RN or DePaul MENP - Guidance Please

[Simandl]

Background

Hi, my name is Michael. I want to change my career to advanced practice nursing. I already have a bachelor's degree in music and an MBA in Management. I currently have an established career in higher education (I am an Associate Dean at a not-for-profit University).

Question

I am unsure if it is best for me to do the RN at a local community college or if I should try to do DePaul's Master Entry To Nursing Practice program. Please give me your advice on if you think I should:

1. Complete RN at community college while working, then begin working as RN and enroll in RN to MSN program

OR

2. Stop working a full career, transition part time work (supplement income with student loans), enroll in the MENP full time program at DePaul, pass NCLEX and graduate with the MSN.

Naturally if I do the RN, I will have to do an RN to MSN bridge program ALSO. Cost of RN at community college is about $10,000 while cost of DePaul MENP is $67,000. I do not know the average cost of RN to MSN programs.

Time is a significant factor. If I do RN and then do an RN to MSN it will be about 3 years longer. DePaul's MENP takes 2 years to complete and I could complete prereq's in a year.

Factors to consider:

I already have about $80,000 of student debt from bachelor's and master's. Depaul says I can get scholarship to reduce program cost to $57,000. I have a mortgage, car payment and dog, so I will need to take a bit more out for cost of living expenses. Mortgage is only about $1000 per month.

DePaul MENP program website in case you are not familiar:

http://csh.depaul.edu/academics/graduate/nursing/Pages/masters-entry-to-nursing.aspx

Please advise on what you think is best option. Thanks

- Michael.

[Sakura_blossom]

How much will the RN to MSN bridge cost you? While it may be cheaper to go the ADN route, the RN to MSN cost might end up being the same amount as DePaul's, so if that is the case, why make it 3 years longer when you can just get it done in two years?

Also, are you comfortable with living off school loans for the time you are in school? I'm sorry I can't be of much more help.