thislife

Thank you for your input ICUEnthusiast. It helps to hear advice from someone who understands the complication of this situation. To me, taking more time and waiting for a different program is simply not an option--I'm already battling the terrifying concept that I will be 30 the semester I graduate! I wasted enough time being a New Orleans party girl before discovering the importance of a degree--and a BSN is what I've always wanted. I am careful with money, this will be the most reckless thing I've ever done---but do you feel it was worth it for you, the debt I mean?

I know that this a lot to think about, and I know that it is a heavy debt I am considering taking on. I don't want to sit out anymore time. Charity is a year wait, and sitting out is not an option. I would have to re-take some of the courses I have already completed to try for LSU, and I don't even know how long the wait is for LSU. To me, sitting around and waiting for a spot in another program will be waisting more of the one thing more precious than money--time (but I will still be waisting money, as well). With the many repayment options/tuition reimbursment options--not to mention the rewarding, fulfilling option of becoming a Navel Nurse Officer--I really think I can do this. There are only 3K Navel Nurse Officers, and it is an elite title and something to be very proud of. Where there is a will, there's a way. I am not afrain of hard work and dedication. Thank you all for responding, it helps alot to get other points of view. It also helped me to realize how serious this decision is, and that I do have to do whatever is necessary to get where I want to be. I know plenty of people who racked up massive student loans at prestigious art schools (MICA), and came out with 180K in debt to--teach art--but forgivness programs saved their tails. If I just give up a few years of my life to help where I'm needed (which is why I got into this career in the first place), then many programs can/will help ease the burden of loans in exchange for my hard work and dedication.

there are very limited/competitive bsn programs here in new orleans. i spent most of my college career doing my pre-reqs elsewhere and then applying to the well-known programs. charity is adn--and frankly, i've gone too far in my pre-reqs to turn back now for an associates. lsu has different pre-req requirements, so that's out-unless i want to take several classes over. those 2 programs are the only affordable options for me, but i have been accepted for the our lady of holy cross bsn program starting in august, tuition is roughly 16k a year. the point of this post is that, of course, i went to the cheapest school ever to do my pre-reqs but still accepted loans (it was a situation where i sort of had to), so i'm already entering with 30k in debt. olhcc is expensive...i am calculating that when all is said and done, i will owe roughly 70k. my soul dies a little more each time i say it out loud, but what am i supposed to do now? i was accepted somewhere, and in 3 years, i will be a rn bsn. i've never even had a car note, so i'm consistently worrying about the debt when i come out. i don't want to starve to death. i just need someone to tell me that i will be ok. that if i'm willing to work my a$$ off via prn and float shifts etc...that i can do this. i don't have children/car note/other debts, and i intend on seeking my msn as well. i am also considering the navel nurse officer program, and am open to any programs seeking my time in exchange for repayment of a % of my loans. will i be ok?