SamB91

True. I just want to consider all my options before I just resort to those two. To be honest, I wouldn't mind taking out a loan if it was worth it. I was told that the private schools are better, though if anyone can provide me with input on LIU or Adelphi's program, that'd be awesome because that would seem the most logical. Though, I'm willing to do the associate's and do the RN-BSN online as well. By the way, thank you so much for the input so far! Seriously, it helps a ton because all I have read is negative feedback on pretty much every option I've considered, and just want to know what's the best option for someone who works from 8 to 4 like me. Thanks a bunch, nursing fam :)

Hey thanks for the advice! I have a couple more questions though: Are any of these following part time evening programs worth considering?: Associate's: BMCC, City Tech, Medgar Evers (I know you said its on the weekend, but how is the quality?) Or should I try going for the part time BSN: LIU or Adelphi? I'm just kind of torn because my work colleagues are super honest in that no hospitals are hiring nurses with associate's in nursing, so I'm scared in a sense if I could possible nail a job with the associate's and continue with the bachelor's of science in nursing online at the same time. I think I would be down to get the associate's but want to know the best options to consider for a weird case like myself that has a bachelor's but really needs to be going back part time for school. I have heard such mixed things from all of these places so I'm kind of scared to what's truely part time and manageable. I just don't know too many nurses that went my route other than the two I randomly met in two different ER's in the city.

Okay, in terms of the ADN route, here's what I was thinking: If I were to get the ADN, pass the NCLEX and become an RN, I would then do the following: Keep this job from 8 to 4 PM, and work night shifts to get experience as an actual nurse at a hospital or clinic that would hire someone like me AND do the RN-BSN online. Would this be possible? And what are good ADN options in Manhattan and Brooklyn that I should consider that have clinicals on the weekends? Also, what are good online BSN programs that would be looked favorably upon employers? I literally work in the same office as nurse directors who doing hiring on a daily basis, and they said experience is key for all of this though.

Okay, in terms of the ADN route, here's what I was thinking: If I were to get the ADN, pass the NCLEX and become an RN, I would then do the following: Keep this job from 8 to 4 PM, and work night shifts to get experience as an actual nurse at a hospital or clinic that would hire someone like me AND do the RN-BSN online. Would this be possible? And what are good ADN options in Manhattan and Brooklyn that I should consider that have clinicals on the weekends? Also, what are good online BSN programs that would be looked favorably upon employers? I literally work in the same office as nurse directors who doing hiring on a daily basis, and they said experience is key for all of this though.

Hello Fellow New Yorkers, So I just got a job in Quality Assurance at a Brooklyn based hospital under nursing administration. Needless to say, I've been pretty happy so far but want to keep this job and go back to school because I want to slap the RN on top and go further as a quality assurance / informatics based nurse. I really found that nursing would be my calling after two years of AmeriCorps Community HealthCorps service, and am at least glad to be working with nurses again under quality control. Also, if it helps, I live in Rego Park, Queens and commute to Brooklyn for this 8-4 PM job. That being said, I've had a rough time trying to find a NYC based program that would fit my needs. I already have a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biotechnology, and have a good majority of pre-requisite courses that most programs need, which include: Intro Bio I&II with lab, Gen Chem I & II with lab, Organic I & II with lab, Biochem with lab, Genetics, Ecology, English Comp, Intro to Sociology, Intro to Psychology (to name a few) I am missing: Statistics, Lifespan Psychology, and Nutrition. I just got a $2000 scholarship so I plan on taking two of these courses online through John Hopkins online nursing pre-req course program for the fall. The options of schools I looked at so far to my dismay have included: LIU Brooklyn, SUNY Downstate, Medgar Evars, and BMCC. LIU Brooklyn part time for the BSN looks promising but I wanted to know if someone can clarify if the clinical are indeed on the weekend or if the program is worth it because it might be a good option to start next year since I don't think I could possibly find a statistics course in time (along with taking the entrance exam) before September which is the start date of the program. I read a bit of bad things about the program and wanted to know people's opinions on this. I went to SUNY Downstate on Tuesday in person to find out more inforrmation only to realize they really only cater towards their accelerated program for students with a bachelor's of science, which would be a full time commitment, and I just don't want to give this job up. Medgar Evers' part time BSN program is full in terms of slots until Spring 2018 so that's not a choice either apparently. BMCC only offers the associate's RN degree and apparently the counselor told me I could finish it in two years since I have a good majority of the courses that are required (Microbio, etc), but again, I didn't read any good and positive reviews So I'm stumped at the moment! Should I do the associate's and then do an online RN to BSN program? I literally was in St. Luke's Roosevelt's ER this year when I was sick and was talking to one of the nurses, and she said she did this route. Also, another nurse at Downtown Presbyterian did the same route when I visited a friend at that hospital as well. Thank you guys so much for reading my post! Sincerely, Sam

Hello Fellow New Yorkers, So I just got a job in Quality Assurance at a Brooklyn based hospital under nursing administration. Needless to say, I've been pretty happy so far but want to keep this job and go back to school because I want to slap the RN on top and go further as a quality assurance / informatics based nurse. I really found that nursing would be my calling after two years of AmeriCorps Community HealthCorps service, and am at least glad to be working with nurses again under quality control. Also, if it helps, I live in Rego Park, Queens and commute to Brooklyn for this 8-4 PM job. That being said, I've had a rough time trying to find a NYC based program that would fit my needs. I already have a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biotechnology, and have a good majority of pre-requisite courses that most programs need, which include: Intro Bio I&II with lab, Gen Chem I & II with lab, Organic I & II with lab, Biochem with lab, Genetics, Ecology, English Comp, Intro to Sociology, Intro to Psychology (to name a few) I am missing: Statistics, Lifespan Psychology, and Nutrition. I just got a $2000 scholarship so I plan on taking two of these courses online through John Hopkins online nursing pre-req course program for the fall. The options of schools I looked at so far to my dismay have included: LIU Brooklyn, SUNY Downstate, Medgar Evars, and BMCC. LIU Brooklyn part time for the BSN looks promising but I wanted to know if someone can clarify if the clinical are indeed on the weekend or if the program is worth it because it might be a good option to start next year since I don't think I could possibly find a statistics course in time (along with taking the entrance exam) before September which is the start date of the program. I read a bit of bad things about the program and wanted to know people's opinions on this. I went to SUNY Downstate on Tuesday in person to find out more inforrmation only to realize they really only cater towards their accelerated program for students with a bachelor's of science, which would be a full time commitment, and I just don't want to give this job up. Medgar Evers' part time BSN program is full in terms of slots until Spring 2018 so that's not a choice either apparently. BMCC only offers the associate's RN degree and apparently the counselor told me I could finish it in two years since I have a good majority of the courses that are required (Microbio, etc), but again, I didn't read any good and positive reviews So I'm stumped at the moment! Should I do the associate's and then do an online RN to BSN program? I literally was in St. Luke's Roosevelt's ER this year when I was sick and was talking to one of the nurses, and she said she did this route. Also, another nurse at Downtown Presbyterian did the same route when I visited a friend at that hospital as well. Thank you guys so much for reading my post! Sincerely, Sam

Also, when should I take the GRE this year?

My plan of action so far though is to complete this AmeriCorps term in June, get a better paying full time job so I can pay for courses and the like. I'm applying to a scholarship that might cover the three pre-reqs I need. The three pre-req's I'm missing include: Nutrition, Statistics, and Lifespan Psychology. I plan on taking nutrition and statistics online, and possibly have to take lifespan psychology in person. My major question though is about the loan situation. So I've been forebearing loans since I graduated in 2013. Would I be able to continue to postpone loan payments, and sign up for graduate loans if I'm aiming to get into one of the direct entry MSN programs in Fall 2017? I don't think I can be able to get a cosigner because my mom's disabled, and my parents have been split forever, and I doubt my father (alcoholic, etc) would ever agree to do that. Is it possible to take out loans in this situation? And what direct entry MSN programs are truly worth it? Thank you for your time!

Did you get accepted? Please let me know how it is as an HealthCorps alumni, because that program as well as the University of Pennsylvania one seemed pretty close to what I wanted honestly.

Also, I like informatics due to my first position as an AmeriCorps member (I even knew more about than one LPN I knew who was hired by a managed care company lol), and health educator since I really enjoyed giving presentations to seniors with my old boss (a now retired RN). What specialties can I expect to have to choose from in that case? I understand through HealthCorps, you have to specialize in adultmedicine, family medicine, geriatrics, pediatrics, psychiatric-mental health, or women's health. I found this from the website "Best Nursing Degree", but don't know if these are necessarily specialties that are available for me to choose from, or things I can do with this degree afterwards: MSN Direct Care Roles: Clinical Nurse Leader Nurse Educator Advanced Practice RN (APRN) Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Clinical Nurse Specialist Certified Nurse Midwife Certified Nurse Practitioner MSN Indirect Care Roles: Public Health Nurse Informatics Clinical Research Coordinator Nurse Administrator

Awesome! Thank you so much, man! Thank you so much for the info! I'm really looking forward to it. That really cleared up a lot of the confusion regarding my particular path! My only other question is how to approach the NurseCorps and HealthCorps routes if I go for direct entry MSN programs. Should I apply for NurseCorps for the duration of the RN portion of the program, and then HealthCorps for the NP portion? I plan on working at a community health center like the one I currently work at after I graduate or even outreach clinics because I really like working in under served communities since I've learned so much more about myself and other cultures. I definitely like the prospect of basically a free degree plus a job afterward with either "Corps" program haha :) Sick! I didn't even know they had an NP version of traveling nurse too. Good to know that it's experience based, and the name of it as well!

Also, what is everyone's opinion on being a travel nurse? I thought the prospect was pretty cool to be honest.

Oh I gotcha. Yeah, I think the NP I mentioned earlier received her RN in a year, and then obtained the NP license afterwards with the same program. Thank you for answering that particular question. In that case, are there any combined programs for a non-nursing student like me that I should consider for the MSN other than Columbia? Because on the Accelerated RN degree side of things, I'm considering: SUNY Downstate, CUNY Hunter, LIU Brooklyn, NYU, and Pace.

Hello, I have a question regarding my particular approach for applying for nursing programs. I have been serving as a Community HealthCorps member for the last two years at a health clinic in New York, and have decided that nursing would be a great fit in terms of what I want out of a job in the medical field, and in terms of my overall personality and work ethic. That being said, I have a Bachelor's of Science in Biotechnology, and am planning to take the three pre-requisite courses I'm missing for the New York based programs I'm interested in (not all programs require all 3 courses however, but just as a fail safe) include: Nutrition, Statistics, and Lifespan Psychology. I had a 3.6 GPA, was heavily involved in extracurricular activities (Jazz Band, hospital volunteering, treasurer for two clubs, DJ), and have two years of Community HealthCorps experience in addition to helping out at a soup kitchen on Saturdays. I plan on going the NurseCorps route for the RN option, but also would like to do HealthCorps for the NP route since I already work at a Community Health Center, and could definitely see myself working for 2 years after I graduate to fulfill that commitment. My only issue is if I should go straight to the MSN as an NP, or go for the RN instead. An NP at one of the Network's site had gone the MSN route through Columbia University and completed it in 1 year, and is now working as an NP. She told me that its very ivy / snobby school dependent to be able to work as a nurse in New York. Thanks for reading my post! :)

Hello everyone, So I'm planning to take three of the last pre-req's I need to apply for New York based Accelerated 2-year RN programs. This would be my second Bachelor's degree. My question is where could I take accredited courses for the following three pre-req's: 1. Statistics 2. Nutrition 3. Lifespan Psychology I'm trying to look into American Public University for just their Statistics course, but am having trouble finding the last two courses. Also, is NurseCorps the only option to pay for school expenses when I become accepted for these two year accelerated RN degrees? Thank you for reading my post! Sincerely, Sam