Starting Over at 25

[Paula378]

Hi Everyone,

I graduated college last year with a degree in Sociology (took me a little extra time) and now I'm planning on returning to school to become a Certified Nurse Midwife.

My plan is that I'll take 2 years to complete prerequisites and take the GRE at least twice while also working to save money.

Is anyone else starting over? I feel like I'm doing all of this so late because I'm thinking about how long this process will take and then when to have a family, etc. I'll be in my early 30s when I'm done with everything.

Also, the schools I'm looking at for my MSN are all very expensive and I'm wondering how anyone affords it?

I'm glad I got my Sociology degree, I feel like that's what spurned my interest in helping people and becoming a nurse, but I'm pretty nervous about how it's all going to work out.

Basically, I'd like to hear from other people who are going back to nursing school after getting a different degree/later in life. I'd like to hear how it worked out for you.

Thanks!

[S7ud3n7_Nur53]

I am 25 also and made the decision last year to start over and change careers. And when I'm done (hopefully) I'll be thirty, flirty, and thriving lol. Seriously though, it's never too late to change your life! I am so excited to start school and this new journey.

[Paula378]

Yes I was looking into entry level MSN to speed up the process. I want to be a nurse asap lol

[Paula378]

I'll have a math credit and possibly two science credits that will transfer, so that will help with the amount of prereqs somewhat.

I definitely think it was good for me to do some "growing up" before doing nursing school. I have a much better focus now and I have a better idea of what kind of work I want to do. It it just stressful seeing people my age with PhDs, high paying careers, and getting married. But, office work isn't something I want to do forever so that's why I'm trying to get into nursing as soon as I can haha.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply.

[Paula378]

I just wish I was 25 again.

I don't know about other 25 year olds, but for me it's been a very stressful time haha

[ctaylar, RN]

I wasn't starting over, but I have been a stay-at-home parent since I was 19. I started my pre-reqs when I was 27, and was just accepted into nursing school for the fall, at 29. I won't graduate until I'm 31. People start much later, but I was worried in the beginning too.

[shycat]

I will be 25 this year. Almost 26 when/if I get into the nursing class I am planning for. I have had a lot of "false starts" (programs I started, but never completed) with school, as well as regrets. My goal is midwifery as well. I've wanted to be a midwife since I was in high school, but the path for that in Canada is different and independent from nursing. It's its own profession/BHSc program there. I ended up not pursuing it in Canada due to being in a relationship with an American and now I'm in the Southern US getting started on my path to CNM. At this time I don't plan on going directly into a master's program once I complete my BSN (which I do plan on getting soon after my ADN).

[justwanttohelp12]

I'm also part of the quarter century club. I already have a degree like you. I was working on my prereqs one at a time while working full time. It's been two years and I was recently admitted into an ABSN program and a few CC programs. Don't let others tell you that it's not possible!

[EDnurseNY]

I started over! I did my prereqs in a year at age 24, started my ABSN program at age 25, and now I'm 27 and almost a year into my first nursing position. I'm very happy that I switched careers. Also, you'd have a little leg up on some of your co-workers. I'm in a specialty that attracts a lot of new, young nurses, and more than a few people have commented that I appear more mature and more comfortable in life/my own skin than my 21 year old co-workers.

[C0SM0]

I'll be graduating this December with an ADN at the age of 34 and I'm not even close to being the youngest person in my class.

[Samantha Cee, CNA, LVN]

25 was a difficult year for me. So much stressful events happened & I was in the middle of completing a Master's program. I eventually completed it, but finding a job in that field was hard without experience. At 26, I finally decided I wanted to pursue nursing. I took my first pre-req which was Chem. Now at 27, I am (almost) half way through my pre-reqs. I also get discouraged from time to time to think that I will be 30+ years old once I get my career going, but the saying goes, "30s are the new 20s!".

Thanks to this forum, it makes me feel like I am never struggling alone. We're all in this together. #Blessed

[mnieves1]

I'll be 26 in September when I start my first semester of nursing school .. I graduated with an A.A.S in radiography in 2014 & realized that I want more patient care than being an x-ray tech offers so I decided to "start over" also. After orientation with a bunch of 18 & 19 year-olds, I did feel kind of old but nursing is what I see myself doing for the rest of my life so I'm glad I realized it now as opposed to many years from now. Age is most definitely just a number -- I had a pharmacy school intern at my job who was over 50 (with 6 years of school ahead of her), her kids were all out of the house & she was finally able to pursue her dream of being a pharmacist. She is my inspiration. You are never to old to follow your dreams!

[ddeburger, ADN, BSN]

Starting over at 25? Really?