Scholarship Resources for RN-BSN

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Specializes in ICU, ER, Informatics.

Hello Out There!!

As a 30 + year nursing veteran, I am seriously considering returning for a BSN.

Divorce has left me in a bind financially (still owe lawyer lots and lots)- but still wish to return for an on line degree. There is very little out there for those of us earning a nursing salary already. Don't wish to dig myself further in debt by taking out loans.

Does anyone have any ideas? :banghead:At this point I have combed the net - and come up with very little. Employer will chip in a very small amount.

All ideas and recommendations are welcome.

Thanks-

alphabet

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I'm in an online RN to BSN program through a local university. I got a pell grant (full amount) but it still only paid for half of my tuition (tuition is about $4000) so I had to pay another chunk and do a deferred payment plan. They waved about 12k in school loans under my nose but I turned it down. I figured I'd find a way, I hate debt. I sold some junk but I still owe two more payments of $350 each. I don't know how I'll come up with that, other than work extra shifts at my job. I work four 8 hour days a week and that's about all I can handle with school right now (and I have a baby I hate being away from) but I guess I'll have to try to handle some more. I feel molested after paying out all that money, these universities and schools really have some racket going.

I'm not trying to start a gripe session but for people who think online = easy and convenient I want to share my experience.

Yes, I appreciate not having to fight for a parking place and hike a mile across campus, BUT...

I'm trying to get this done in two semesters. I'm signed up for 18 hours (though I tested out of one course so I'm actually studying for 15 hours).

I realize now, that this was probably too many hours to take. Especially with a baby who wants your undivided attention at all times.

Did I mention you do more work with online courses? I'm not talking about high standards work that will make your education better than people who just went to class. I'm talking about spending/wasting a heck of a lot of time just figuring out assignments and putting them together and getting them organized. It's the first month and I have run through one ink cartridge, I sure hope this old printer holds up. On top of that every one of my instructors expect you to contribute a lot of time to the classroom discussion boards every week. Some expect you to respond to a certain amount of posts, others say they just want you to "participate" but all of them specify you need to respond with "substantial" answers. I think we have actually have a lot of drops in one course because the discussion board activity was way down for this week.

Of course they know you will use your book for the tests so (with the exception of one class) the questions are all essay.

One of my classes has a clinical and luckily the instructor is helping us set up our clinical visits. That is a plus. On top of that, the clinicals (so far) have been a lot more laid back and relaxed than back when I was in nursing school before.

I'm hoping I survive this semester and come out okay. Online is definitely different. I'm not saying better or worse, just different.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, Informatics.

Thank you for your honest and insightful reply! Needed to hear another angle to this. The on line situation is far from perfect (as you so aptly pointed out) but for my situation it is going to have to work. I too hate debt and have a child who really needs his mom at this time of his life!!

We are both determined - with that comes a tad of stubborn! I believe we'll make it somehow!

Sincerely,https://allnurses.com/forums/images/smilies/added/bow.gif

alphabet

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