aknapp8

My total was $1235 for the semester, and that included used books when I could use them. It hurts!

I have no idea what's in the technology bundle- I just know I have to buy one!

Yeah, I'm okay with the technology bundle. Ours is about 650, but it takes us through the whole program. Expensive yes, but not outrageous once you divide it out.

I found most of my books on amazon too! Except for one we have to purchase through the school as part of our "technology bundle". I hear my school used to bundle ALL of the books and you bought one giant $1200 box of books for the whole program. This is the first semester that they've changed it, to finally allow for us to buy used textbooks. I got mine all new or like-new and saved a couple of hundred bucks so I'm very excited about that!

I'm in the same boat- I have a prior BS in a completely unrelated field. Because you qualify for little to no financial aid with a prior BS, I've decided to go the community college route. I continued to work full time in my current field while taking prereqs, then switched to a part time position (I was lucky to find one in my current field!) And I start the nursing program next month. I like that it will let me continue to work part time to help pay for the program and have money to live on, and the cost of the ADN plus an RN to BSN program will still be less than an accelerated program. Good luck to you!

It's not ideal, but it is possible. I had been thinking about nursing school for a while, but not too seriously. Some events (the very tragic death of a friend of mine and, 2 weeks later, the death of my mother from cancer) pushed me to finally do it. I already have a bachelor's so most of my prereqs were done. But in order to apply for this fall, I had to get my sciences and CNA done in short order. I was working a stressful 50 hour a week job as the only HR person at a small college (230 employees)- they didn't offer nursing at that school. On top of that I took A&P 1 on Wednesday and Thursday evenings at another school AND did my CNA classes all day on Saturdays and Sundays for 11 weeks. It was very hard and I had no time to do anything but eat and, occasionally, sleep... but I made it through. I wouldn't under any circumstances recommend doing it for more than one semester, but if you're dedicated and organized, you can make it through a semester. I will caution you that my health suffered a bit, but nothing lasting. That's why I strongly caution against more than one semester. Good luck to you!

Hi everyone! I start in august, finishing up my last prereq now- thought I was done but one class I thought was covered by my bachelor's wasn't. I wish our bookstore would tell us the books we need already! I'm afraid I'm going to have to buy them new if they wait much longer

I looked at what felt like every planner out there and settled on the Plum Paper Planner. I liked all the layout options, and I really wanted an hourly layout, which they offer. I feel like the hourly layout will be helpful in keeping work and school and my ever changing schedule straight.

Nursing will be my second career also. I'm 32 and have been working in human resources for nearly 10 years. Because my prior bachelor's mama I don't qualify for financial aid, I've decided to go the adn route and then do a bachelor's completion program. I got "lucky" in that my local community college, which has a highly respected nursing program, uses ONLY the TEAS score to rank applicants. If you have all the prereqs you tale the TEAS and that's it. No gpa, no work experience, nothing. I managed an 89.3 in the TEAS and was accepted on my first try. I for one don't think it would have been easier in my 20's. I feel much more prepared now, and am much more dedicated to school. Who knows, maybe it's because I finally know what I want to be when I grow up!

I needed this today. Done with prereqs and accepted for the fall. I've had the opposite experience, where everyone has told me how great they think I'll be as a nurse. I appreciate that immensely, but as we all know, we're our own worst critics. I've been feeling anxious about the program, but I know I can do this. Thanks!