Newbie trying to decide if I should go to private or community school

TenderTouch, RN · Jan 31, 2012

That route does seem longer. I have one question to clarify. Do you have a previous bachelors degree?

$65K is way too much for a BSN. My ABSN program is under $30K, which is considered cheap for that type of program. Are there no other community colleges in your area so you can do a comparison. Some of these CCs do want CNA certs first, but I've never heard of one telling their applicants they must go through an LPN course. That would certainly take longer.

To your other question regarding RNs coming from ADN programs, no employers don't look down on them. An RN is an RN, however, depending on the area, some hospitals are preferring to hire BSN RNs over ADN RNs, simply due to these hospitals status as Magnet.

Spiffyness · Jan 31, 2012

Compared to the private schools in Southern California, $65k is a lot cheaper. In So Cal, private schools range around ~$100-130k to get a BSN from nothing. That being said, I still think $65k is too expensive for a BSN degree especially if you plan to go further with your education. If I were you, the first thing I would do would be to list all the schools that you live by or that you want to go to that have a BSN program and see which pre requisites you need to take. You can always take your pre requisites at a community college then apply to the University's program. This will save you a lot of money. After doing your pre-reqs you can apply to the program and depending on where you get in you can make the best decision. It's all about options in my opinion, you can never be too confident of getting in a program.

If you could avoid ADN programs and go straight to BSN, I would recommend it. It really depends on your scores and GPA too though. If you don't have competitive scores then ADN program would be the way to go.

J.Juarez · Jan 31, 2012

The highest education I have is highschool.

leenak · Jan 31, 2012

Yeah $65k isn't considered especially high for 4 years of college. There are cheaper alternatives like going to a community college or even going to a public college. You may qualify for financial aid as well. When I first went to college, I went to a private college and out of pocket paid very little as opposed to the public university I transferred to and where the bulk of my college loans came from.

nguyency77, CNA · Feb 1, 2012

That career ladder program your community college is suggesting DOES sound long. I'm quite sure they need you to document hours spent working once you reach LPN, as well. The CC in my town requires 1,000 documented working hours as an LPN before entering the RN program. Maybe you can ask about the specifics of your program.

You would probably get valuable work experience through this route, though I can tell you from personal experience-- CNA work can be difficult at times.

I would be wary of those private schools; by private schools, I mean places like Brown Mackie, PIMA Medical institute, etc. Some of them apparently, at least where I live, are NOT approved by our state board of nursing, and for good reasons. A nursing program has to be APPROVED; accreditation is optional. So if the private school is bragging about how it's all accredited and everything, make sure the state board of nursing where you live approves the program. I don't want you to waste money and time on a program that's worthless. Good luck!

NellieOlsen · Feb 1, 2012

Private schools worry me. Mainly, the cost is always huge. But I had checked into one of our local private colleges and compared their NCLEX pass rates to my state college (we don't have community colleges here). The private school had a 55% pass rate compared to something like 95% pass rate at the state college. To me, that speaks volumes to the education you're getting. Private college was 45K for ADN degree compared to 13K at the state college.

So that's an item to consider. You can google NCLEX pass rates for your state and search for any potential schools you're considering.

AZMOMO2 · Feb 1, 2012

Around here it's $500 a credit for the BSN courses. So $65,000 from nothing sounds about right. There are many things to think about with regard to the CC route. Right now there is another push for the entry level for new grads be a BSN. So you'd get that edge. Then there is usually a wait at the local cc's. You'd get to start sooner and be on your way toward graduating instead of sitting on a waitlist for another 2 years. So that's a plus.

leenak · Feb 1, 2012

Private schools worry me. Mainly, the cost is always huge. But I had checked into one of our local private colleges and compared their NCLEX pass rates to my state college (we don't have community colleges here). The private school had a 55% pass rate compared to something like 95% pass rate at the state college. To me, that speaks volumes to the education you're getting. Private college was 45K for ADN degree compared to 13K at the state college. So that's an item to consider. You can google NCLEX pass rates for your state and search for any potential schools you're considering.

I think looking at NCLEX rates is a good idea but they also don't tell the whole story. Attrition rates are also something to look at as well.

There are some semantics in private colleges and for-profit schools. Private colleges don't offer associates degrees but a for-profit school might.

Public universities are things such as university of California. Private schools are things such as Stanford, johns Hopkins, etc. For-profit would be Kaplan, University of Phoenix.

It sounds like the OP is looking at a private, not-for-profit school. The one thing I think is good about private colleges are that if you have financial need, they tend to have better financial aid packages.

J.Juarez · Feb 1, 2012

NMC Graduation Rates are the fifth out of 21 in the State for 4 year, and NUMBER ONE for 5 and 6 year graduation rates (The Educations Trust, 2010)NCLEX-RN Board Pass Rates are 90%!My ultimate goal is to work in pediatric.I know I will have to do my dues everywhere else but that's where I would want to end up. I appreciate the help here family and friends are not that encouraging they think at 28 I'm too old and I should be having more kids so that my daughter has siblings.

leenak · Feb 1, 2012

The choice to have children should be those of you and your partner, not extended family/friends. I understand the pressure as I have a Mexican mother who doesn't approve of my choice to not have children. It is my life though. Also, I'm 36 (turn 37 this year) and applying to schools.

I say go for it.

J.Juarez · Feb 1, 2012

Yea her and her stubborn ways. I think she is more upset because we were about to buy our first home this year with the money we saved the last 2 years but now with me going back to school my in laws have offered us to move in with them so they can help with my daughter 7. We would just pay the utilities that would save us my income alone. (sry about the grammar on my little phone)