When should I apply to nursing school?

Micci · Oct 6, 2005

Gina,

We are almost in exactly the same situation. I have one elementary school kid and 2 preschoolers, am 32 years old and have been a SAHM for 8 years. I also have the same dillema- do I apply this year and pay daycare for 2 next year (my dd will be in K-garten next year but it is 5 days of half days, which is only one day more than the preschool she is doing now) or do I wait until she is in 1st grade and only have one kid to go to daycare. The problem with the schools is they are always giving kids these obscure holidays and teacher inservice days off- so regardless, I will need reliable care that can take the 3 kids here and there. Also, if I go in this year, I will need someone who can get the kids to their respective schools on 3 different schedules. So I know what you are going through. It is a huge dillema.

I think I have found a solution, but there is no guarantee that circumstances will be what they are now, next year. We have moved my MIL in with us. She is going to help me out part time in lieu of her rent, so I can go to work a couple mornings a week as a CNA. If she sticks around next year, we will hire her full time as a nanny, with what she is saving on rent being part of the pay. I think that will work out. If it doesn't, I make a point of talking to other moms at the preschool and getting childcare references. It is not too late to start interviewing childcare prospects. Get about 3 possibilities and keep the ones you do not use as potential backups.

I swear, when I first started taking pre-reqs, I used to lay awake at night going over the childcare dillema- daycare center with bus transport, private person, in home, out of home and then how to pay for it all. I sure wish our college had a nights and weekends schedule.

And BTW, your dh is right, one more year won't make a difference. It will go just as fast as the past 6 have. I wonder sometimes where the last 8 years have gone.

J-9TylerTexas · Oct 7, 2005

Hiyah :)

I'm in the same situation, 32, SAHM for 9yrs, pre-school age child (and a 12 year old baby too!) My 4 year old is actually going to be attending kindergarten next year so it coincides with when I'll finish the BSN pre-req classes. I planned it that way, and it put off what I wanted to do for years. I don't honestly have anything against daycare though, I think they benefit from high quality care and socialization, the activities, etc. For me it was a monetary thing, I didn't want to spend the money on daycare.

You didn't mention if you were finishing up pre-reqs for a ADN or a BSN? My thought for you was if you have done the ADN pre-reqs only, go for a BSN instead (finish all the core curriculum). Many of those courses toward the BSN can be done via distance classes... (aka Mommy is home classes!) My schedule this semester is heavily telecourse because that way I can have a few face to face classes while my son is at pre-school in the mornings, and the rest all independant study. It'd delay you a year but that'd give you the time to get your babies a lil older and you could get a higher degree out of it. Just a thought!

If you've done the whole deal already, BSN pre-reqs and all, I also considered working part time as a CNA for a semester. (I don't have a CNA certificate, I mean I would get one.) Like 2 shifts maximum a week or something in the evenings or weekends when my DH would be home to mind my son. It'd take finding an employer that I could firmly say "I will only work 16 hours a week, maximum" and them understanding they could not push me into any more than that, but I would imagine it's doable for a nursing home that really needs extra staff locally. (Anyone else have that problem? Whenever I've gotten a part time job that was meant to get me out of the house for a few hours a week they've always sucked me in and worked me like a dog far past the hours I ever wanted in the first place! I highly suspect I'd have to be super firm about that in a CNA position!)

Unfortunately the way my actual class schedule is from now til the foreseeable next few years there's literally no time to get the CNA course done (it's like a month long, daytime thing), so when I hit that one draggy semester that's coming up where I'll only be taking two courses, I'm thinking about retaking a few courses from years ago that I got 3.0s in instead of 4.0s to up my overall GPA.

If it were *me* I'd wait, I know that sucks, but you can use the time all to your advantage in some way. Someone else on another thread mentioned they were going to use the extra semester or year waiting time (on the waiting list) to get fluent in Spanish. (I thought that was a good idea 'specially if you're from the south.)

J-9

smile123 · Oct 8, 2005

Here's my dilemma: I am currently taking prereq courses to get into nursing school. I'm a 30yo SAHM to two preschoolers and an elementary school child. I could apply to enter nursing school next fall (and I really want to!) based on fulfillment of prereq classes but I would have to pay for child care for both of my preschoolers. If I wait one more year my 2nd DD will be in kindergarten and I would only have to pay for childcare for my youngest. I feel like I'm not getting any younger and I've already deferred my dreams to stay home with my kids for six years. On the other hand it's much more financially responsible to wait the extra year and cut the childcare expenses in half - plus I've already been a SAHM for six years so what's one more year? DH wants me to wait the extra year but has agreed that if I can find affordable, reliable childcare that I should go ahead and apply. Of course the application deadline is January so I really can't line up childcare 8 months in advance! I know this is rambling so I'm sorry if it doesn't make sense. Ultimately I know I'll have to make the decision that I'm most comfortable with, but I'd love to know what others would/might do in a similar situation.
TIA
Gina

Hi there,

You don't mention what city or state or program you are tyring to get into but there are waiting lists to get into the nursing programs. So even though you stated that you want to start next fall, you may not get in. There is such a nursing impact that some students who have all their pre-reqs done with high GPAs have to wait 2 or 3 semesters to get in! So I would go for next fall, but don't be surprised if you do not get in the first time.

I was in a lottery system and did not get chosen the 2 subsequent quarters! You were given 1 lottery ticket if it was your first time, 2 lottery tickets if it was your 2nd time, etc. There were several students who had 3 or 4 lottery tickets and did not get chosen - so they had been waiting over a year! It was really devastating to them. Something to think about. Good luck!

Smile123

mythreekids · Oct 9, 2005

Thanks for all the replies. It's good to know I'm not the only SAHM/"returning" student out there! As far as waiting lists go, I honestly haven't heard that there's a waiting list for the school I plan on attending. I have a BS in a non-related field and there is an entry level MSN program (where I could get my NP in 2 1/2 years) I could apply for but there IS a waiting list for that one! For now though I just want to be an RN and I'm not even particular about BS or ADN. There are 3 schools locally that I can apply for and after talking to an advisor I don't think I'll have a problem getting into at least one of them! I guess I'm very fortunate in that respect. I've talked to DH more about the childcare dilemma and I have come up with at least one good possibility -asking an old friend who's also a SAHM to watch the kiddos on a schedule that matches my school schedule. I don't know if she'll be interested but at least it's a possibility. For now I think I'll play it by ear - apply to at least one (maybe two) programs and then make a final decision of whether to start next fall based on whether/where I'm accepted.