Miami vs West Palm Beach

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I plan to move to Florida during the summer and I'm having trouble deciding between Miami and West Palm Beach (or possibly Orlando). To give you a little background, I have two children (girl and boy) and am planning to work at a hospital while I go back to school to become an RN. My older child is 7 and has high functioning autism (currently in an regular classroom with an aide), so schools are a big concern.

Miami would give me a 2 bedroom condo that is a little too small (owned by my brother in law - therefore affordable) and is a about a days drive from family (in Jupiter), but is close to Miami Baptist Hospital. I don't know about the schools in Miami.

West Palm Beach is closer to family and I'm sure I could find a decent place to live and work, but I've heard the pay is lower and the schools are not as impressive.

I'm really torn about this. (Maybe I should just stay in New Jersey :uhoh3: )

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Specializes in Peds - playing with the kids.

hi,

well, my 2cents worth:twocents: . first, have you been looking at nursing schools. like everywhere, there is a waiting list. the big schools are down here in miami (um, barry, fiu). i don't know of any in west palm. public schools down here are nothing to brag about:uhoh3: . i send mine to private. a friend of mine who lived here sent her kids to private, and when she moved to west palm, sent to public (and she loved them). housing prices in miami are rediculous:angryfire . i'm not sure about west palm. before moving, i would seriously check into these things.

hospitals to work at - in miami, we have lots, depending on where you are and what you want to do.

i'm not trying to be a bummer;) ...just trying to give you the heads up.

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Miami Dade College is also starting a BSN program in 2007. ;)

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I live by Baptist Hospital and my kids go to public school here. Dade Co schools has ESE (exceptional student education). You may be happy with it. You can check their web

http://www2.dadeschools.net/index.htm

I beleive they receive quite a bit of funding for students like your child.

Miami Dade College doesnt have a wait list for their ADN program. You are selected based on your GPA:

http://www.mdc.edu

I hadnt heard that MDC was going to offer BSN next year. That will be awesome.

I dont know much about Palm Beach county. But I do know you will absolutely LOVE either Miami or Palm Beach over New Jersey!!!!! It's just too cold up there!

Good luck

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Palm Beach Community College also has an RN program that you could look into if you decide to move there.

http://www.pbcc.edu/programs/programsheet.asp?id=73

Palm Beach county is an ok place to live, but I would not recommend the City of West Palm Beach as a preferred location to live or to send your kids to school.

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Palm Beach Community College also has an RN program that you could look into if you decide to move there.

http://www.pbcc.edu/programs/programsheet.asp?id=73

Palm Beach county is an ok place to live, but I would not recommend the City of West Palm Beach as a preferred location to live or to send your kids to school.

ACK!! It snowed again yesterday!!!

After much thought and discussion with my hubby, we've decided to go with Palm Beach to be closer to family. I'll look into the PB Community College. I guess I should at least start transferring transcripts from the various schools I've been to. (Maybe a credit or two will actually transfer).

Do you know if any of the Palm Beach hospitals work with PB Community College as far a scholarships go?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Home Health.

PBCC works with HCA hospitals (JFK and Palms West are a couple of them.) They will pay for you education in exchange for a 2 year work commitment.

PBCC does not have a wait list, they go by a point system. Good luck!

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just a heads up...HCA only pays up to $6000 for the length of your nursing program. i know because i decided not to move back to NYC and am opting for florida instead to be closer to my dad (in SC) who needs a liver transplant. I got one of the HCA applications through Miami Dade and read the fine print.

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How about Martin Memorial Health Systems? They look like they might have more jobs for me at the moment. Are they a good hospital to work for and get scholarships?

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I'd like to ask, What would be an average tax deducted from a $21 per hr salary in Miami, considering that I'm single?

I'd appreciate any help!

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