Managing school and finances: how did you do it?

[Jo Dirt]

I've been tentatively accepted into a program to become a FNP. I got all excited then remembered I have a house payment, four children and a husband to support. I hear that even working part-time while in graduate school will be no small feat, forget full-time. The cost of the NP program is going to be $15-17,000. I don't have enough money in savings to sustain us for more than a couple of months.

Can anyone share how they did it? I wonder if I could work a couple of days a week and qualify for food stamps and public assistance? I'm in agony over how I'm going to make it. I wonder if it would work to take out a loan big enough to make the house payment while I'm in school, then try to scrape by working a couple of days a week and relying on Grandma and rummage sales for kids' clothes? Even so, that is getting up to around 30K in student loans, will a FNP salary pay enough to justify going into that kind of debt?

Debt, debt, debt...it keeps me awake at night. I could deal with it if I can see that the bigger picture will be better.

[jnd1213]

taking on debt for a new car or a vacation you don't need is pointless. However, if you take out loans for your education/career, you are making an investment in yourself. it will pay itself back everyday if you are doing something your truly enjoy. if this is what you want, go for it!

[Bidwillty]

apply for student loans, do what works for you, I am in an fnp program and work full time to pay for it, have a family as well, its hard but it definately is doable. Good Luck and remember its only 2 years, you can do anything for 2 years.

[mom2cka]

I'll be doing the same - 3 kids, PT program, FT work, husband is a stay-at-home dad (no daycare, consistency, no 2nd car and 2nd career expenses) - that allows me the flexibility for both job and classes, clinicals, etc. I can pay monthly through school, will apply for scholarships, perhaps try to adjunct a class for discounted tuition - don't know how, but if it takes me 5+ years, I will get it done! My husband's only request is I don't double the loans we're already paying off for my bachelor's... tuition support isn't going to help @ work, I hear that's getting cut (rumor but I have to keep that in mind) - so it's all on me - so I'll be creative. But I figure we made it through the first round, and we can get through this :)

Good luck!

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

I'm working fulltime while in graduate school. Some places have TA/GA positions that offer free tuition. Scholarships, grants, student loans. Go very part time and work fulltime - you can do it as long as you cut down work for the clinical portions. No reason not to work FT while doing PT coursework though.

[UVA Grad Nursing]

Most of the FNP students at my program are part-time. In the first 2 years most are taking 2 didatic classes per term (meeting only a half-day or 1 day a week). All are able to work fulltime in this period. Year 3 had didactic classes 1 day a week while clocking 20 hours/week in practica. In this year most students drop down to a .6-.7 FTE.

90% of our students are Virginia residents and most have their instate tuition covered by their employee benefits and my scholarship resources. Very few are taking any loans

[zenman]

Back in the 80s I got a trainee-ship to get my masters in exchange for serving in an under served area. I got tuition and books paid plus $800 a month. When I finished, I proved via statistics that I was living in an area where a certain percentage of minorities where attending nursing school. So, I started teaching at the university in my own town!

I'm in NP school part-time now and plan to stop work and go full time for one year to finish. Plan is to take out a federal loan and again serve in a needy area in exchange for loan payback. I could pay for it but why???

[SteveNNP, MSN, NP]

I am working FT and going to grad school PT, though I am now up to 9 credits/sem which is practically FT.

Working FT + using tuition reimbursement and a payment plan, I've been able to get by without loans.

It's busy, but doable. I have classes only on Thursdays, with 1-2 self-scheduled clinical shifts per week. So my schedule looks like this:

Work F/Sa/Sun, off Mon, clinical T/W, class Th. ----repeat x 14 weeks a semester. haha.

[lsutigerrn]

I worked full-time and went to FNP school full-time. I was enrolled in an online FNP course so I worked M-F and then completed clinical rotations on the weekends. During my Peds and OB rotation, I took leave to complete my clinical rotation.

It is extremely hard to do, but it can be done. I remember apologizing to my husband and our son repeatedly for not being around, but it was only 5 semesters. I made it by telling myself over and over again that I can do anything for 5 semesters.

[DaisyRN, ACNP]

if you are able to cut back at all, or able to work an extra shift, or whatever to avoid student loans. do. it. i use to be one of these "you are investing in yourself" thinkers with regard for student loans. i am paying $800/month in student loans... it hurts. when i took my current np job, i did not negotiate a high enough salary to cover the $800/month and give me a little extra to feel like i actually did something with my career. (meaning, if you don't negotiate a high enough salary to cover your student loans, you will end up feeling like you are making less than an rn.) welcome to my world. now, if you have to take on student loans, like i did... just keep this other information in mind. i wouldn't have been able to do it any other way, but i certainly didn't think it was going to be this much of a burden.

ideally, find someone or a company to repay your student loan... that is what i would love to do!

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

Since I'm not eligible for any student loans as a non-resident, I didn't have to worry about this luckily.