Pre-Nursing Student in NJ with a TON of questions.. need help!

[NJnancy5178]

Hi All,

This blog is truly a God-send, as I need to ask for help in regards to what is my best route to a nursing career, among many other obsticles. First a little background; I've recently been laid off from my job, through no fault of my own (I've worked in Pharma Advertising for 5 years now, and this is the THIRD time I've been laid off due to lack of work). I know I am not alone in this world, with lay-offs being so terribly common for all realms of work. Through working in my former field, I got to work on projects that relied on nurses for an advisory board, which was so interesting to me, as well as having a mom who is an RN BSN. I had been wanting to go back to school for about 4 years now for nursing, and figure this is the perfect opportunity. I'm 30 years old, focused with no distractions (no children, not married and thank God no mortgage to worry about) and know that I would be able to handle the course work. The brick walls I've hit so far are as follows: I've heard that you can collect unemployment while attending an approved institution, as long as it's an approved 'in demand' field, which of course, nursing is at the top of the list. I've done the research, and found all the proper terminology to use for my visit to unemployment(ie. ATB, tuition waiver, NJ's hot job list) and went to the One-Stop career center. I printed out all the info, filled out my paperwork and waited to speak to a counselor. When I finally got called in, the counselor was down-right rude and told me that ' You must be crazy thinking that the state would pay for you to go back to school. You have a bachelors degree; you can find another job'. I was crying. I continued by telling him that I have the research for the in-demand careers in NJ, RN is on the list and he looked at the paperwork and acted as if he'd never seen or heard what I was talking about. He proceeded to tell me that the only way I would be able to collect my unemployment benefits and go to a school for nursing would be to enroll in a vo-tech program, and become an LPN. To me, this is 10 steps backwards. If I have a bachelors, my best move (and this is also advised by my mother who is an RN BSN and her professors at Monmouth U) would be to take my pre-reqs at a county college and then apply to a fast-track program. I'm so scared that I'm going to lose my benefits while trying to complete my pre-reqs. Has anyone collected while attending school full-time? Does anyone have a contact person that I could speak to at NJ unemployment? I'm terrified! It doesn't make sense to me to be penialized for trying to better myself in a rewarding career where I will never be out of work ever again. Please let me know any info you have; it would ease my mind tremendously. :heartbeat:cry:

PS - also have a few other questions, but figured this was a long enough question for now!

[Lucky0220]

Nancy...Keep in mind that even if you do get to collect unemployment benefits, it certainly won't be enough to live on while you are in school. I do think that it's a personal choice as to whether or not you want to work while you go to school. If you get the unemployment and can qualify for loans, and still don't want to work, you should have that choice. I just knew that I would not be able to work and go to school at the same time. I'm too anal about my grades and did not know how I would do after going back to school after over thirty years. I got my BA in 1972. Yes, I will be in debt, but I took that into consideration when I made my decision. I am glad that I did it this way. Because I was able to devote all my time to school, my grades were good enough to qualify for a scholarship with a great hospital that is going to pay back some of my tuition in return for a work committment. So not only do I now have a job waiting for me, (I am currently doing my preceptorship there-my school requires 120 hrs of this), but I am getting some reimbursement. It's a personal choice. As for Peter, kudos to you for being able to work and get such amazing grades!

[jpeters84]

I was able to get a scholarship unique to my school. I moved so much because I was first in DC working in politics and I decided that that was not working out for me and that I wanted to pursue my dream which was to become a nurse. I am from California and still had California residency so I needed to move back to California to be able to get in-state tuition which is much cheaper. Then when I finished my pre-reqs I applied to California schools and a few out of state schools in case I oculdn't get into cali schools. When I got the 50% scholarship and saw that my school only took 5 semesters as opposed to three years that the other schools took I decided to make the move to attend that school.

I'm sure that your experience, maturity, and rpevious degree will allwork in your favor and it's good that you talked to the program directors about this. They are probably your best resource. I can undertand your nervousness around having to work and get a 4.0. It is tough. But in w way having to work and really prioritize my time actually helped me and I would say 90% of my fellow student's were working as well. I would talk to the financial aid people at the repective schools that you are considering and see what they have to say, maybe they know about the ins and outs of collecting unemployment as a student. Keep talking with those program-directors to. It's always great to get information about admissions right from the source!

[Lucky0220]

Hi Nancy-I was not sure who you were asking the question to. I am in Indiana, but am originally from Brooklyn!! An ADN in an Associates Degree in Nsg. Its a 2 year accelerated program. Like I said, I will not graduate with a BSN, but at my age, I figured that I will be lucky just to practice nursing for a good few years! I do so wish that I had done this sooner. I had no clue that I would love nursing so much. This is a third career change for me. I was an elementary school teacher right out of college and did not like it. Then I got into the dental field and stayed there for almost 26 years. Two years ago, I decided to go back to school. I had lots of moral support from family and friends. That helped. I have gotten A's in every class except A&PII- got a B (it was sooo hard). Hope this quarter, my GPA will be the same; I have one more test and one final left. But really, that's not so important, you can get a hospital scholarship with a 3.5 I believe, just call around to the hospitals in your area, because I think many of them have these programs.

[NJnancy5178]

Freedom42 - I've collected unemployment before, I know that you have to call in weekly and note that you've been actively looking for work. I did receive a severance package and am able to call in for my benefits this week. The ONLY reasons why I had questioned my unemployment benefits being able to still be collected while attending school is because someone working in the counseling office at a county college told me (and this is other than my friend) that a woman collecting while attending the RN program at the school, & also what a user of the blog had claimed he did. I'm stressed enough about getting everything in order to go back for what I've wanted for years now. Going back for nursing is not a decision that just popped in my head over night. I understand it's going to be rough and it's a rough occupation; my mother is an RN BSN. I merely wanted to see if I could have any type of help from the stressful situation of losing my job, that's all. I didn't intend on it paying my entire way through this process.

[NJnancy5178]

jcjcan - i am very nervous about my grades while I look for work. I cannot afford for them to dip at all! what made you decide to go back for nursing as a third career? what do you love so much about it? do you think it would help me in any way to work in some related environment while i go to school for the pre-reqs? These are questions I'm going to ask the directors of the programs when I visit too, but any of your insight would be helpful! :redpinkhe

[NJnancy5178]

jpeters84, what did you do for work while you attend school?

[jpeters84]

I had so many jobs. At first I worked at Starbucks, a winery on the weekends, and did marketing research from home. Then since I had my real estate license I sold homes, worked at the winery, and worked retail. Over the summer I did a huge research project for a professor. Now I'm a nurse aide. The best job I think is one that is flexible and either gives you cash on the side (waitressing) or pays for health insurance (starbucks or nurse aide).

[kymberly79]

NJ! I didnt read this all the way through but I too am in your same position!! I am 29, no kids or husband, or bills and I too have been laid off but since April of 2008 and the economy has been awful....the person that said you can't get your unemployment while going to school flat out doesn't really know the rules. Simply make another appointment with another person at the DOL, explain that you would like to go back to school. Even my DOL said that if I attended to school full time that I wouldn't have to do my job search full time.

I didn't get eligible for grants because they were going by my 2007 tax return and too I have been out of school for 5 years. People from my college have told me to put my 2008 tax information on the my FAFSA.

Just make another appointment and hope to get another person or better yet talk to some of the people that are at the information desk - your claim isn't the first one they've seen!

GOOD LUCK!!

[jpeters84]

I've done some research out of curiosity and apparently in most states you can collect unemployment while you are in school but you most likely have to be taking less than 12 credits and attending classes in the evening so that school does not impede your ability to search for and obtain a job. So again unemployment might be an opportunity for you while you first go back to school but not great for long-term. Someone said that you can make an appointment to talk to the NJ unemployment office over the phone if you don't want to go back in there and risk getting that rude person again. They also said that as long as you worked for your previous job for 6 months or longer and was legitmely laid off which you were and that going back to school is part-time and you're still trying to look for a job it shouldn't be a problem for you to get unemployment while you go back to school. Apparently a lot of people have had trouble with the NJ unemployment office, so have heart you're not alone in having a bad experience there. Just keep trying...

[NJnancy5178]

Kymberly79 - What a ray of light you've just brought me! The only thing that I'm thinking is that you are not in NJ; NJ being the lovely state that it is, may have some sort of stipulation, even if I wanted to attending school part time at night while still looking for a job, which is what I would plan to do. I'm going into a community college today (the one that told me a woman did the ENTIRE RN program while collecting)to speak with them about classes and any info they'd have on my situation.

It seems that you have done this, and are already enrolled in a nursing program, correct? What was your bachelors degree in? Are you taking pre-reqs now? Sorry, here I go again with questions, but I need all the info I can get! Thanks so much for your help and for stopping my hands from shaking!

:heartbeat

[NJnancy5178]

jpeters84 - Im going to speak with the community college today (which had told me a woman went throught the entire RN program while collecting) today about classes and mention my situation. It's worth a shot, which is why I was hoping for answers and direction from people on the blog from the very first blog I typed. If I'm eligible to attend part time classes, so what, it's a start in the direction I need. It will ease my mind about getting a part time job in the meantime as well.

[jpeters84]

Good luck at the community college! It sounds like they are familiar with your situation and could really help you get through their program while collecting. I wish you the best and hopes this all works out for you.