LPN before BSN ??

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Hi, I will be finishing my A.S. in Health Science this fall, (basically prerequisites for all ADN and BSN programs) and was planning on applying to a BSN program for the fall of next year. While in the process of completing my Associate degree, I had applied for the ADN at my current school and was rejected (most likely due to lack of math courses), but was granted acceptance to their LPN program. It would last about a year. My question is, would it be worth my time/add value to RN school or would I just be better off transferring & going straight for the BSN? I've read a few posts, and the answers seem to revolve around an end goal and life circumstances. So if it helps- the end goal here has always been to be an RN, and I am 24 with no kids/family obligations. Any help is much appreciated, ? thank you!

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

If you have no kids and no obligations, go for your BSN.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

There's pros and cons to either path. Most being financial. If you plan to or need to rely on financial aid you might be better off going straight to the BSN program. Annual FAFSA process will be much smoother if all your schooling is in the same institution without major changes in annual taxable wages.

If you plan to pay for most or all of it yourself it's most likely more cost effective to go the LPN to RN route. Then you would also have the option of working as an LPN while continuing your education. Of course that is definitely a more roundabout way of reaching your end goal, especially if you opt for LPN to RN to BSN.

Also consider some of your available options will depend on gaining timely admission to the programs to meet your goal. It won't help you educationally or financially to go the LPN first route only to find out you can't continue to the RN degree without a long wait. At least the direct to BSN option you will know you are enrolled in the program that will get you the desired degree without interruption. Check out your options for education pathways to eventually get to the BSN at your preferred schools before committing.

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Thank you for your reply! I was considering going the second route you've mentioned. I just recently found out that my school is offering an LPN-RN program which I'm considering after doing the LPN program, then RN-BSN at a different school. I have paid about half and half myself/financial aid at my current school, would you happen to know if I would still be able to get financial aid for the RN-BSN and about how long these programs run?

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
20 hours ago, DlaineyZ said:

Thank you for your reply! I was considering going the second route you've mentioned. I just recently found out that my school is offering an LPN-RN program which I'm considering after doing the LPN program, then RN-BSN at a different school. I have paid about half and half myself/financial aid at my current school, would you happen to know if I would still be able to get financial aid for the RN-BSN and about how long these programs run?

As you are paying at least a good portion yourself the pathway you are leaning towards is most likely the more cost effective option. It's pretty rare for a traditional 4 year BSN at a university to even come close to the cost per credit that is offered at a community college which is usually where the LPN and ADN programs are offered.

In my area at least the length of time required to complete this pathway is an additional year on campus for the LPN to RN and then another 12 to 18 months for the RN to BSN either on campus or online. So the total time commitment is about the same or a semester or two longer than the traditional four year degree. Many students however choose to take a little longer to finish the RN to BSN if they are also working full time as a nurse while going to school.

There are a couple of potential downfalls as far as financial aid with this path. The first being to receive maximum aid you will have to maintain full time status enrollment. If you are working as an LPN while you pursue the RN and then as an RN while completing the RN to BSN maintaining that full time student status might not be an easy task. There is financial aid available as a part time student but it's not nearly as much.

Also if you are working enough hours and making enough money as a nurse your financial aid eligibility might be less based on your income. Unless something changed that I'm not aware of financial aid packets base income information on what you made two years prior so this shouldn't be much of an issue until you are ready to pursue the RN to BSN, which of course is likely to be the most expensive portion of your degree path. The part of the financial aid package most likely to be affected by your income will of course be the grants that you wouldn't have to pay back but loans should still be an option.

This is really thinking ahead here but you could potentially save a lot of money on your RN and/or RN to BSN degree by taking a job with an employer that offers tuition assistance. A good tuition assistance benefit can pay for a big chunk of that degree for you and actually make the LPN to RN to BSN route the lowest out of pocket expense pathway for you. Just be aware they will likely expect you work for them for at least two years if they are paying for the degree. No big deal if you like the employer and are willing to commit to staying there for the time they require.

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So if your concern is if LPN helps, no not really. Part way through your BSN education you become eligible to take the NCLEX-PN.

If your concern is money, the cheaper route is normally tech/community then four year. If you are able to nab a lot of grants then I recommend you go straigh BSN right away. If you are paying a lot out of pocket I recommend taking math classes and getting your ADN then RN to BSN.

A lot of it is dependent on where you live too. If your area doesn't hire ADN then I don't recommend that route at all if your end goal is to be an RN.

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