Wait to pursue Bachlors degree or go for it now..

[rholman]

It's funny how when I started this journey I couldn't wait to get to the point where I could apply to Nursing school. I have 6 more weeks of classes and I am done with pre-reqs.

I attended a nursing info session at my community college to get the application to apply for the AD program for spring of 2011 and I was very surprised at how they have changed their program.I will try to get to the point as quickly as possible, heres a little background info:

My school offers what they call a concurrent program where they have partnered with the local university. If you have completed all of your pre-reqs for an AA degree, you can apply to the concurrent program at the same time that you apply for the ADN program. If accepted, you will do 1 extra semester in NS and graduate with your bachlors instead of the Associates.

In the past, the CC usually set aside 20 seats for the concurrent program out of 100 for the entire nursing program. The college has now decided that they are setting aside 55 seats for the concurrent program and 45 seats for the ADN program and will probably increase it to 70% cocurrent program in the near future. Initially, I was a little angry because this is a community college, why would they dedicate more seats for a bachlors program. That's what a University is for, now there are less seats to compete for in the Associates program. I didn't think it was fair.

Anyway, I started to think.... this may be a good thing, what if I did the following:

1 I have 10 more classes to complete to be eligible to apply - the usual gen ed classes for AA

2. If I go full time Fall 2010 and spring 2011 and classes in the summer then I can apply to the concurrent program Fall of 2011.

3. Its more cost effective because the per credit cost is for the CC and not a University

4. I receive Finacial aid, why not continue to use it for the remaining classes I have left. If I have to take a loan for NS, Again, its cheaper at the CC than the University.

5. I was going to pursue my bachlors degree anyway after I started working as a RN and this would save me a lot of time.

I was thinking to still apply for the ADN program for spring 2011 but honestly the bachlor program is sounding better to me instead. I have time to make a decision but just kicking around some thoughts. It's unbelievable how I was so wired up to finish these pre-req courses to get into NS as soon as possible. Now that I am there, I am thinking about putting it off for another year.

[llg, PhD, RN]

If you can do the BSN program "now," I would recommend it for all the reasons you mentioned above. A lot of ADN grads plan on "going back to school someday," but find it difficult to do once they start working as a nurse, having a family, etc. Their lives move in a direction away from school and they find it hard to pick it up later.

Also, the delay in your graduation may not be such a bad thing. That delay will give the new grad job market a longer and better chance of improving for you. New grads are having a very hard time finding jobs today. While everyone expects the job situation to improve eventually, it's probably not going to happen overnight. Delaying your graduation and getting the BSN might allow you to avoid unemployment as a new grad. You would give the job market more time to recover and also be graduation with a higher level credential.

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

Most people debating between an ADN and a BSN do so purely for financial reasons, but it sounds like you have the opportunity to get the BSN done now, and I say you should go for it. I think there will be an advantage to staying out of the nursing job market a little longer so as to give the economy a chance to somewhat rebound positively. Besides, the BSN seems to be increasingly considered as the entry standard of an RN by many hospitals. I myself recently chose to delay starting nursing school by one more year just to keep working ... that's OK, I will just tack on an extra year to the time I planned to be working