What to do...WHAT TO DO?!?! Please help!!!

I think that there seems to be a variety of factors that you need to consider when you make your choice. First, consider your age. If you are still young, it isn't that big of a deal to wait a year or two. Still, is there a guarantee that you'll be accepted? Also, if you did move away, would you be close to your home, because it is a big step to go out on your own, especially if you don't have a support group nearby. Some do better with it than others, but some need support around (it never hurts). Personally, I would go ahead and get it over with. I'm getting ready to graduate with an Associates in Nursing, (I already have two associates degrees), and sometimes I look back and wish I would have started earlier when I was accepted into a more expensive program, but I decided to go the cheaper route. Still, there are benefits to waiting. You can have all your pre-reqs out of the way, you can get additional education that may help you with nursing, and you can explore other career options. If nursing is your passion though, and you want to start your life, go ahead and get it over with. It may be a bad town, but all towns have there ups and down. I would worry about crime rates and such, especially if you're going to be living on your own. If you know anybody that is also going to school there, you may want to consider splitting the bill on living expenses.

Like I said, if you don't go ahead and get it over with, you may look back and wish that you would have, because as they say, "life happens." You could get hurt, fall in love and get married, or anything in two years. I know the last two years of my life have been two of the most educational, as well as most disappointing, in my life. My advice is to apply to all the programs, and see which works out best for you. As mentioned before, I say go for it now, get it over with, and then you may be able to start working somewhere that will help pay off your loans, or help with further education. The average student is easily in debt $20,000 dollars for a four year education, and most four year degree entry level jobs don't pay as much as nursing. It wouldn't be that bad, and school loans are usually low interest. School loans can actually help your credit in the long run also, so I say GO FOR IT now. Just try to get in to where you're not always alone and you have support.:)

Ok...i need MAJOR help...I am currently a freshman at Bowling Green state university in ohio. I have decided that I want to go get my associates in nursing and be a nurse. My problem is where exactly to go to school. I have two options. The town i'm from has a tech school where you can acheieve your associates, but there is an almost 2 year wait. From already going to a univeristy, I have most of my pre-req's done besides A&P and Microbio. I can finish these and have the possible chance of getting into the program..but only a CHANCE. I could possibly have to wait 3 years. But searching around, I found a branch of Kent State University that will give an associates, with no wait. But it's not in a very good town. It is in East Liverpool. I"ve drove thru this town before and the part I went thru looked like a run down place that I would never feel safe. I dont want to pass any judgement, because it could have just been the part I was in. On top of tuition though, I would have to get a loan for tuition, rent, expenses, and other miscelaneous items. My question is.. Do i wait three years, pay 4,000 and live with my parents? Or get my dregree in 2 years, be in debt 20,000 and live in a not so good town????

usually sooner is better but i don't really know just how bad the town is where you will be going...i wouldn't advise anyone to put themselves in harms way

but if you can get any kine of scholarship it will reduce the amount loans that you will owe at the end of schooling

also if you go to work two years earlier you will be earning money to apply to loans and you may be able to transfer to the desirable school at a point in time

there are many varibles but yhou are just stepping out into life and only you can say which direction you will go to...good luck i know that you will do well which evr road you choose

I currently live in the Cleveland area and those I have talked with who are interested in an ADN program are also experiencing a long wait. I graduated from the KSU program in ELO many, many, many years ago when EL was a different town than it is now. I liked the program then and later returned to main campus and earned a BSN a few years later. My suggestion is to consider the BSN program where you are now - I believe it is offered thru the Medical College of Toledo - could be wrong.

I currently live in the Cleveland area and those I have talked with who are interested in an ADN program are also experiencing a long wait. I graduated from the KSU program in ELO many, many, many years ago when EL was a different town than it is now. I liked the program then and later returned to main campus and earned a BSN a few years later. My suggestion is to consider the BSN program where you are now - I believe it is offered thru the Medical College of Toledo - could be wrong.

Thanks all for the good advice!! Lucy..did you like ELP? Have you been there recently? I'm pretty sure i'm going to end up going to the KSU branch. I've considered getting my bs here at BG, but i've looked at the curriculum and it is extremely hard. I have a 3.7 so it's not all that bad. It's hard to explain, but i love the human body biology. Anatomy, physiology..I love it all. But here the pre-req's for nursing including almost 10 regular biology classes with tree stuff and pollution and etc..that stuff doesn't interest me..AT ALL..lol..So i'm pretty sure i'm going to end up going to ELP... Does anyone have any pictures of the town or campus? My boyfriend (of a year) lives close to there, and he's going to go take pictures of it on thursday to give me a better idea of the campus till i can visit on april22.

caseyrb that two-year program you are referring to wouldn't be Owens Community College would it? That's my school. I graduated from there in may of last year (hence part of my screen name, 2004rn.) Owens has a darn fine program. If it is any comfort, at this time the wait may be 3 years, but some people will drop out before they even start, some shortly after, there by opening up new seats in the program and shortening your wait. I actually got in (the nursing program) a semester sooner than I was scheduled to. An opening came up, and I was asked if I was interested and I jumped at the chance. That could happen to you as well. It is nice to have someone local on this site. I live about 10 miles from BGSU. Anyway, no matter what you do, best of luck to you. Keep us posted.

Bgsu students do their clinicals at MCO, (Medical College of Ohio) MCO also offers tuition reimbursement for BSN's. I work at MCO, and checked into it when I started there, and I was told it was offered for BSN's. MCO is a pretty descent hospital to work at. We are union, and employed by the state, so we pay into PERS, can retire in 30 years, and the insurance is pretty good too. Have you checked into other area ADN programs? I think UT has one, and Mercy as well. But you have to do what is best for you so again, good luck no matter what you decide.

caseyrb... this is a little late, I know, but thought I might help. I am a BGSU grad with my BSN and went about it the long way. 2 years at BG, applied to MCO, did not get in. Back then ( in 1993) you about needed a 4.0 to get accepted to the program. I transferred to Mercy here in Toledo, got my ADN in 96 and finished my BSN through MCO last December ( 2003). If you are as young as you are and have the GPA that you do, I would apply to MCO and finish out the program. In the long run, it would be much easier than trying to finish while working, not considering if you get married, have kids, etc ( I have 3, it did not make finishing my BSN easy at all) Those biology classes you talk about taking are neccessary, regardless if you choose to get your ADN or BSN, and are not hard compared to Nursing Classes ( boring and pointless at some points, maybe). That being said, Mercy has a very good ADN program, as well as a BSN program, and as far as I know there is no wait. ( In fact I started Nursing classes there while finishing my Spring semester at BG). Owens has a good program, but there is also a wait. If you would like any more info, I would be happy to help all that I can. hope this helps. Jen

Thanks all for the good advice!! Lucy..did you like ELP? Have you been there recently? I'm pretty sure i'm going to end up going to the KSU branch. I've considered getting my bs here at BG, but i've looked at the curriculum and it is extremely hard. I have a 3.7 so it's not all that bad. It's hard to explain, but i love the human body biology. Anatomy, physiology..I love it all. But here the pre-req's for nursing including almost 10 regular biology classes with tree stuff and pollution and etc..that stuff doesn't interest me..AT ALL..lol..So i'm pretty sure i'm going to end up going to ELP... Does anyone have any pictures of the town or campus? My boyfriend (of a year) lives close to there, and he's going to go take pictures of it on thursday to give me a better idea of the campus till i can visit on april22.

I live in East Liverpool and have lived in this area all of my life. It is not that bad of a town. The reason the town looks like a crap hole is because of economics. This area used to be booming back in the steel mill days and also back in the pottery days. These places have gone out of business and people now mostly travel to Pittsburgh and Youngstown/ Cleveland for jobs. Kent EastLiverpool is a nice little branch. The crime is pretty low compared to that of other places. I feel pretty safe here. Pittsburgh is within one hours drive and Youngstown is within 1 hours drive and Cleveland 2 hours. There isn't much to do here but you don't have to go to far if you want to do something. If you really feel like you hated that bad here then I would not come but I would not totally cross it off your list.

Kristen