Is switching from a Biology degree to BSN while in undergrad worth it?

Nurses Career Support

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I am a second semester sophomore in college pursing a BS in Biology. I have been working as a nurses aid in an ICU at a hospital near my campus and have really fallen in love with nursing as a career choice. They are truly the ones carrying out the treatment, managing the patient directly. I was originally planning to finish up my Biology degree then apply for an ABSN program after undergrad to get my BSN. I eventually would like to get my ACNP masters as well. Would it be beneficial to finish the last two years of my Biology degree and then get my BSN, or switch into my universities BSN undergrad program. Switching now would put me little behind since its divided into upper and lower division. I have also taken a lot of the sciences (both gen chess, both organic chems, multiply bio classes), but they were not the nursing version of all of these, so Im not sure if those will transfer over. In summary, is there any benefit to finishing by biology degree and going into an ABSN rather than switching and getting a BSN even if it means the classes I have taken this far don't really mean anything and I would be graduating year later from undergrad? Any advice on this would be very helpful. Thanks!!

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Why finish a degree you are not going to use? Go straight to nursing.

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If you want to go into nursing, cut your losses and switch now. Usually the science major versions of those pre-req classes are harder than the nursing versions, so hopefully you won't need to take them over. Talk to a counselor in the nursing school to find out how you can make this work. I changed my major second semester of my sophomore year, and with summer school and some heavy semesters, I graduated in 4 years. (But I probably should have taken an extra year!)

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Know that you are not eligible for federal grants for a second bachelor's degree, so the only financial aid you'd get for the ABSN is low/no interest loans.

To me, there's no benefit in finishing a degree in something you won't be using. You just spend more time and money getting into nursing.

You may also be able to talk with the nursing advisors to see if any of the courses you took could be used to satisfy the prereqs.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the Nursing Career forum

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

I have a Biology degree (I was pre-vet) When I decided to go into nursing, they took all my sciences. The only thing I had to take was human A&P because I had taken comparative anatomy. I would have them do a transcript audit and switch to nursing!

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Specializes in Med Surg Tele.

Yah talk to your counselor, see what transfers over and go from there.

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Know that you are not eligible for federal grants for a second bachelor's degree, so the only financial aid you'd get for the ABSN is low/no interest loans.

To me, there's no benefit in finishing a degree in something you won't be using. You just spend more time and money getting into nursing.

You may also be able to talk with the nursing advisors to see if any of the courses you took could be used to satisfy the prereqs.

This post is absolutely all the info OP needs. There is no point in spending more money on a degree you wouldn't utilize. Most ABSN programs cost upwards of $50k so yeah I would definitely go for the BSN if possible that way you can still get grants towards your BSN.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I agree a biology degree is a waste of time and money, the jobs available are low paying. Plus as others said there is a limit on govt student loans so I would just switch to nursing and get your BSN. Accelerated BSN programs are for those who figured out too late their liberal arts degree was a mistake and not helping them getting a decent paying job. The colleges that offer them then soak those unfortunate students for all they can get! I can't see any practical purpose for a bio degree if the end game is to be a nurse. Even if you enjoy college it is far too expensive to be a hobby! Years later as you're paying off your student loans you'll regret the wasted time and money. Save your money for vacations!

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Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.

You've received some great advice here but I'm commenting to reiterate - don't waste your time and money on a degree you will never use. Take this from someone in debt with that second degree. If you use Federal student loans, more than likely you will not be able to get them for the second Bachelor's degree, and if you do they will be unsubsidized. You already said you have this passion for nursing so more than likely you have already found your calling so go with it.

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When i was program-shopping, I found that Accelerated BSN programs were more expensive than standard ones, and tend to have waitlists of a year or more, thus not actually saving you any time. Your area may be different of course, but i would talk to admissions and check that out. For me, it actually made the most sense time and money wise to do an ADN at a community college and an online bridge program at for my BSN. Pell grants pay the entirety of my tuition, I get to working faster, and I live in a nursing shortage area so there's no issue getting a first job. Go ahead and switch to nursing if that's what you want to do.

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