Should I just suck it up and take out loans for a private school?

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4 years ago I was going to start nursing school but never followed through due to a promotion to management I got at my job. Now I want to go again but do not like what I am reading concerning how competitive the programs are and how hard it is to get in. So.... should I just go for it and take out $60000+ in loans just to fast track my career? The school I want to attend is RCTC in Rochester MN but the way it sounds is that you first get your LPN while taking your gen eds and pre reqs and only then can you apply for the program, not even a guarentee to get in. How about this chamberlain joint? I hear its pricey, but do people get in quickly? Of course, this is assuming I would even be able to get a loan with my awful credit.... what is the general credit score needed to receive a loan? Sorry about the multiple question thread. I'm just so sick of being a truck driver and want to get into the nursing field like I should have four years ago... ahhh well... you live and learn. Oh btw, I'm Kyle and I'm new here, thanks for your help!!!

Specializes in Public Health.

yes...that was exactly my point! Private schools should be the absolute last resort. With grants my schooling is absolutely free and they pay for my books too...my boyfriends mother is trying to go to NS too but she doesnt want to go Public because she thinks she's too old to go that route. But shes gonna do what she wants...i just don't want her stuck with all those loans bc if something happens and she has to drop out..those loans stick with you no matter what.

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slinky- I assume you go or went to CSN? That is where I am going!

And total, ADN is 4 years. 2 years for all the prereqs and then 2 years just NS, here at CSN anyway. I thought about doing the private school thing because it's easier to get in, but the ones I looked into seemed shadey. Like I said, I go to a CC and will most likely have to take out loans. Not 60k, mind you, but some, to help pay for my tuition, supplies and daycare. This is our last resort as I no longer qualify for financial aid. You have to do what you have to do, just make sure you check out ALL the options. Good luck!

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Specializes in Public Health.

yep just turned in my app for spr 12 and i have 31 pts so im pretty sure im getting in! YAY!

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Specializes in CNA.

I really believe that everybody need to do what they have to do to reach goals. So if you have to take out a loan do it. Me personal The cuny Schools in Ny is very competitive because they offer education at low cost. There nursing programs are pretty hard to get into and you have to study and bust your butt to get in. (which I am currently doing). There are many students who don't want to be bothered with getting rejected by the cuny programs so they choose to go to private schools such as LIU, Adelphi, and monroe, etc and get charged high tuition. However it they get into the nursing program with their eyes closed. And graduate and pass the nclex. Honestly i personally am trying to go the loan free route but I want to be a nurse so i would pay 35,000 a year to make it happen if i had to.

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That is what is BS!!! The fact that public schools have only certain colleges that they'll except pre reqs and gen eds from. Pardon me for being arrogant, but if I take; oh let's say, AP I from an accredited public school in no-mans-land Arkansas: there is a possibility it won't transfer to "the ultimate epic school of the nursing art and sciences" in who-knows-where Minnesota. It just really sucks to know I have to choose and commit to one university no matter how long the wait. Am I alone in thinking gen eds and pre reqs should be univesaly transferable as long as they're from an accredited institution? Btw I'm a 22 year old male that is already having a mid life crisis thinking that graduating at 27-28 is already too late to start a life...

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I don't think it is not necessarily the location of the school in which you took prerequisite courses, but the content. For instance, in the community college where I completed my prerequisites one could take either A&P I/II or Human Biology I/II; however, only the former transferred to a four-year school. Moreover, some community colleges ( and junior colleges as well) have matriculation agreements with four-year schools due to the familiarity with the breadth and depth of the courses.

While I do agree with you that a prerequisite course from an accredited community college should transfer without a problem one must remember that schools are for-profit institutions...they aren't providing educational services for altruistic reasons.

The smart play is once you have found a BSN program that you are interested in applying; have them evaluate your transcripts from your community college to find out which classes they will accept and those they will not. I believe the service is free and it takes about a week.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

SupremeKizzle: It is insane that all of the schools are really picky. This is the reason why I am taking my prereqs thru the local community college, because I will have the option to attend private, public cc or public CSU (cal state).

I could, however, have paid a lot more money to complete my prereqs thru other schools and then had limited options to choose from for nursing schools to apply to. But I could have had them completed 1-2 years sooner.

I also could have gotten into nursing school without a wait list.

But, for me, right now, cheap is fine.

And, since I have children, I believe that part time school is better for me, until I get to nursing school. then, I'll have to go FT.

There is a lot of "discrimination" against colleges by colleges.

Take for example, the Colorado Community College system, which is accredited properly. The state university and community college and UC's make you sign the application promising that you didn't take the science prereqs online. Now, if the content wasn't alright with the accrediting body, the course wouldn't be accredited. Some online classes are offered by public institutions in other states and there is no notation on the transcript because on campus students have a choice of online or on campus.

One state university admissions rep told me that wet labs are critical to success and kitchen labs (where you disect at home) don't make safe nurses, which is why they don't allow online sciences.

The problem with this mindset is that in my A&P, at the JC we never had a wet lab! Not once.

I personally think that the public schools like being the only option. They don't care about the fact that the class times make it almost impossible for working students to go, nor do they care that there aren't enough classes available to accomodate the need.

I've taken basic gen ed classes thru a not for profit school (WGU) that was accredited and the counselor's first told me that my classes don't count. Another counselor had to tell him that the school is accredited by the same body that accredits Colorado State.

So, I think it's an elitist/snobby/"keep education for the elite" mentality that is at the root.

But, I'll play the game with them.

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