Seeking Advice from Accelerated BSN Hopefuls

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I earned a BA in 2012 and returned to school this summer to fulfill prerequisite requirements for an accelerated BSN. I am currently enrolled in A&P I and Statistics and I need to take A&P II, Microbiology, Nutrition, and possibly Bioethics. There's a chance I'll be able to enroll in one more class this semester (likely Micro). I'll enroll in the final two or three courses next semester. Has anyone ever completed their prerequisites after earning a bachelor's degree? If so, how long did it take you and when did you finally enter a BSN program?

Also, cost is a big factor for me, so I'm hoping to go somewhere in-state. However, I have researched several programs out-of-state. How do students swing these $40,000+ tabs? Do second-degree nursing students receive financial aid? Is it just a matter of going into debt?

Any advice from people who have gone through this already or are in similar circumstances is welcomed. Thank you very much!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

If you poke around here on AN, you'll find a lot of threads & comments about this issue. Basically, there isn't any tax-supported financial aid for second undergraduate degrees if you don't have any 'special circumstances' that mandate some sort of retraining (e.g., work-related injury/disability). You may be able to find some sort of private scholarships.

The best option is usually student loans from a public (governmental) agency. Avoid private loans at all costs because if you encounter dire straits, there are zero options - unlike governmental loans that have a plethora of different mechanisms to provide some relief. Take the time to explore various types of loan-forgiveness programs associated with public loans. For instance, if you work 10 years in a "Public Service" job (AKA, tax-supported hospital system, health department, school nurse, etc) you can get the remainder of your loan balance forgiven. There is also the option for income-adjusted repayment plans.

I would also advise you to carefully weigh the cost of an accelerated versus generic program. Is the time reduction worth all that extra cost?

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