need some academic planning advice!

caliotter3 · Mar 10, 2010

Totally up to you. Since you are the one this affects, you should be making the decision. However, I can see why you parents would be wishing for you to get this over and done with. The only consideration I would give would be to be careful with what you do. Going back to second year also exposes you to a new and longer period that you are subject to failure. Just because you feel that it would be a review would not stop instructors from deciding you don't know your stuff and you could end up failing. Although not probable, it is possible. Hopefully you would only be attending school for the missed portions to catch up. Good luck.

llg, PhD, RN · Mar 10, 2010

Whose money would you be spending, yours or your parents? School is expensive -- as is food, housing, etc. that you would need for an extra year of school. Your parents worked hard for their money and I can understand why they would want you to "grow up" and keep moving forward towards successful career and financial self-suffiecency. They may fear that you are just afraid to grow up and take responsibility for yourself -- and that one delay will lead to another and another, etc.

Your parents should not be expected to finance an extended adolescence -- and they may be unprepared financially to do so. They may also hate to see derail your career by stopping your progress half-way through college.

Talk to them about the about the finances, if that could be part of the issue. If they are currently paying your bills, offer to pay for that extra year of college yourself. Perhaps offer to get a job to at least help out financially during your extra year of school. You shouldn't have to be a full time student if you are going to repeat your sophomore year -- and you could earn some money while you are a part time student. etc. You would be showing them that you ARE becoming a responsible adult and not just wanting to "hide" in college for as long as possible.

SNjamie · Mar 11, 2010

good points. yes, my parents have been helping me financially, and I have another family member that gives me money for school each year, but I've been doing as much as I can to help. I worked and saved all through highschool and stayed an extra year of highschool to work and get my prereqs and I paid for my first year tuition/books alone. I chose to attend a local school for the first two years so I could live at home to save money, and I work my butt off all summer in a kitchen. So I'm not a brat, I promise! lol and I really, really plan on finishing.

I like school, and I'd want to go full time, even if some classes overlap. I want to learn as much as I can. So if money wasn't an issue, do you think it would be a good idea for the experience? would it look bad to employers that it took me five years to get my RN? or would it be good because I'd have a few more clinical experiences to add to my resume, or would it even matter to an employer because they just want to see that I have my liscense?

I just want to be a safe, competent nurse, and I think the extra experience would make my first year out in the real working world a little less stressful, therefore safer for my future patients!

caliotter3 · Mar 11, 2010

Employers are interested in whether your RN license is clear and they are interested in your paid RN work experience. They tend not to waste time in interviews discussing your school days.

SNjamie · Mar 11, 2010

i'm stuck with moving on to 3rd year having to move 3 hours away to a school I don't want to go to, or move 1 hour away to a school i do want to go to, but be in second year.

hm.

itsmejuli · Mar 11, 2010

You could go to the closer school with your transcripts and find out exactly what classes don't transfer. Then you'll know how much longer if may take to complete the BSN. Also, will you have to wait to get accepted into the BSN at the closer school.

If you go to the school that is closer will you commute from home or stay in dorms? How much is the closer school vs how much is the further school. Compare the costs of classes as well as expenses such as room and board.

Get all this together then approach your parents with a solid plan that is good for all of you.

Duke2009Grad · Mar 11, 2010

good luck!

llg, PhD, RN · Mar 11, 2010

From an employer's standpoint, it won't matter either way. It probably won't help you or hurt you.

From a personal standpoint, I can see your parents' concern. You already delayed your education (and your "growing up") 1 year at the high school level. Now you want to delay it a 2nd year. I can understand that they might be worried about you becoming a "perpetual student" and not progressing at the usual rate.

Why do you think the closer school is actually a better school? That's something you haven't shared with us. Is it just because it is closer to home? (which might be viewed as more evidence that you are trying to avoid growing up) Or does the closer school actually provide a better education? If you believe the quality of your education would be better at the closer school, then gather that information, write it down, etc. and make a case as to why it would be worth the extra time and money. (And don't forget to include the year's salary you will lose by starting your career a year later.)

Making a list of why the one school would actually provides you with a better education than the other will help both you and your parents make a good decision.

BluegrassRN · Mar 11, 2010

I think that randomly re-enrolling in a lower level is a terrible idea. You aren't going to learn THAT much more in nursing school--you're going to learn more out in the real world, working.

Send your transcripts to the other nursing school. You don't even know that they are going to accept you, or what they will allow you to do. Most universities will not make you start all over, although there are a few classes you might have to repeat. They might very well not even accept you, and this is all moot.

It would be a waste of your time and money to completely start over in nursing school. If I were your parent (and I have kids just slightly younger than you), my concern would be that you are afraid of the responsibility of "real life" and are looking to prolong your childhood and shirk your adult responsibilities. Of course they know the responsibility of being a nurse. They've been your parents, after all, for a couple of decades, and believe me, if you think nursing is scary, try bringing home a newborn baby. Your parents know that at some point you need to grow up.

And while you say you have contributed, it also appears that they and another family member have contributed substantially to pay for your college. To expect them to help you while you go back and simply repeat classes for no compelling reason is pretty disrespectful of their money (and the time, energy, and sacrifice that earned that money).

As someone who has been slowly advancing their education over the last 15 years (CNA to LPN to ASN to BSN), I can promise you that nursing school is nothing compared to a real nursing job, and I want to reassure you that new nurses are new nurses. Repeating your second year when you have already successfully completed it will *perhaps* only slightly improve your nursing practice. The true learning comes that first year out of school, and you could repeat your schooling 10 times and still not be much if any better prepared for real practice. Don't waste your time. Finish your degree and get out there, you can do it.