Struggling with Starting School....

Ladypie · Jul 8, 2007

Wow, I can't imagine paying that much more for a degree! Is there any way you could go to El Centro and pace yourself faster, so it's more like the DNI program? I am not familiar with either program, but is the DNI one an accelerated one? Are they are both for an LPN degree?

How old is your daughter? Community colleges usually have daycare and preschool on campus. Maybe you can qualify for some assistance with that? Have you filled out the FAFSA? With a $12/hr job, and being a single parent, I think you might qualify for something. (I know you said you don't qualify for assistance, but maybe you just meant gov't assistance like food stamps, and not education assistance.)

I feel your frustration about not having family or anyone to help out. It is hard. I have a husband that I can call when I am too sick to handle the kids, and he generally can come home and relieve me. I recall being so sick that I didn't think I could go another minute without help. It is scary to think of what could happen to the kids. I am sorry you have to deal with that.

My only other idea is to maybe try to touch base with other students who might be in a similar situation as yourself. I know it is hard to make friends like that, but maybe you can post on a bulletin board or something. Maybe swap childcare? I don't know, I am really just grasping at straws here.

Good luck, and I hope you can find some help and answers for what you should do.

coolpeach · Jul 9, 2007

I live in Dallas also, but I am applying to Brookhavens ADN program. I looked up the Dallas nurse institute, and they ONLY offer the LVN program so I am assuming thats what you want to take at El Centro also. The ADN program at El Centro is 2 yrs, but the LVN is only a year so they are the same time frame, but I am not sure how many days you must go a week.

I understand what your saying about it being scary. I have family support, but not always in every way I need. I have 3 children, and I am their primary caretaker, driver, homework helper etc. When they get sick its me who must take off, and get them to a doctor. A couple of months ago I had day surgury and like you I drove myself to, and from, and then came home to make dinner. I do have some financial support from my family which helps. In addition, I did take out loans which I don't like, but in the end it will pay off.

I try to stay healthy, and keep the kids healthy. We take our vitamins, and drink our milk. There have been times that my child was somewhat sick, and I went to take my test, and took him to the doctor the next day. I broke my foot and they put a big cast on it. It was my driving foot, and I couldn't drive the car with it on. I tried driving with the other foot, but the big cast got in the way. I finally sawed it off, and it healed just fine on its own. I pray a lot, stress a lot, but in the end I will be a nurse like I have always wanted to be.

Some of the best things are the things we worked hardest for. Only you can know for sure if its best for you and your family. Before I started I sat them down and we talked about it. My kids know how important it is to me. They also want the extra income, and security it will provide us. They have been willing to sacrifice for it. They also know that I will never forget that they were willing to do that for us. Even though all my oldest sons friends parents pay for their kids to have cell phones, and I can't afford to pay for him to have one he is understanding. He knows when I am a nurse I will help him while he is in college, and help him get his first place of his own. My youngest understands that he may not have 100% of my time right now, but when I am a nurse we can take yearly vacations, and maybe even try the travel nursing for a while.

If its something that you have always wanted to do I bet your kids will support you too.

next · Jul 9, 2007

I had to reply simply because my heart goes out to you. Making this decision is HUGE as you can read from all the other posts. I am a mother of a 1yo girl and my husband just finally started working a steady job after almost a year. Choosing a program is keeping me up at night and I am struggling to get a handle on what pre-reqs I need, etc.

Your two choices are vastly different in pricing. Is the DNI an LPN program? For that money, it seems you should be an RN making a lot more than $15 hour when you are done.

As an outsider, you seem to be so torn maybe because the El Centro makes more sense. Just a thought.

But, I wanted you to know that I, too, am struggling and that you are not alone in that. This website is really helping me. I feel like this decision to pursue nursing is pulling at me for a reason and it is something that will I have to do even if it doesn't make sense financially or any other way! Follow what your heart tells you without keeping your mind up all night!

I wish you luck with your decision and your journey! Hope to read of your pursuit in later posts!:)

Mommycakers · Jul 9, 2007

I recently made the decision to start Dallas Nursing Institute in the fall and I'm having a really, really hard time with this. DNI is a proprietary (private, for profit) 'school' with a total cost of 18,500.00 to include tuition, books, even vaccinations...EVERYTHING.
El Centro college, which has a really good program has a total cost for an LPN program at just over 3,000.00.
I decided to go to DNI because it's three days a week for a total of 16 months, part-time. El Centro would take me two and a half years or so to get through, as it's self paced.
My problem is that I have no family support, no friends..nothing. I've tried church and I just have a really, really hard time with getting close to people. I'm scared I guess. So it's just my daughter and I and I realize I have to take steps to better my life. After DNI, I'd start out making maybe 15.00 or so an hour which is only a couple bucks more than the 12.00 I make right now, and I'm terrified at the thought of paying back 18000.00 in student loans. I receive NO HELP whatsoever, and qualify for nothing with respect to food stamps or other low-income assistance.
El Centro is cheaper, but I struggle HARD CORE and often have to work extra jobs to make ends meet..even with spending as little money as possible.
I guess the bottom line is that I'm tired, alone and am not sure if I can do this. I get child support every once in awhile, but struggle financially pretty bad..like most people I suppose.
I really don't have anyone to turn to for anything. If I get sick, I still have to get up and move, fever or not. There is no one for me to call for help. I had surgery last year I had to pay for out of pocket, and afterwards had to go pick my daughter up from daycare and keep going; still messed up on morphine. I don't have the option of calling a family member for help when my vehicle breaks down or if I want a break or am struggling with something.
Throwing school on top of all of this is scary.
The centrality of who I am has always been helping others. It's not a choice for me. I know what it's like to need to know that somebody else cares and that I'm not alone, and want to give to everyone what I never had. I love everyone, deeply...and learned quickly that I was made for nursing after doing home health for a little while. But I get so tired, and I just barely get by as it is.
Is going to school a bad idea? Is anybody else struggling?

I think you should be very proud of yourself for raising your daughter and trying to educate yourself to secure a better future for you and your daughter. You are on the right track but you need a support system. There are people out there that would help you I am sure if they knew you needed help. A lot people you are trying to connect with at church for example may not know you need help because you are maybe not opening up to them.

I am not sure if this will help but I found a link for a community program in the Dallas area. http://www.dallascityhall.com/ehs/child_services.html They offer assistance for childcare for fulltime students. Check out the site to see if they have any services that could be of help to you. If this community program is not located near where you live you can call this program and I am sure they can refer you to one in your area. Since you are working and raising your daughter alone I am sure you would qualify for some sort of assistance. Don't lose hope, you are your daughter's role model. You can do anything you set your mind to. Best of luck to you.

shippoRN · Jul 9, 2007

My heart goes out to you...

can you consider an ADN program?

ZooMommyRN, ADN, RN · Jul 9, 2007

OMG! My jaw just hit the floor at that price tag, for LPN? I don't even think my ADN wil have cost that much! I think when all said & done I won't even even hit 10,000 and I've taken alot of extra classes to use later down the road for my RN-MSN there has to be other options than just those 2 schools in your area, wowo that's a hefty price tag

1soon2brn, RN · Dec 28, 2007

You are not alone and I'm glad you're deciding on continuing your education and furthering your career. This is a great thing to do. I just hope that you wont stop there and also complete the transition to become a rn. I'm also attending DNI in march. A lot of people whom I told that I was going to dallas were like why and why so far. But there's no wait list and no prereqs. I have no blood line family also for support only an extended family that I have made my own. But I wish you all the best of luck:nurse:

will18 · Dec 29, 2007

I commend you for everything your doing. I don't have kids or live in dallas, but it seems like with your low-income that you should recieve alot from financial aid. I live in a low-income area and i recieve over 8,000 from financial aid in grants. I think maybe you should take the longer route with seeing from how much you get from financial aid, and you should get a lot. Also, the more years you are in school, the money you get increases from the government. Also, if you qualify for the pell grant, you can receive it until you get a bachelors degree. Also, a help with filling out the fafsa, you should apply as early as possible in the new year after jan.1. all you need is your last pay check stub from the previous year to fill it out.

I wish you the best with hopes of becoming a nurse. I suggest you really talk to a financial aid counselor at your school with getting the most money from the government.

good luck and god bless