Hi everyone, I need some advice. I am 24 years old and have an undergraduate degree already and have about $20,000 in student loans. My parents paid for the rest. I just applied to an accelerated nursing program for a January start (MGH in Boston). The cost of this program is over $50,000 and on top of that the cost of an apartment would be around $950 a month.
I am a NY state resident so I am also applying to Stony Brook and SUNY Downstate for summer/fall start, along with some other programs. The in state tuition for these schools is extremely low and my parents would most likely pay for most of it. The cost of living wouldn't be a problem either since the tuition would be low. My problem is that my undergrad GPA is not great (3.1 ish but with a bunch of C's on my transcript in classes not related to nursing.. I have almost a 4.0 in prerequisites) so i'm not sure which programs I will gain acceptance to.
So my question is this- IF I do get accepted to MGHIHP for a January start, should I just accept it and deal with the student loans. I would be done in 14 months and would be a nurse before I turn 26. Or should I wait and apply to cheaper schools and risk not getting accepted and possibly putting off my education even further. I would also like to be a family nurse practitioner by the time I am in my early 30's so time is also a factor. Advice please!!!
Hi lmnop9999 - Sorry for the very late response, I'm just seeing this now.
I also deferred MGH to summer (May 2016). I doubt I will be going there however. I've since applied to UMASS Boston (I had a prereq in process last year so could not apply) and have attended their info session. Their program is 25k (not including books, uniforms - just tuition).
I think you can only defer once for MGH, but I could be wrong. I only deferred to see if I get any scholarship money this time around. I'd definitely recommend looking into state schools near you and try to save up money for living expenses for as many 'in school' months as possible.
I'm guessing you're about my age (25) - so we are still young! It is hard but I've met many people in their 40s who are in nursing school...so putting something off for a few years is worth it for peace of mind. I also had the goal of getting my MSN before 30 but after talking with a lot of people I work with RNs and NPs I'm not set on it anymore. I may change my mind and do part time school in the future to be an NP but from what I'm hearing where I work many nurses who stay in the same institution for years end up making just as much and in many cases more than the NPs. Not sure if this is valid but it is what I've been told.
Also, I just want to say that 1500/month for living in Boston is a little high. I pay 625$ for rent and that is because it is just me and my fiance. When I lived with two roomates I paid in the 400s. Utilities at most are 75$ a month. An unlimited T pass is about 80$, if you have a car perhaps insurance would be about the same and then factor in gas etc.
625 - rent
100 - utilities (being generous)
50 - phone bill
200 - food (estimate)
50 - internet only (use an antenna to get basic channels, watch Hulu/Netflix)
I could be forgetting other bills people may have, but above comes to less than 1k a month, and I don't split these with my fiance. You may not be able to live in Back Bay or right next door to a T stop, but it is possible to live in and around Boston. Student loans are deferred while you are in school, but those could also be factored in...
Hi lmnop9999, I know this is late but I just came across your post and it really resonated with my current situation. As of now I am planning to attend MGH in May for the ABSN program. The burden and commitment of taking out such a hefty private loan to pay for the COA is starting to weigh on me. I was curious what you ended up doing and how things are going if you didn't mind sharing. Thanks!
SKay226
254 Posts
Hi lmnop9999 - Sorry for the very late response, I'm just seeing this now.
I also deferred MGH to summer (May 2016). I doubt I will be going there however. I've since applied to UMASS Boston (I had a prereq in process last year so could not apply) and have attended their info session. Their program is 25k (not including books, uniforms - just tuition).
I think you can only defer once for MGH, but I could be wrong. I only deferred to see if I get any scholarship money this time around. I'd definitely recommend looking into state schools near you and try to save up money for living expenses for as many 'in school' months as possible.
I'm guessing you're about my age (25) - so we are still young! It is hard but I've met many people in their 40s who are in nursing school...so putting something off for a few years is worth it for peace of mind. I also had the goal of getting my MSN before 30 but after talking with a lot of people I work with RNs and NPs I'm not set on it anymore. I may change my mind and do part time school in the future to be an NP but from what I'm hearing where I work many nurses who stay in the same institution for years end up making just as much and in many cases more than the NPs. Not sure if this is valid but it is what I've been told.
Have you applied to any more schools?