NJnancy5178

Jpeters84 - got a lot of info.. found out that their wait list for the RN program is 18 months.. wow. but, the counselor also suggested what mostly everyone i speak to has said to do which is the fast-track program. I'd have to take the pre-reqs, which he outlined for me, and based on the info Kymberly79 had given, I need to verify that I could take them at night and still collect my unemployment WHILE looking for a part or full time job. I understand that the unemployment is no means of steady income or tuition, but it will help me tremendously while I get everything in order. I'm just still so nervous about everything. my nerves haven't calmed down yet. Im going to meet with someone from Georgian Court Univ on Thursday. They run a fast track program through Seton Hall. In the midst of all this, Im helping my mother with a PPT for her MSN. I also found some new jobs for her too.. so i'm off to fax, mail, pay bills etc.. and try to ease my mind.. thanks again for all your words of encouragement and keep them coming! I'm going to need it from all angles!

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.

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

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

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

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.

Jpeters84 - my previous GPA was lower; a 2.67. I've voiced this concern to the fast-track program directors and they take into accountability the facts of work experience, which I will have stellar references from LCSW that I've worked with, and how well I do on the pre-reqs, and being an adult student. That is why I was so concerned about having to worry about funding through the pre-reqs because I CANNOT get lower than a 4.0 on them. I figured the unemployment would ease the stress of trying to find a flexible job while working on the pre-reqs. That's all, not a means of tuition payment. what types of scholorships have you received, if any? If you don't mind me asking, why did you move so many times?

Now I'm getting scared.. will I not be able to qualify for certain loans because of my bachelors degree? what types of loans did any of you take out? jcjcan - are you in NJ? what school did you attend for an ADN, and what is an ADN? Sorry again for so many questions!

Thanks so much for your words of encouragment! I'm going to need a lot of it! The day that I got laid off, there was a looming fear that I would be one of the few. I looked at myself in the mirror and said 'well, if you get laid off, you just go back to school sooner'. And here I am. I'm still going to see if there's something I can do with unemployment; I don't think it was a fluke that others were able to do it, especially with someone having an MBA and with me just having a BA. I specifically know that the MBA guy said it was all legit. I tried to PM him, but I don't have enough posts yet. It's just purely a safety net for me right now. I'm continuing to look for part time or full time flexible jobs to pay my bills and have some sort of medical benefits while I start my pre-reqs. Did you have an undergrad degree previous to going back for nursing? If so, what was your GPA? You've said that you transfered into a BSN program; is it a fast-track program? Are you going to school in NJ? How far along are you now in your progress? Sorry to inundate you with so many questions... but I'm very interested to learn of other's paths through this journey.

jpeters84 Thanks for your reply. The only reason why I am questioning if I could rely somewhat on the unemployment benefits is because I've read a post on this blog from someone in NJ who had an MBA and was able to collect while completing the pre-reqs. My best friend had done the same thing, although his company was shut down, and he chose to go back for cosmetology, which is a different story. When I had told the counselor that I spoke to of his situation, he proceeded to tell me that that would have never have happened, which, indeed it did! I have absolutely NO issues with working part-time while completing my pre-reqs. I've pulled my way through undergrad and even after I graduated, not being able to find a job right away, by bartending, waiting tables etc. I've been exploring admin jobs at colleges and hospitals extensively because they are flexible. Which is one of my next questions I'm going to post. Basically, I'm just anxious and scared about the next steps. I have meetings this week with advisors from Brookdale and Middlesex and have already made the cut-off dates for their waitlists for the RN programs. Im also making my phone calls to the heads of the departments of each fast-track school. I know I can do this, I just need advice and support!

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!

Hey there, I too graduated with a 2.67 from Montclair State and am going to enroll in the pre-reqs this spring. I know I can really improve my GPA being older, more focused and REALLY wanting to get into the accellerated program(s). Which schools/what programs were you accepted into? Were you currently taking the pre-reqs while you applied? I would be enrolled while applying, and wondered how they factor the grades while you're still in the class. You think I got a shot?

Hi Jersey Guy, Thank God I found your post; I need to ask for your help in regards to how you collected unemployment while attending school full-time. I've recently been laid off from my job, through no fault of my own( I've worked in Pharma Adverstising for 5 years now, and this is the THIRD time I've been laid off). I had been wanting to go back to school for about 4 years now for nursing, and figure this is the perfect opportunity. I've done the research, and found everything that you had mentioned in your post (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 (like you said) 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. How did you collect while attending school full-time? Do you 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 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.