Wait-listed and Denied. HELP!

[aliciaro]

Nursing has been my only career goal since I was about 10-years old. I can't see myself doing anything else. Unfortunately, getting a seat in a nursing program today is highly competitive! I have a 3.4 cum. GPA and about a 3.2 pre-req GPA...I also have good experience, I'm a CNA, I interned at a hospital, I studied abroad through a program called "Health in Brazil" and I did a few other things to boost my resume. However, I've been wait-listed and denied by several nursing schools, like UB, Brockport, Stonybrook, etc.

I am currently a student at UB, graduating with a B.A. in Health & Human Services in May. So I have been looking for an accelerated nursing program to attend next year and I would like to stay in New York (upstate or city). I heard that the private schools are easier to get into and less competitive, but they are more money. I am worried about having to pay back too much loans in the future!

My other option is to work as a CNA at a nursing home for a year and get in the union, so then they will pay for my tuition...but that would be about another 2-3 years! And I just spent 4 years in college getting a degree that I'm not even interested in using. So, I don't want to spend another 2-3 years tryna get another bachelor's degree.

So, I would like to know if anyone can tell me what my best option is...take out the loans for a private accelerated program or get in the union and have them pay for it?

Also, if I decide to take out the loans, are there any hospitals in NY that pays back nurses' school loans???

Please help or give me some advice! Thank you. :)