MidLifeRN2012

Even though I waited until my son turned 18 before I started the rigors of nursing school, I did make sure I went back and got my prior BA in accounting, 1 or 2 classes at a time, with a full time job, when my son was small. It became a godsend when I became a single mom when he was 3. No way in hell did I want to live with any of my dysfunctional family (did for nearly a year and couldn't wait to get out) or go on welfare. I paid rent, utilities and all other living expenses on my own with no child support and I can hold my head up with pride. And my son turned out just fine.

I became an RN at age 45. I was in accounting before that. There were ladies in my group who were in their mid 50s. You have a long way to go before it's "too late".

Andy and Turtles ....I stand with you :). I admire your tenacity to educate these libs, but like Michael Savage said : "Liberalism is a mental disorder".

Scholarship, student loans, and a 401k loan. But now I can't afford a MSN. If my hospital wants me to get one, they'll have to pay for it. No more loans for this gal. At my age I'll be paying back student loans until I'm 70.

First of all if you live in Chicago area there are only 2 evening/weekend programs and they are to obtain a Bachelors degree. One is at Lewis University in Romeoville and they meet 4 nights a week from 6-10 and then either a 10 hr Sat or Sunday clinical. That was as of 4 yrs ago so the schedule may have changed. The Lewis program STRONGLY suggests that you don't work-- even in the E/W program. The other is Resurrection University in Oak Park in which I am enrolled in the Night/Weekend program. We meet about 3-4 nights a week from 5-7 or 8 depending on the class. We have 1 10 hr clinical on the weekend. All pre-requisites are done before admission and you have to pass the TEAS exam. The school is moving to Wicker Park neighborhood in Chicago next year. It is a 16 month program of 5 semesters consecutively (4 if in day program). They have not told the E/W program students that they shouldn't work. They just won't adjust their homework schedules to accommodate the working student. I also work 40 hours during the week and the nursing program which class, clinical, homework approximate about 25-30 hrs and I am pulling As and Bs. It is a grueling schedule but it is definitely doable, especially if A.) You don't have children to care for (or at least have a spouse to take over at home) and B) you can plan on not cleaning your house or having a social life for the next year and a half if you also have this work/school schedule. I believe it is up to the individual on what they can handle and it can be done. Just be prepared to work very hard, with little play.

"Secondly, how does everyone pay for this? I already have 63,000.00 in federal loans from my first undergrad degree. I know I'm not eligible for federal loans the second time around. Are you all taking out private loans to pay for the accelerated second degree program?" Hello. I am also in an accelerated BSN to RN program at a private college. I have a $10 k loan from my former degree. You can get federal loans after 1st degree but you just can't get grants. I do believe there is a lifetime max for loans, but I'm not sure what that is. You can check with the financial aid dept of a school you want to attend and they should be able to tell you.

I work full time during the day (40 hrs per week) and I just started a full time Evening/Weekend accelerated nursing program. The workload is intense, as I expected it would be. I am in school 3 nights a week and don't arrive home until 9 or 10 pm. Leave for work in morning at 6:30. My off days are 2 nights a week and the weekend. and most of that time is for studying. Next semester clinicals start all day on Saturdays so I'll lose that day. Does anyone else have a schedule similar and how do you squeeze in time for exercise/housework/meal planning? I already know about Flylady.com but even her Shining the Sink daily/15 min a day seems daunting. Does anyone have any household routines for chores/meals they could share? BTW I live alone with a fixed income and bills so quitting work or even going part-time is not an option, for financial and health benefit needs.

I have no choice but to keep my full-time job during the day. Got to pay the bills. Financial aid doesn't cover living expenses when you have a mortgage, utilities and debt. Barely covers my tuition. I found the only night/weekend program for RN in Chicago area. Accelerated program for those with a bachelors degree already. It will be an intensive 16 month program and I will be sacrificing my social life but so be it. My kid is grown (almost, he's 19 1/2), I'm 42 and this is my last opportunity to become a nurse--while I am still young enough. I think if you can sacrifice the social area of your life, you will do fine, especially for a short time. You do what you have to do to get your goal met.

I have no choice but to keep my 7-4 pm full time office job in corporate America while I attend NS full time at night/weekend. Those of you who have a choice not to work, you are certainly blessed. I have no husband and a college aged son so I have to keep up with mortgage and household expenses on my own. Since this is a 2nd degree for me I can only get student loans. Since my credit is not good, I cant take out private loans to meet living expenses. I have no choice but to do both work and school. I couldn't have done this when my son was little, but I can now when I don't expect to have a life outside of work, school and studying. But for only 16 months accelerated program, I can do it. Teachers can just shove it if they think they can dictate how much a person can work unless they are going to offer to pay for the student's living expenses.

For me this is not just nursing school but at 42 years old I'm changing careers. I'm not getting any younger so I need to do this now. I finally got in after searching for 18 years for a program I can do in the evening and weekend. I'm nervous because I've been working desk jobs in corporate America and in the last 10 years accounting. Now I'm going into a field at my age that is physically demanding. Plus I have to keep working full-time to pay mortgage and expenses that are pretty much fixed so I will be doubly stressed with work and school. But it's only for 16 months so I know I can do anything for 16 months. I'll just have no life beyond work, school and homework. My son is college age himself so at least I don't have to worry about a husband and kids to nurture.

Do your parents know that without the loan you cannot attend school? My son gets a student loan even though he lives under me as a dependent but the loan is in his name. They go by your parent's financial information if you are still a dependent, but the loan is not in their name. My son's loan is in his name so he will be ultimately responsible once he graduates, not me. If you are financially independent and fill out the forms using only your financial information, then you parents have no say.

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You should really take the student loans offered by the federal government and should have been part of your financial aid package when you filled out your FAFSA form. The loans are low interest and you don't start paying them back until 6 months after you graduate (or fall below 1/2 time). Also the interest on most is deferred so you are not accruing during the time you are in school. You generally have 10 years to pay back. Student loans are the only way I can get thru my accelerated BSN program. I can't get grants anymore because this is a 2nd degree for me. Between the federal loans and my 401k money is how I'm paying.

I admit I've been slacking from May to now with getting stuff watched off my DVR, reading fun books, playing on You Tube, watching all my MJ DVDs one last time. Now that it's August I need to follow your examples and get it in gear before my 1st semester starts on the 30th. What I have been doing is starting to watch You Tube videos on pharmacology and listen to lecture podcasts of pathophysiology--my first 2 classes. I also have a nursing assessment course so I will be starting to watch vids of bed baths, IVs, injections, etc. There are no clinicals in our first semeter, but I am registered at 3/4 time. Next semester it will be full-time. All this plus a full-time job which I have to keep in order to live--no hubby to help. I'll have no life for the next 16 months so I'm needing to prepare now. Thanks for the tips.

I just enrolled in my first semester of evening/weekend program. I was surprised that there was no clinicals this semester, but as being able to only go in the evening/weekend, I was dismayed that there was a required class I had to take that starts at 4 and that was the only one available. Now most people who take the E/W track are working full-time during the day I assume. I don't know too many people working in an office who don't work until 4 or 5. Now I have to find some way to change my working hours from 6 - 3 so I can make it to 4:00 class. I need the hour commute time to make up for I290 construction. My company doesn't know I'm going to nursing school yet and I didn't want to tell them until I had at least a year under my belt. Please, please tell me that clinicals will be in the evening or the weekend (preferably)-- I'm getting nervous. When I went to open house I thought they said it would be, otherwise I would never have signed up for the program. But when they start a class at 4:00 while most daytime workers work until 5, who knows.