hokiefanatic

I'm from a rural area in Virginia where NP's make upwards of 90k per year (VERY good money because the cost of living is quite low). A FNP might make a bit less but we are in desperate need of mental health NP's and CRNA. A CRNA I shadowed (area I would like to specialize in) makes 200k+ annually. I assume it all depends on where you live. I know DNP's now have an upper hand getting the jobs they want in my area (many universities in the area now have DNP programs). So in order to get those high salaries and convenient hours you have to have that DNP. But the major hospital systems in the area are paying nursing students to get advanced degrees. So if you're willing to put in the work it's a very nice deal!

I chose to complete a regular BSN program over the accelerated programs only for the costs associated with the programs. I was accepted to Duke's program, but it would have cost 90k. If you are planning on going to grad school and making NP money it might be worth it. However if your plan to make RN money I would suggest just going with the regular 2 year program. Also if you are looking at an accelerated program that means you already have one bachelor's degree. So I'd say most people are already in some debt from that first 4 years of college. I wouldn't dig a financial hole you can't get out of. I know the thought of having to go back to an undergraduate program after already completing one degree sucks, but it's much cheaper.

Duke has an accelerated BSN program, Yale has a similar program, and Princeton has no nursing program. Both Duke and Yale will not transfer my scholarships to a degree towards nursing. I would probably be competitive for nursing based scholarships at both schools, but both are EXTREMELY expensive. I'm just going to have to see what scholarships I receive. IF they are not full I will probably just head to UVA-Wise where I have been awarded a full scholarship. Really appreciate the suggestions!!

Thank you for your input!

Hello all So I've recently made the decision to enter a BSN program and persue my dream of becoming a nurse. Here's the only problem, I'm fixing to graduate from a pretty prestegious university with a 3.9 GPA. I have scholarship offers to Yale, Duke and Princeton. BUT it's in a field that I have lost interest in my last 3 years of college. Beginning this new degree will mean at least 2 more years of undergraduate work. So I'm asking you..what decision would you make if you were in my shoes. Is getting a degree in nursing worth missing out on an Ivy League education? Should I go to school for something I am not passionate about just to get that prestigious degree? Let me know what you think!

I have always wanted to help others in some capacity. My mom is a clinical psychologist so I've always been around mental health professionals. Went to college in pursuit of a bachelor's degree in psychology hoping to go into a clinical psychology program after undergrad. Got to my senior year and decided my heart wasn't in psychology anymore (or more specifically the research required to obtain a Ph.D. in psychology). I completed the pre-med program at my school and finished with a 3.9. BUT everyone I know who has been to med school says it's not worth it. So I've decided to go into a BSN program and the go to NP grad school. Hoping to serve my understaffed rural area of Virginia I grew up in.

I'm 21 just graduated with a bachelor's in psychology. Getting 2nd bachelor's in nursing. Only guy in the class

Hello All! So I'm going to give you a brief background of my current situation and why I want to be a nurse. Then some feedback would be awesome, because I feel like I'm lost. So I am currently finishing my last semester of undergraduate studies at Virginia Tech majoring in psychology. I'm finishing with a GPA in the 3.9 - 3.95 area and have some academic scholarships to Ivy League's and other very prestigious universities. BUT I would be continuing in a field of study I cannot see myself staying in the rest of my life. I have reciently made the decision to attend a smaller liberal arts college and pursue a second bachelor's degree in nursong. I have wanted to be a nurse for quite some time, but I was always told to go to med school, or get into clinical psychology. I basically went along with what other thought was best, hoping that I would eventually fall in love with what others wanted me to be. But I have realized that I want to be a nurse, and I will not be happy in any other profession. Now I have 2 questions that I would really like to hear from others. First, because of my GPA I have been admitted into some of the top nursong programs in the nation. But because this will be my 2nd bachelor's degree I am already broke and have decised to attend a 4 year college that is close enough to my hometown that I can go back to living with my parents to help with the cost. So will this decision come back to hurt me further down the road? I plan on going beyond a BSN and want to be competitive for graduate programs. Will earning a degree from a lesser know college hurt me in the long run? My second question is kind of a 2 parter. I'm a male who is pretty masculine. I am an athlete and gym rat who wouldn't look out of place on a construction site. I do feel like I am more compassionate than most if not all of my friends, but my appearance can be a bit intimidating. I'm just scared that I will not fit in well as a nurse because of my gender/looks. So basically I'm wondering if others have this same apprehension? Am I alone in these doubts, or is this pretty common for the nursing student?