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I am a very non-traditional student. I am in my thirties, married, moved across state to attend university and have 2 kids, one of which is special needs. Anyway, I've truly busted my butt going to school. I graduated from CC with 3 associates degrees because it only required a few extra classes so why not, right? Now, here I am, with 2 co-requisite classes to take for the BSN program and 3 left to take for a psych minor and I didn't get an interview for the program because I had only taken 23 credits at the university at the time of application and I got a C in a pre-req (my overall GPA is 3.8, my pre-req GPA is 3.38). I am retaking that class (orgo and bio chem) now to increase the grade. Might also retake micro since I got a B in that. All others were A or A-.

Anyway, now I only have 5 classes left to take aside from the core NURS classes and am wondering if it would be better to double major (psych or women's studies) or just stick with the minor and drop to 1/2 or 3/4 time. I'm not foreseeing needing the psych, but it's possible - and probable that it would come in handy. But is the extra $15k in student loans worth it? Anybody have any pros and cons here?

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I don't see any reason to borrow $15K for a degree you have no definite intentions of using. Period. Too many people are borrowing way too much money taking extra classes they don't need. It's hard to pay back that money later. Bit debt can fiancially cripple you for the rest of your life.

So ... unless you have some real NEED to take extra classes and get another degree ... don't do it unless you are really rich and don't need the money.

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Specializes in ER/Tele, Med-Surg, Faculty, Urgent Care.

Most BSN programs are pretty intense, IMO. I think it will be difficult to have a double major or even a minor if you are full-time nursing student. Not sure if you mean dropping to half-time or 3/4 time in a nursing program? to do a minor? Probably will be difficult also. I taught for ten years in a BSN program. I can only recall one student who did earn a second Bachelor's in Spanish but only because she had started that before switching to Nursing and it took her one more semester to finish Spanish major.

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I would typically agree. I only have 2 co-requisites left to take and won't start the BSN program until August....if I get in with my 3.4+ GPA (I know it isn't competitive. I'm thinking ahead because of this).

That being said, I will have one clinical semester of 12 credits. All others would be less than 10.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.
I am a very non-traditional student. I am in my thirties, married, moved across state to attend university and have 2 kids, one of which is special needs.

Just wanted to point out - if you poke around here on AN, you'll discover that your situation is not very unusual at all. You're in good company.

Best of luck to you.

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Just wanted to point out - if you poke around here on AN, you'll discover that your situation is not very unusual at all. You're in good company.

Best of luck to you.

Sorry, I should have elaborated. I realize I'm not special overall...I have been the oldest by many years in every single class I have taken since starting from scratch at a CC in 2012. I am 2 years older than 2 of my professors this term. Maybe I just FEEL "very non-traditional" at this point. I'm exhausted! LOL

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