Cobrie17

That's awesome you have the flexibility to contact your professors to see which books and access codes are mandatory. Even so, that's a hefty bill and I commiserate. My school just started obligatory book/resource bundles that contain "special editions" for our school specifically and we are required to buy that specific bundle from the school bookstore.

Where do you look for your grants? I'm also financially independent from my parents.

Hello everyone! Thanks for reading. I'm sure many of you have concerns and questions about financial aid in nursing school. My question is: What financial aid resources do you use? My problem is that I am trying to scramble around to find low interest loans, scholarships, and what not simply to cover tuition, but that is far from the only expenditure in nursing school. There are books, parking passes (for school), parking fees (for clinicals), uniforms, shoes, professional attire, stethoscopes, not to mention my cable bill, food, gas, etc. How do you make it work?

If you're not pleased with your GPA, consider re-taking a class (or several) to at least boost the GPA of important pre-reqs, like the science classes. NOVA is a competitive region, so boosting your GPA this way isn't a bad idea. Also, I applied to George Mason University without any medical experience and was turned away. Their policy is that they won't discuss the details of their decision with you, so I spoke to people who I know got in and found two major trends: they were either bilingual or had some sort of previous medical experience. In the mean time, I got a job as a home caretaker for a little girl with complex mental and physical special needs, retook my Micro (bringing my grade up from a low B to a high A), got my minor in Women and Gender Studies and applied again. This time I got in. What I did was I made myself stand out. 1) I had an interesting job with nursing-esque qualities. While this isn't always easy to find, I would suggest volunteering at a local hospital, clinic, or nursing home for some experience. 2) I fixed the one glaring negative issue with my application (my low B in Microbiology. I retook it and got a 97). 3) I pursued another one of my passions via a minor, which is unusual for a pre-nursing undergrad to have. I hope this gives you some ideas for making yourself a competitive nursing candidate. Good luck!

I am starting my nursing program this fall, like you, and I couldn't be more excited. I've been living with my boyfriend for a while now, starting when he went through his nursing program, which was an accelerated, second degree pathway. I saw what worked for him, and where he needed to improve. Based on that, here are some tips: 1. Don't study when you're exhausted. You're less efficient. You won't retain information well or quickly, which is not a good use of your time. Stop, eat a snack, take a nap, go for a walk, or anything that will invigorate and refresh you for more efficient studying. 2. Schedule time for self-care. Along the same vein as the tip above, make sure you take time to take care of yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically. This is easier said than done, I realize, and is an on-going commitment. Think of it this way: how can you expect your brain to work and to take care of others if you're body isn't supporting you? Sleep, drink plenty of water, avoid processed foods as much as possible, keep caffeine and alcohol within reasonable limits, and get up and move. 3. Study little bits at a time (Pace Yourself). Don't assume a few marathon study sessions will do. I've heard from my boyfriend and from other nursing students that 1-3 hours a day of studying is best. That being said, those 1-3 or so hours don't have to be all at once. You can (and should) break them up throughout the day into more manageable chunks. 4. Find a quiet study space Sometimes, even if you have a nice little corner in your home, your environment is too distracting. If so, it is usually more efficient to move your study space. Think about going to a local library or coffee shop, or a similar location on campus. 5. Multi-task This doesn't work for everyone, but could be a way to ease your guilt. If you want to schedule time at the gym, bring your notes or a text book or a lecture recording to study while on the treadmill. Listen to lecture recordings in the car. Read or listen to lectures on public transport or while cooking. Everyone's busy. Find multi-purpose time to get more done. 6. Take a break. You're not a machine. You need and deserve a day or an evening free of studying every once in a while. Be consistent and organized with your studying and you should be able to take that much deserved break. I hope this helps! Courtney