Program Advice

[Dhooy7]

I’m having a very hard time deciding on a nursing program. The first one is accelerated for 12 months, starting in October 2020 to October 2021 but is $42,000. The other would not be accelerated starting this Summer but $12,000-14,000 cheaper. They would give me a lot of scholarships but would not finish until may of 2022. Any advice?

[angel94]

I'd go with the cheaper one. Not only is it less money but sometimes more time is a good thing. I can't imagine trying to cram everything in a year.

[RoundAbout33, BSN, RN]

If you can afford it, I would say go with the accelerated program. Of course this is very individual, and you know yourself best, but if you are ready to be a nurse, go the fastest, quality route. I will be graduating next month from a 12-month aBSN program, and I couldn't be happier with my decision. Yes, it's a lot of information in a short amount of time, but at this point, I couldn't imagine having to do another year of school work. My mindset now is fully "I just want to work as a nurse!" All programs have their pros/cons, but I was fortunate enough to find a really good program. My professors were/all really invested in each of us and always ready to chat or discuss course content more in-depth. I definitely had to re-learn how to study as I needed to study in a very different manner than I did back with my 1st degree; however, this was not an unbearable year. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be. You just have to ask yourself if you're ready for a faster-paced environment. You'll likely have exams every week (at least initially), multiple assignments (some busy work), and concept maps or care plans that can take a bit of time to complete. Happy to answer any questions!

Best wishes in your decision!