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I took both, along with the nutrition class and a death and dying class, plus statistics in the same semester. I think it was 17 credits? It really depends on the professors, as well as what your home life is like. My kids were little when I had that semester, but somehow I managed to do well. If you are good at time management and study skills, it's very doable.

I had classmates that drove from the far west valley and the far southeast valley for Scottsdale CC. When I applied originally, I applied to CGCC and MCC because I lived in San Tan Valley at that time and was placed at SCC. I'm not sure if the program is as full as it was when I applied, but we took whatever we could get!

I think especially if you work in the medical field, it may actually help you. It solidifies the knowledge you are learning, or you have already seen some concepts used in practice. It's very possible to work and do CEP, but it's not a breeze by any means either.

Thanks for your replies. It does seem as though the BSN will hopefully just help me get hired quicker, rather than help me pay off my loans quicker. Oh well!

I will be graduating this December. I know some hospitals are more likely to hire BSN new grads, but do any of them actually have a salary difference? I'm just curious, since I will be putting out applications soon. Thanks in advance.

Now I'll be waiting for that email! Haha. Thanks!

I got my email this morning! NAU/SCC as well. I can't tell if I was accepted to the Fast Track or Traditional program. It didn't mention either in the email.

I got my acceptance letter this morning!!!!!!!! I'll be starting with NAU/SCC this fall/spring. I don't know how to tell if I was accepted to the Fast Track program or the traditional. It didn't mention it in the acceptance email.

Google "krokodil" and let's hope we don't see that here anytime soon. Unfortunately, even when they ban the chemicals in such products, the manufacturers can tweak the chemical composition ever so slightly, market it as "window cleaner" or "tire cleaner" and continue mass production legally. The packages also are labeled "not for human consumption" so the manufacturers can claim no responsibility. Buying these in a shop is a fairly complicated transaction. I work for a substance abuse/behavioral health facility and meth and bath salts are the two most popular drugs right now.

I haven't taken it yet. I have until september to take it. It's supposed to be very similar to the HESI which I have taken. You sign up through a company called ATI I believe. But it's generally taken at a GCU campus.

You must take the TEAS for GCU. Cost really depends on many factors. If your pre req GPA is 3.7+ you qualify for a scholarship through GCU of 3500/semester, but you must maintain a 3.5 GPA or you will be bumped down to the next level of scholarships. There are scholarships for pre req GPAs of 3.5 and 3.25 (2500 and 1500 respectively). The program is five semesters. You can do the traditional program in which those five semesters are spring/fall. Or you can choose the fast track, which would include summers, and takes only 20 months. Costs also vary slightly whether or not you can waive the health insurance (if you have health insurance, it's waived). The total cost for each semester worst case scenario before any scholarships is around 9-10k per semester (base tuition is 8,250/semester). But after scholarships, my loans and grants would take care of the rest so there is no "out of pocket" type cost to me. Though I am still applying for other scholarships in order to reduce the amount of debt I would have. For me, after the GCU scholarship and my grants, I would be borrowing or finding other scholarships for about 4-5k per semester. Which I don't think is bad at all. I'll finish much sooner and be able to start working a year or more before I could if I did the CEP.

I had planned on doing the CP as well, but even though I have everything done, I wouldn't be able to start until Fall 13. I decided to go with GCU and will, upon acceptance, be starting Spring 13 and be done much faster than the CEP. I've had friends graduate from GCU and they loved it.

I know Dignity Health (CHW) requires that ED techs be EMTs. I know that Banner usually takes EMTs as well, but any new ED tech there goes through their own cert process. I did get a job! I just got the call today. It's by no means ideal, but it's experience. It's at a drug rehab facility, and EMT is required. It pays better than most CNA or EMT jobs that I've found and I get to work 12 hour shifts, which I wanted, with opportunity for overtime. But it's a bit out of my way. I'll deal. It's something to put on a resume! And hopefully in the future, I won't be just browsed over because now I will have experience!

I plan on doing the fast track program at AT Still in Mesa. I'm probably going to apply for the HRSA Nursing Scholarship Program. As well as some smaller state scholarships. I have been pondering the idea of joining the Army Reserves, as they have a program that pays a decent monthly stipend while in nursing school, as well as different bonuses for nurses and loan repayment plans.

I had the most amazing teacher for A&P. He has been my favorite teacher of all of my classes. Truthfully, having that great foundation in A&P has helped me through a lot of my other classes. I took FON241 online. It was tedious at times, but a decent foundation in chemistry and A&P and you shouldn't have any problems. The homework was usually harder than the tests, and since my online exams were timed my only issue was finding 30 minutes to actually sit quietly and be uninterrupted while taking the test! If you find that you are struggling, form a study group with other classmates, or go to your campus tutoring center. Quiet time where I didn't have to worry about my kids was always how I studied best, so I made it a point to come early on test days and brush up, or some nights I would just tell my hubs, "I HAVE to study. I'm locking myself in the bedroom. You watch the kids." haha! It worked for me though. Most of my classes have been through CGC. My hubs works 50-60 hour weeks, so I am usually with the kids as well.

I know different areas are different, and I have thought that maybe getting my CNA would be a help. I was told that, here, EMTs are considered to be a higher level of training than CNA. I was also told that with an EMT cert you can work as a PCT and CNA, though I have had trouble verifying this (not really sure who to ask). Ideally, I would like to work as an ER tech or on an ambulance, and have been applying to those as well, but those are fairly coveted jobs here since they pay more. I haven't been able to get an interview, so I have been applying to PCT and CNA jobs too. I have still thought about getting my CNA or phlebotomy cert. It certainly couldn't hurt. I just have to find a school that offers those nearby and with a schedule that works for me.

I'm a SAHM of a five-year-old boy, and a three-year-old girl. I've been in school for the last year and a half or so busting through my pre reqs and getting my EMT. It's definitely not easy, but it's definitely not impossible. Last semester I took 17 credits including micro, a&p 2, and nutrition all at the same time. I have earned all As while in school this time around (I had a few classes with subpar grades from my first go at college years ago, before hubs and kiddos.). I think what has saved me from disaster is my amazing husband, and his folks live here and are able to watch the kids from time to time. We haven't been able to afford to put the kids in day care, so we have had a lot of precise scheduling with classes. I'm still trying to find work as a tech somewhere and plan to work through nursing school. I will be volunteering at a local hospital as well. My house is a complete disaster, dinner is rarely ready right away, and the laundry isn't done on time, but I'm determined to bust through all of this so that in two years, life will be better. I know the tasks at hand can seem daunting, but you CAN do it!

Yes, it's 3.7 to get the presidential scholarship (the highest) but there are other scholarships as well. A 3.5 must be maintained to keep that particular scholarship and not be bumped down to the next level of scholarships. You can be bumped up once in the program as well. I won't have an issue with keeping it above 3.5, though I understand that could be a deterrent to people. I have also been considering applying to nursing scholarships that cover all expenses plus pay a monthly stipend, but we will see.

I just need to vent!!!! I am waiting on nursing school to start. My original plan was to get my EMT and get some experience in emergency medicine, hoping that would make it easier for me to get into ER/ICU once I'm done with nursing school. I obtained my EMT-B this past January. I have been applying to jobs such as EMT, CNA, PCT at multiple hospitals and organizations with not even so much as a call in for an interview. I'm in the East Valley of the Phoenix area, but I've been applying to anything even in downtown Phoenix -- pretty much anything that I can find within a 50 mile radius. I have awesome grades, but not much experience in the medical field on my resume. I have been a stay at home mom for a while and my work history is sporadic from the fast few years. I know this hurts me, but we haven't been able to afford putting the kids in day care. I have signed up to volunteer at a local hospital, but short of stalking all the HR managers (which I doubt would actually help) I have no idea what else to do. Am I doing something wrong? Is there some trick to landing a tech or CNA job? I need a job for my sanity.

Thanks! Everyone I know that has been to GCU has enjoyed it as well. I had always assumed it was too expensive as well. But with the scholarship, once I actually crunched the numbers, it's not bad at all. And it's quicker than CEP. Which is a big deal for me. Not only will I get in and start sooner, it's only 20 months until I'm done with my BSN.

They are changing the GCU pre reqs for Fall '13 and beyond. CEP pre reqs are slightly different for each college (NAU, ASU, UOP) and they are available through the maricopa nursing website. :)

It sounds to me like you need to sit down with a financial counselor. Hopefully they can help you plan a way to pay off some of your debt and save up while waiting on nursing school, if you choose to wait. From what I have been told, if you have a job during nursing school, your job must work around your school schedule. On another note, there are many nursing scholarships out there that may help cover your tuition and other expenses. Some even pay a monthly stipend as well as pay for all school related costs. I know the Army National Guard also pays a monthly allowance during the last two years of nursing school as well. Of course all of these generally require a commitment after school is done, and you would have to figure out if you can follow through on those. But they are options. Also remember that many new grad ADN and even BSNs are having a lot of trouble finding work. I would also recommend sitting down with the financial aid counselors at your future nursing school and discussing your options. A single mom is usually qualified for certain grants and scholarships.

Thanks so much!! They are changing pre reqs for those wanting to start Fall '13 or after. But I found out that I'll be in the running for Spring '13 start. I'm excited to finally start nursing courses, and to be done so quickly! I will know if I'm accepted later this fall, after the deadline passes. I would be stuck with a loan if I went to CEP as well. I've been looking into other scholarships too. It's not that much more expensive in the long run. I plan on going to grad school sometime after too, but I'm not sure I want to go right away. Thanks again for the info!

I have been applying to every pct, cna, emt job that I find. Nothing. Either way, CEP or GCU, if I don't get a job soon after I'm stuck with a hefty loan to pay. My email is [email protected] thanks!

I have been emailing back and forth with ASU, NAU, and Maricopa advisors this past week and all have told me Feb is the next application session. Basically through GCU I will graduate a year at least before I would with the CEP. I will qualify for the 7k a year scholarshi at GCU. And from what I know now, I'll graduate in a year and a half leaving me with only about 15k in loans. But if I can start working as a nurse an entire year before I would with CEP, in my mind it kind of offsets the cost. I am currently an EMT, but I haven't been able to find work in the valley yet. I'm going to start volunteering at a hospital for hopefully a foot in the door. I just can't imagine waiting over a year to even start nursing courses when that is all that I have left. I would have to stay in school during that time as well, which will cost me money on classes that I don't need. I'm getting more info tomorrow at a GCU info session. But it really looks like that is the quickest way for me to graduate.