Okay, so I'm rather bummed right now. I just got done with an academic counseling appointment at my local community college and they say that their RN program is full for the next three semester starts, and the earliest I could hope to get in would be Spring 2020. I'm 38 years old right now and I will be two weeks shy of 40 if I wait that long.
I hate waiting. I wouldn't even be able to fill all of that time with gen-ed courses that would go toward a BSN... at most I would have two semesters of those, and with there being a summer semester, that isn't even a full calendar year.
I want to do either an RN track, an accelerated BSN track for people who already have a bachelor's in a different discipline, or an accelerated MSN track for the same people. I like the idea of going to a community college because they tend to be cheaper. Something in Ohio would be best, because I could get in-state tuition. But, I'm open to anything and willing to move anywhere as long as the cost of living isn't outrageous (no NYC metro, no LA metro, none of that). I have a strong GPA and GRE, and plenty of work experience in a health care setting.
Do any of y'all know any schools where a guy like me wouldn't have to wait more than a semester or so to get in, that don't cost a fortune? (I don't want huge student loans.) I could deal with a Fall 2019 start because I can go full-time with gen-eds in Spring 2019, but I don't want to wait for Spring 2020. I was hoping to start in Spring 2019. Yes, I know I will be 45 anyway, if I'm lucky, and my choice is do I want to be 45 and not a nurse or 45 and a nurse... I've heard that a lot... but I look at it like this - if I could be 45 and a DNP or 45 and an RN, due to wait lists and whatever, I would prefer to be 45 and a DNP.