Nursing loans really that bad? 120K

Nursing Students General Students

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Hi all!

I was recently accepted into NYU's accelerated nursing program and initially was super excited to begin this journey. When I received the bill all the excitement was kicked out of me by the whopping $20K I would need to take out in loans PER SEMESTER. This means I would graduate in 2017 with about $120K TOTAL in loans.

I've talked to several nurses that I know and they have nothing but great things to say about the NYU College of Nursing. HOWEVER, none of them had to take out excessive loans because their parents covered the cost. This is an AMAZING opportunity for me but frankly the thought of having a $120K loan hanging over my head makes me want to drink myself to sleep.

I could go on and on about how unfair the educational system is (because it is) but that's not what I want this thread to be about. This is my situation right now and I want to make the best decision for myself.

If anyone else has been in this situation PLEASE SHARE YOUR STORY. IF YOU'VE TAKEN OUT EXCESSIVE LOANS TELL ME YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THAT. IS IT WORTH IT? IS IT TOUGH TO BE A NURSE AND KEEP UP WITH SO MUCH DEBT?

Thank you guys so much in advance!

Specializes in Trauma, Orthopedics.
And NYU starts their new grads out at $78k. ;)

And you mean to tell me the cost of living around there to work there can make that worth it with over $1200 a month loan payments? No chance.

I guarantee all of us lowly state schoolers all got pretty much the same education you did. But it's a shame my Rutgers degree did nothing for me except get me a job at one of the best hospitals in the country. Sigh. I guess I should have paid $90k more....would've really helped me be more efficient at my q2 turns and pushing dilaudid q1 hour.

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My nursing school (bsn) is 20k for the whole thing. And they are a very good school.

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To be honest, that is a lot. I didn't even know you could take that much as a freshman.

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No. I got accepted to the "best" nursing schools in the country and was looking at a similar price tag (minus some in grants and scholarships). Even those weren't worth it to me. I mean, do what you think is best, but I'm glad I made the decision that I did. I took two years off; did AmeriCorps (health-related) for one year; worked as a clinic assistant another year, while getting residency and applying to school in the state where I now live. I will pay ~$35,000 total for my education here (unfortunately, with my first B.A. degree I'll still be ~$60,000 in debt). If it means taking a year off, and if that's the major thing compelling your decision, then don't let it--one year, or two, won't matter in the grand scheme of things. If it's a strong desire to go to NYU because of its reputation, then consider other schools that are cheaper with a similar reputation. There are some relatively inexpensive state schools that have an incredible reputation. You won't be missing anything.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
If you can I would go... it's also about the lifelong friends you'll meet etc.

you'll have a good name on your resume.

also, i hate to say... potential in finding a better husband.

Now that's a crazy reason to go to an overpriced school. So you can hang out with other seriously indebted students and possibly even marry someone as in debt as you! What a successful plan. You'll have enough student loans together for a mcmansion, but no house to go with it and no chance of having one. Not a smart plan!

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

I am doing an ABSN at Rutgers for about 24,000 total. It's the same license, same degree. So you can do better. An NYU grad doesn't make 6 times the salary of a Rutgers grad, so why should they pay 6x the tuition?

Drexel ACE and Thomas Jefferson are both around 45k, much more than Rutgers, but still far less than NYU.

You can do better. You need to shop around for your education.

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I paid about 6k for my ADN at a community college and will pay about 10k for my RN to BSN at a state university. I worked during my ADN and didn't have to take out loans. I didn't go to NYU but I am still an RN and I have had zero problems getting jobs and make good money. I can not even begin to imagine having 120k in debt. No way. Find a cheaper option.

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Specializes in critical care.

also, i hate to say... potential in finding a better husband.

What should I do with the one I already have?

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Specializes in hospice.
What should I do with the one I already have?

Start a harem?

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Specializes in critical care.
Start a harem?

If it's like this

count me in.

If it's like this

no.

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$120k?? That is INSANE. I am in a concurrent 2-year BSN nursing program at a really good school and it will cost me $15k total for the ADN and BSN and books. There ARE less expensive programs out there!

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/LDRP/Ortho ASC.

I got my ADN AND BSN for a total of about $14,000. Just throwing that out there. I wouldn't take out all that debt unless I had no other option!

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