Where should I go for nursing school?

TC3200 · Nov 26, 2010

I'm a single professional woman, changing careers to nursing. So far as relocating is concerned: Thoroughly investigate the housing availability in that locale before you commit to the RN program. I am going though this hassle now, and may have to jettison the 2-year RN school I have been accepted to, in favor of a local 1-year LPN spot that opened up, just because the housing situation where the RN program is abysmal. And the LPN route, although lesser in every way, keeps more cash in my pocket, which I can apply to 2nd degree RN later while working as LPN.

If you have no pets, you probably will not have a huge problem finding a rental place to live. But if you have more than one pet (I have 3 cats,) and more than one vehicle and don't want street parking, and have nice furniture, and don't want to live in a slum, you might find that you are forced into buying a place to live, because:

1. Many landlords don't really want to rent to single women, if they can find a way to discriminate against you. They have opinions like "If someone tears up the place, I'll never find out who her boyfriend is that did it, and she'll never have the money to pay me to fix it." Also, there's a risk of bogus sexual harassment claims being made by the woman renter. I have had more than one landlord tell me, friend to friend, that's why they don't like women tenants.

2. Not many rentals at all take pets. Even fewer nice rentals take pets. Be prepared to be put on a long wait list for an available rental if you want one that takes pets. Ber prepared to live in an over priced and unsafe slum, if you want to keep your animals with you.

3. The nice townhouse w/ garage properties that rent to people with pets have a minimum income that they will rent to, and here, it seems to be monthly income 2.5 to 3x the monthly rent. There might be a prepay option, like put down 1 month security, an additional month for the pet deposit, prepay 2 months, and before you know it, they've tallied up $5000 - $6000 down, just to let you move in, even if you prove you have the cash in the bank to cover the rent for the duration of the lease.

You will have a far easier time finding a rental if you first find a job there. It's really tough to move without a job, and try to get someone to rent a decent place to you, even if you have the cash. If you have been a homeowner for over 10 years, as I have, you also will not have the current landlord references that they all want, too.

I am really vexed by this chit. I've been trying for over 2 months to get relocated to where I am scheduled start RN in mid-January. I can find apartments, but I can't fit all of my stuff into them, and they won't take pets.

JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2010

What part of the country do you live in now? Where were you thinking of moving? What does your budget look like? Will you need to work in order to pay for school?

I was single until into my 30s and never had trouble finding a rental. If you have a bunch of pets and a bunch of "stuff", you may have trouble. Keep it simple and you'll be way more mobile. Have you taken any pre-requisites or co-requisites for nursing? Community colleges usually have the most cost effective classes.

tothepointeLVN, LVN · Nov 27, 2010

Maybe living on campus might be an option.