimum wage.

I would never in a million years encourage you to pursue an RN degree just so you can afford another degree. You will resent it and absolutely hate it.

[agent]

Would not suggest it

[melamin]

Well, I'm in graduate school and taking one class at a time. If you can't get loans, then I would slow down the pace and take just one or two classes at a time and work in at least some career that pays more than minimum wage.

I would never in a million years encourage you to pursue an RN degree just so you can afford another degree. You will resent it and absolutely hate it.

that is exactly what i am trying to avoid most: the cost of time.

which i guess i'll be forced to pay if nothing else works out.....

[carachel2]

Have you considered pursuing a career in physical therapy ? My friends who are physical therapists all tend to enjoy the biomechanical and physics part of their studies and their job...very technical in that way. You would be able to help people as well.

Just a thought for you as consider everything. Just want you to also be aware that your courses for nursing school will most likely be ALL day and your clinicals will possibly be 12 hours shifts and will encroach on your ability to pick up your sister. Nursing school is NOT like regular undergrad where you pick what class you want to have at 8 a.m. and are done by noon. There is a set schedule (in most programs) and everyone takes the same classes.

[melamin]

Have you considered pursuing a career in physical therapy ? My friends who are physical therapists all tend to enjoy the biomechanical and physics part of their studies and their job...very technical in that way. You would be able to help people as well.

Just a thought for you as consider everything. Just want you to also be aware that your courses for nursing school will most likely be ALL day and your clinicals will possibly be 12 hours shifts and will encroach on your ability to pick up your sister. Nursing school is NOT like regular undergrad where you pick what class you want to have at 8 a.m. and are done by noon. There is a set schedule (in most programs) and everyone takes the same classes.

thanks for the suggestion.

and i found it nice that you took note of the detaili wrote about my little sister.. i included orginially to give explanation in case anyone wondered why i cant get a part-time now....

but i never saw picking her up as a perpetual problem...somebody else would have to be forced to pick her up...at any rate, thanks again for the suggestion.

the first few who replied to this thread didnt think someone interested in biomedical engineering like me wouldnt have any desire in helping people...

[carachel2]

thanks for the suggestion.

and i found it nice that you took note of the detaili wrote about my little sister.. i included orginially to give explanation in case anyone wondered why i cant get a part-time now....

but i never saw picking her up as a perpetual problem...somebody else would have to be forced to pick her up...at any rate, thanks again for the suggestion.

the first few who replied to this thread didnt think someone interested in biomedical engineering like me wouldnt have any desire in helping people...

My brother started off in biomed engineering and quickly tossed it aside when he realized that if he was working in a hospital environment he would be working in the basement fixing hospital beds and IV pumps. He is now an MD.

I think since you do enjoy working with people, you should seriously try to find someone in real life or a nearby program whom you can shadow for a 'real life day on the job' point of view. You certainly don't want to waste your technical abilities, but you also don't want to be burnt out in 10 years either and wishing you were on the other side of the fence either.

There are many medical careers that would allow you to do both of what you described. There is a whole field of biomechanics that works with prosthetics and also movement sciences. I would urge you to explore the full range of possibilities and then go from there. Nursing is a *great* option as far as rewarding career, potential earnings and wonderful flexibility as you get older and have a family....but it is also not for everyone either.