I'm working on my pre-reqs and hope to start a nursing program in the Spring. However, since I took the scenic route :uhoh21: , I only need to take 2 more classes to earn the general assc degree. I want to go ahead and get this basic degree, since it will help me if I move on for my BSN.
But, I've seen a lot of things that say stuff about "second degree" students that suggests they do not get priority. Do they mean bach degrees, or ANY degree? If getting my general assc is going to hurt me when it goes to acceptance into nursing or financial aid, I can just wait.
You can get more federal loans unless you have already borrowed the maximum regardless of how many degrees you have (so far as I know, at least). It's the grants that they make you ineligible for. If you are going for an ASN I would not apply for a general associate's b/c you will be ineligible for federal Pell grants while working on a second associate's degree. If you're going to BSN school, the grants become available again b/s you are working on a higher degree. I have a previous bachelor's, which I paid for with a full academic scholarship provided privately by my university. This makes me ineligible for Pell grants for BSN school, even though all I got from the gov't was a $2500 loan. If I go to get a Master's, I assume more aid becomes available (haven't researched this yet). That's basically how it works though. They won't give you a grant to earn a second degree at the same level. They might not give you one anyways though, depending on how much your EFC is...
I have a previous associates degree and I am currently pursuing my ADN. During my first degree, I got both federal grants and loans. During my ADN degree, I am not able to get federal loans (I make too much money to qualify but I dont know that if I made less income, I would be able to get them). I was never told there is a max you can borrow for federal loans- other than the yearly max. Currently I have used 3 years of federal grants, and 5 years of federal loans.
My mother on the other hand has a problem. She has an associates from a local community college, and wants to go back to that same college to get a degree in nursing. Because her first degreewas health related (I believe she has hers in medical transciption, but she had to take a&p and stuff too), she cannot get federal grants- more than 50% of her credits from the previous degree would transfer to nursing, and you cant do that (so I'm told).
And I should mention that I had over 100 credit hours when I started at my ADN program.
It's very frustrating because there is so much different information out there. The school says the govt makes the rule, but the govt says they don't have a rule like that. Bah!
MB37
1,714 Posts
You can get more federal loans unless you have already borrowed the maximum regardless of how many degrees you have (so far as I know, at least). It's the grants that they make you ineligible for. If you are going for an ASN I would not apply for a general associate's b/c you will be ineligible for federal Pell grants while working on a second associate's degree. If you're going to BSN school, the grants become available again b/s you are working on a higher degree. I have a previous bachelor's, which I paid for with a full academic scholarship provided privately by my university. This makes me ineligible for Pell grants for BSN school, even though all I got from the gov't was a $2500 loan. If I go to get a Master's, I assume more aid becomes available (haven't researched this yet). That's basically how it works though. They won't give you a grant to earn a second degree at the same level. They might not give you one anyways though, depending on how much your EFC is...