Move to florida now..or wait? (very long)

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Hi all,

Many of you know that I am graduating from LPN school this May, and wanting to move to Tampa afterwards. I had finally made up my mind to move down there this summer. (I currently live in Minnesota and do not like it...hate the cold weather and there aren't enough "big" cities for me).

After I get my LPN, I will continue to get my two year RN. Now, I am trying to figure out the best plan for me.

If I stay in MN, and if I can get in to RN school w/o a wait (I have to take four pre-reqs then I can apply for the RN program..timing works out so that I could start RN classes the summer after I finish my pre-reqs...which is about a semester wait...as long as transition students aren't on a wait list...of which there is no guarantee), I can have my RN license in the spring of 2007...then I could high tail it to Florida. I've already taken some pre-reqs at the school I plan on getting my RN from....there's just no guarantee that I will be accepted....last year around 700 people applied and the school can only take 135 people...transition students included.

If I move to FL this summer....I'd wait a year to get in-state tuition..then start my pre-reqs (at that time I'd likely still have four pre-req's) then I could start the RN classes....again depending on if transition students have a wait for classes as well...I may get my RN degree in spring of 2008 at the earliest.

However...the RN portion of the MN program is 8 credits a semester....you have two days of clinicals....at this point I don't know what times you go..morning/night, two days of classes, one day being 10:00 to 12:00, and the other day being 12:00 to 2:00....kinda makes it hard to have a job....I'd have to work Fri, Sat, Sun...which is no prob...but I can't possibly work every weekend and go to school Mon-Thurs......I'd be burnt out very quickly.

In FL, I'm looking at St. Petersburg College...there semesters of RN classes seem to be lighter credit wise..which would open up time for me to work...and still have time for myself.

The pros/cons of staying in MN? Cons: I hate the cold, long winters, I've been here long enough and I'm beyond ready to move, Pros:my family is here, I could get through school faster.

The pros/cons of moving to FL? Cons: it would take longer to get through school, i don't know a soul (not a huge problem for me though)Pros: it's warmer than MN...ok..hot as he**, but that doesn't bother me, oodles of things to do.

I also have a marriage that is not good....my plan is to get through LPN school and then hopefully leave. I'm afraid if I don't take the opportunity to move to Fl this summer, I may not have the money to in the future. I'm trying to save as much money as I can, but if I stay in MN, a lot of the money I'm saving now will pay for classes (my prereq's are spaced out just enough to probably not get me a lot of financial aid..and my job will pay for classes, but only if I work 20 hours a week...which I can't because of my school schedule :uhoh3: ) and cover my living expenses when I can't work a lot of hours because of my school schedule.

I do plan on calling St. Petersburg College and talking to someone to get more specifics on there program so I can be more informed. what I would appreciate from people here are their perspectives. I'm so stressed out :crying2: I desperately want to move to Florida NOW, but I'm not sure if the circumstances will be any different down there, then up here.

In all of this the biggest factor is being able to work enough as an LPN to support myself, while I have an RN school load that is not too heavy.

Any thoughts, suggestions,tips, encouragement, prayers, glasses of beer :rotfl: would be so greatly appreciated. This is an important decision for me, and I am trying to get all the facts together so i can make the best decision I can.

Anyone with knowledge of SPC and their two year RN program would be of great help too.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this....I appreciate it!!!

Lmo

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Hi all,

Many of you know that I am graduating from LPN school this May, and wanting to move to Tampa afterwards. I had finally made up my mind to move down there this summer. (I currently live in Minnesota and do not like it...hate the cold weather and there aren't enough "big" cities for me).

After I get my LPN, I will continue to get my two year RN. Now, I am trying to figure out the best plan for me.

If I stay in MN, and if I can get in to RN school w/o a wait (I have to take four pre-reqs then I can apply for the RN program..timing works out so that I could start RN classes the summer after I finish my pre-reqs...which is about a semester wait...as long as transition students aren't on a wait list...of which there is no guarantee), I can have my RN license in the spring of 2007...then I could high tail it to Florida. I've already taken some pre-reqs at the school I plan on getting my RN from....there's just no guarantee that I will be accepted....last year around 700 people applied and the school can only take 135 people...transition students included.

If I move to FL this summer....I'd wait a year to get in-state tuition..then start my pre-reqs (at that time I'd likely still have four pre-req's) then I could start the RN classes....again depending on if transition students have a wait for classes as well...I may get my RN degree in spring of 2008 at the earliest.

However...the RN portion of the MN program is 8 credits a semester....you have two days of clinicals....at this point I don't know what times you go..morning/night, two days of classes, one day being 10:00 to 12:00, and the other day being 12:00 to 2:00....kinda makes it hard to have a job....I'd have to work Fri, Sat, Sun...which is no prob...but I can't possibly work every weekend and go to school Mon-Thurs......I'd be burnt out very quickly.

In FL, I'm looking at St. Petersburg College...there semesters of RN classes seem to be lighter credit wise..which would open up time for me to work...and still have time for myself.

The pros/cons of staying in MN? Cons: I hate the cold, long winters, I've been here long enough and I'm beyond ready to move, Pros:my family is here, I could get through school faster.

The pros/cons of moving to FL? Cons: it would take longer to get through school, i don't know a soul (not a huge problem for me though)Pros: it's warmer than MN...ok..hot as he**, but that doesn't bother me, oodles of things to do.

I also have a marriage that is not good....my plan is to get through LPN school and then hopefully leave. I'm afraid if I don't take the opportunity to move to Fl this summer, I may not have the money to in the future. I'm trying to save as much money as I can, but if I stay in MN, a lot of the money I'm saving now will pay for classes (my prereq's are spaced out just enough to probably not get me a lot of financial aid..and my job will pay for classes, but only if I work 20 hours a week...which I can't because of my school schedule :uhoh3: ) and cover my living expenses when I can't work a lot of hours because of my school schedule.

I do plan on calling St. Petersburg College and talking to someone to get more specifics on there program so I can be more informed. what I would appreciate from people here are their perspectives. I'm so stressed out :crying2: I desperately want to move to Florida NOW, but I'm not sure if the circumstances will be any different down there, then up here.

In all of this the biggest factor is being able to work enough as an LPN to support myself, while I have an RN school load that is not too heavy.

Any thoughts, suggestions,tips, encouragement, prayers, glasses of beer :rotfl: would be so greatly appreciated. This is an important decision for me, and I am trying to get all the facts together so i can make the best decision I can.

Anyone with knowledge of SPC and their two year RN program would be of great help too.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this....I appreciate it!

Hello, I too live in the twin cities area ( bloomington) and hate the cold weather, I moved here last april 0f 2003. I was in an RN program fall of 2003 and had to withdraw. I am a nursing assistant looking for jobs in the last 3-months , I applied every where that I can think of. I want to go back to fl, I lived there for 11 years, the school are way cheaper than here. I check the LPN school here, some of them like DCTC require a lot of General ed. Do you mind if I ask which school that you're attending. Good luck with school. You will like Fl but the only problem is the jobs don't pay much.:)

Nursing homes start CNA $8-9, here in MN I was working in a nursing home getting 11.44. I am thinking if I go back now I may not be able to pay rent and go to school with $9. I used to live in the west palm beach area

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Hello, I too live in the twin cities area ( bloomington) and hate the cold weather, I moved here last april 0f 2003. I was in an RN program fall of 2003 and had to withdraw. I am a nursing assistant looking for jobs in the last 3-months , I applied every where that I can think of. I want to go back to fl, I lived there for 11 years, the school are way cheaper than here. I check the LPN school here, some of them like DCTC require a lot of General ed. Do you mind if I ask which school that you're attending. Good luck with school. You will like Fl but the only problem is the jobs don't pay much.:)

Nursing homes start CNA $8-9, here in MN I was working in a nursing home getting 11.44. I am thinking if I go back now I may not be able to pay rent and go to school with $9. I used to live in the west palm beach area

I'm at Hennepin Technical College right now for my LPN....it's a good school...the instructors are great! If I stay in MN to obtain my RN, I will be going to North Hennepin Technical College...I hear it's a good school as well.

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