What should I choose?

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I will get about $1200 next month from finacial aid and I'm debating on whether I should become a CNA over the summer, or get my car completely fixed up for when I get into nursing school (waiting on the decision for fall2017)?

I'm 19 years old and I will be moving 3 hours away to attend nursing school at a university. l looked at the clinical listing for the school and they are all about 45 min-3 hours away from the school itself. And my car has a habit of not being reliable and is very expensive to get fixed because it's international and the name.

I tried to sell my car but a lot of the car dealers are only offering $500 for it which is not feasible.

Though I also want to become a CNA so I can work while in nursing school and gain experience.

I asked my mother what should I do but she just said to get my car fixed. But I value Allnurses opinion so that is why I am asking you all. What should I do?

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

I would agree with your mom. That is a huge risk with an unreliable car. Besides it may be possible to challenge the CNA exam after taking Basic Nursing Skills 1 (or whatever your school calls it), where you learn about ADLs. Many of my classmates started working as aides or techs that way

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I would agree with your mom. That is a huge risk with an unreliable car. Besides it may be possible to challenge the CNA exam after taking Basic Nursing Skills 1 (or whatever your school calls it), where you learn about ADLs. Many of my classmates started working as aides or techs that way

Thank you for that information. And I just looked it up and for the state of Illinois and it allows you to challenge the CNA exam after the first semester in an accredited nursing program. So I will just get my car fixed up and wait to become a CNA and do some volunteer work over the summer :)

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Is this a grant (which does not require re-payment) or a loan that you will have to pay back? If it is a loan, what are the interest rate and terms?

Please consider these factors in deciding whether to accept the money at all, and if you do accept it, in determining how and when you will repay it, and what the ultimate cost will be.

For example, if you receive $1500 in loan money this summer, but eventually have to pay back $3000, you might be better off declining the money and finding a less expensive source of cash for car repairs. Many students and new graduates post here looking for advice on how to manage tens of thousands of dollars of debt. Please don't join their ranks if at all possible.

Good luck to you.

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I would get the car fixed too. You cold get fired from a job or have to drop out of school if you don't have reliable transportation. Plus, not all hospitals require formal CNA training.

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Is this a grant (which does not require re-payment) or a loan that you will have to pay back? If it is a loan, what are the interest rate and terms?

Please consider these factors in deciding whether to accept the money at all, and if you do accept it, in determining how and when you will repay it, and what the ultimate cost will be.

For example, if you receive $1500 in loan money this summer, but eventually have to pay back $3000, you might be better off declining the money and finding a less expensive source of cash for car repairs. Many students and new graduates post here looking for advice on how to manage tens of thousands of dollars of debt. Please don't join their ranks if at all possible.

Good luck to you.

Yes it is a loan sadly. And since I don't work due to always having to babysit my little brother (3 months of age), I won't be able to afford car repairs on my own. Neither can my mother who has a lot of medical bills to pay off and cannot afford to put him in daycare. Though it is a subsidized loan and the interest rate is 3.29%-4.29% and doesn't have to be paid back until 6 months after I graduate. I current owe $111 in interest on my loans so far.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Re your clunker car - consider DONATING it to Purple Heart or Vietnam Vets Donor program. Or some other program, as you choose.

I gave mine to a Veterans' group and it was handled so efficiently and painlessly that I would highly recommend it again. They can tell you its worth.

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OP, I thought you were talking about a grant. Even so, given that it is a very low interest rate, much lower than what you could finance a car for otherwise, you might consider selling the car for whatever amount you can get and combining it with the loan money to buy another car that's more reliable. However, you really should consider making payments on your loans while still in school; otherwise you will end up paying just as much as you would if you had financed the car outright, and perhaps more.

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OP, I thought you were talking about a grant. Even so, given that it is a very low interest rate, much lower than what you could finance a car for otherwise, you might consider selling the car for whatever amount you can get and combining it with the loan money to buy another car that's more reliable. However, you really should consider making payments on your loans while still in school; otherwise you will end up paying just as much as you would if you had financed the car outright, and perhaps more.

Thank you for your reply. And hopefully I can start making payments on my interest by March.

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Thank you for your reply. And hopefully I can start making payments on my interest by March.

Whether you buy another car or fix the one you have will depend on whether or not you think you can get your current car fixed well enough to carry you through without any other major repairs. Having said that, the amount of money you have to spend is obviously not going to get you much of a car, so it may be that you are better off with the car that you know. Only you can answer that question.

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I agree with your mom. I would get your car fixed before taking a CNA course. I know that CNA classes here only take about 2 months to fully graduate, depending on your schedule and how often you go to class, but that may be different for your state, some states require longer education than others. So with the course being a "short" amount of time, your mother could drive you to and from the college. But, becoming a CNA, or anything else for that matter requires you to have some mode of reliable transportation. Best of luck!

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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

Is the nursing school in a metropolitan area? Would you have the option of taking a train or bus to clinical sites? Are you living on campus? What about carpooling with other students? A reliable car is important, but if you have other commuting options available, saving on loan payments and interest is a huge consideration.

It also looks like you haven't officially been accepted to nursing school yet and if you are accepted, you plan to start in the fall- so about 7-8 months from now. Why do you need this loan right now? 7 months is a long time to find a temporary job in a restaurant or retail store and save money to fix your car.

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