UGH

I usually say bite the bullet and go straight for BSN.

Thanks for the advice :) I'm just worried cause it's more time I won't be working. I'm 24 now and screwed around with my first few years of college before deciding on nursing (which has always been in the back of my mind). I do want my BSN but I wonder if I should go the ADN-BSN route...

Only you can make whatever decision you decide on. As for me, I'm going for the ADN first so that I can start working as soon as possible, then I can concentrate on my BSN while I'm gaining experience.

I think it depends where you love. Are ADN's getting jobs? If you're in a state like California, go get a bsn. It will make you more competitive when looking for a job. One year is a short amount of time in retrospect. Good luck.

Thank you both for your replies! The postings on the employment site at the largest hospital in the area say that some jobs are BSN preferred... But not required.

Hi Sarah!

Keep on truckin' and keep your eye on the prize :)

I would go straight for a BSN. When you graduate and are working as a new nurse, you WILL feel overwhelmed. Not a great time to return to school and work on a BSN.

Make sure you take the correct pre-reqs for a BSN.. they can differ from those required at the Associate's level. Then you will be covered either way :)

Good Luck!

Thank you! Thankfully the prereqs are mostly the same, I just have to take statistics which is the only difference (and electives but I've got that covered). I'm applying to both ADN and BSN, my only issue with the BSN program, is that it's not within driving distance to my house, which means I'd have to move and add the stress of paying rent (I am lucky to be living with my mom again while I pursue school). If I didn't live in such a snowy area I wouldn't have a problem with a longer commute :/

Thank you! Thankfully the prereqs are mostly the same, I just have to take statistics which is the only difference (and electives but I've got that covered). I'm applying to both ADN and BSN, my only issue with the BSN program, is that it's not within driving distance to my house, which means I'd have to move and add the stress of paying rent (I am lucky to be living with my mom again while I pursue school). If I didn't live in such a snowy area I wouldn't have a problem with a longer commute :/

That is too bad about the long commute. Moving doesn't sound like a good option to you; I would think you should go for the ADN, you can always go back for your BSN, and this does not have to happen RIGHT AFTER you graduate.

Hoping the economy has improved when you graduate! It's difficult for most ADN/BSN new grads to find jobs right away.

Good Luck!!

Thank you! Yeah, the only within driving distance is an ADN and an LPN. Grrrr. Thank you again :)

One thing to keep in mind is that even though many job postings say BSN preferred, the reality is that the facility might actually very rarely hire ADN.

Honestly, if you have most or all of the pre requisites for BSN abd ADN, they would probably end up taking the same amount of time. a BSN is known as a 4 year degree while an ADN is known as a 2 year, but in maby cases this is talking about credit requirements, not length of the nursing program. For example, many BSN prepared nurses enter into their program in their junior year of college. They then have two years if nursing. ADN ir AAS students often also spend 2 years in the nursing program.

If you have most of your gen ed classes, I think that it would make sense to go straight BSN. I understand this may not be possible due to location if the school, but in other respects, I think it's the quicker route

I agree and thank you :) I'm applying to both so if I do get into the BSN program I'll cross that bridge when I get there :/ maybe I can figure something out... It would just be nice if I didn't have to hahaha

I totally understand losing steam. For 5 straight semesters (including one summer), I went HARD -- studying all the time, letting everything fall to the wayside. I wanted the highest grades I could get to make my GPA the highest it could be in order to make my nursing school application more attractive. By the middle of my 5th semester (which would be this past spring), I was seriously burning out. My overall grades stayed high, but my test grades started to fall a little. My family saw changes in my attitude. I really was on the fast track to full burnout. Because of that, once I was accepted into my nursing program, my husband DEMANDED I take the summer off. Part of me wanted to register for summer classes in order to stay in a school frame of mind and for the financial aid money, but the other part of me saw and fully understood his reasoning. In the end, I did take the summer off. My husband and I both know that once I start the program, there will be no leisure, so I knew this was my opportunity to sleep in and to spend time with my family.

I don't regret the way I did my prereqs because it all paid off. I'm proud of what I've accomplished thus far and I start my program next month. My advice would be to keep in mind you're losing steam because you're making sacrifices, and to keep in mind exactly why you're making those sacrifices. That little reminder might help get your head back in it and may even bring about a second wind.

Good luck!