Why Are So Many Students Worried About Expensive Tuition

EarthChild1130 · Jun 10, 2009

I graduated in 2005 with $40,000 in total debt from a Bachelor's in Nursing and what was left over from my Bachelor's in English...and I'm STILL paying it off...and even though my job description says 'this job pays $3700 per month', I only bring home about $2800 after taxes...that doesn't go very far...I started out making about $300 a month less than the hospital nurses (I work outpatient mental health) but I have gotten raises over the past 2 years...and I adore the job, my co-workers, and my patients...I have NO idea when I'll get that loan paid off though...:uhoh21:

This is sorta off topic, but someone else's Hyundai analogy made me think of it...I bought a BRAND NEW Hyundai Santa Fe in 2003...my best friend bought a Chevy Tahoe...she paid a LOT more than I would've paid for any automobile...we each got what we wanted, and in the end they do basically the same thing (go from point A to point B)...but her payments are a LOT more than mine!

is5512 · Jun 10, 2009

Too many sensible (and a couple of downright hot-headed) posts for me to argue with. But there are a few points I'd like to suggest:

1) Sometimes private insitutions are like Chevys: The price on the sticker ain't the price you'll wind up paying. I'm not suggesting you can haggle with the Admissions & Finance Offices (although I'd love to hear stories of people who'd tried ). But sometimes these private schools are so well endowed that the price they charge gets paid down by the scholarships they can get you. And quite often prospective students get scared off before they see the final numbers.

2) I started at a community college. Because I am flat, dead, got-nothin'-broke, I'd basically get a free-ride all the way thru Nursing school. But I'd be trying to climb over the maimed and broken bodies of classmates I'd competed with to get the slot. This fall, I'll transfer to a private school that charges 6-times per credit hour what the community college charges, and I'm going to ring up some serious debt. But my community college classmates are shocked at how little I'll have to pay compared to what they Thought I'd have to.

But...my focus for the remainder of the summer will be to learn the material, question, and even go beyond rote recitation/regurgitation of facts and go into understanding the material. No pressure to get the A or be forced to work at Burger King.

3) The attitude of the Nursing program people is shockingly different. At one place, it's, "If you're fit enough, you'll survive. Maybe." At the new place, it's "If you get here, we'll All work together to make sure you survive."

The o-p contained the phrase, "

. If nursing is your passion by any means necessary you should do everything to accomplish your goal...(and)... Is anyone with me on this?

Yeah. I'm with you. Maybe it's because my goal is a bit different from other folks...not that I can judge them.

rngolfer53 · Jun 10, 2009

I never said people arent passionate about nursing if they look at the "financial reality." What I said is if nursing is your passion you would worry about the loans later and do what you have to do to become a nurse. That doesnt make someone not passionate about what they want in life. Some are just willing to make that extra sacrifice, that doesnt make them any less than the other person. I don't understand why people are getting offended and making a lot of sarcastic comments on this thread. I thought this site was made for aspiring nurses, and nurses to come together voice their opinions in a positive way. Some of you are coming across a little too cocky, its not that serious.

Pray tell, what's positive about wagging your iconic finger at those who don't agree with your, I would say very naive, view of how people should conduct their financial lives?

peytonsmom · Jun 10, 2009

Some of us didn't have to buy our way into nursing school.

Where I live the difference between waiting list at the two community colleges vs the waiting list at the private school is 3 years vs no wait at all if you have the grades.

I have a 4.0 in all of my pre-reqs and would have to wait all those years on the wait list behind all of those 2.5-ers because you get a spot based on your # on the list and nothing else.

So if going to a private school where they take my WORK and my GRADES into consideration is "buying my way into nursing school" then I'll gladly admit to it.

roser13, ASN, RN · Jun 10, 2009

That's great, peytonsmom. I am very happy that you have the option of attending the private school. I think what most of us have reacted to (in this thread) is the very prickly issue of being able to afford a private school. Not everyone can, and those who can't, don't really care to have an assertion out there that we're not doing everything we can to become a nurse. I.e., we're not passionate enough. Community school nursing students can be just as passionate about their chosen career as anyone else! Witness the strong feelings on this thread!

Good luck to you and congrats on your good grades that got you into a good school. :yeah:

peytonsmom · Jun 11, 2009

roser - I admit to not reading much more of this thread past that one comment because it fired me up a bit so I didn't see a lot of the other discussions! As a previous grad of a CC and as someone that is currently attending a CC to knock out my pre-reqs ITA w/ you that attending a CC in no way means that you're not passonate to become a nurse, it just means your being financially responsible!

ibme · Jun 12, 2009

Maybe two years ago I would agree but now many facilities no longer reimburse and you are lucky to even get a job as a new grad. look around this site to see what i mean. Nursing shortage? Please.

I am a new grad and this is VERY true! :madface:

SmilesNoir · Jun 12, 2009

Borrow responsibly.. Know the difference federal vs private loans.. private dont give a *bleep* about ur situation. they want their monies..

as for me, the cost is too much of a risk (privately). I can work and pay or have a govt sponsor for public ed.

khiasdestiny · Jun 12, 2009

Yeah. I'm with you. Maybe it's because my goal is a bit different from other folks...not that I can judge them.

Thank you I feel the same way, I think some of the readers thought I meant if you go to a comm. college then your not making the sacrifice. That is definitely not the intended message. If the comm. college has a waiting list of 2 yrs and the private school accepts you right away then why turn down the private school to wait 2 yrs for the comm. college? That is what i meant. Some are more fortunate than others to get accepted right away to the comm college, i'm not saying anything negative about that, I have lots of friends who went to community colleges, i even started in a community college. I apologize if I offended anyone or made this thread seem as if i was degrading you for not attending a private college. That was not my intentions.

is5512 · Jun 12, 2009

I'm actually at a community college now, and I feel sorry for my classmates. They're struggling for Every Single Point they can get in each class in hopes that maybe someday the Might get a slot, and they argue with profs. I show up interested (sometimes; see below) in getting learning.

I really should disclose that I'm switching to a private school for another reason: I'm Christian, and I find a significant part of what I'm being taught in psych, sociology and even English (we've already watched 2 movies in the latter. One was Waiting To Exhale and the other was on Warhol) is pure bull-excrement. Hopefully the Good Sisters at St. Francis won't subject Nursing students to what is only good for roses. It'll be worth the money to go there.

mamaames · Jun 12, 2009

Hi,

This can be a touchy area. My situation was that I wanted to start nursing school as soon as possible, and where I live the public school programs were all wait-listed. I happened to apply to a more expensive private school, and I got in, so I got the loans to go. I would not recommend this to anyone, but for me it was more important to just get started and I was willing to take the risk. I would say that quite a few people in my class felt the same way. Knowing that nursing pays well, and that I WILL eventually be able to pay it off was alright with me. But I see that not everyone would be willing to take that chance. However, on a side note - I think I lucked out as my school has a very solid reputation in the area, and I feel that I did get a quality education there. And I think employers recognize that when they see my resume.

There are many paths to nursing school - everyone has to find the one that suits them.

Just wanted to share!

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Jun 13, 2009

Thank you I feel the same way, I think some of the readers thought I meant if you go to a comm. college then your not making the sacrifice. That is definitely not the intended message. If the comm. college has a waiting list of 2 yrs and the private school accepts you right away then why turn down the private school to wait 2 yrs for the comm. college? That is what i meant. Some are more fortunate than others to get accepted right away to the comm college, i'm not saying anything negative about that, I have lots of friends who went to community colleges, i even started in a community college. I apologize if I offended anyone or made this thread seem as if i was degrading you for not attending a private college. That was not my intentions.

I think you still don't understand where a lot of us are coming from. A lot of people simply don't have the option of attending a private school. Just going to the community college IS the "sacrifice" that you speak of.

Even if you can conceivably swing the cost of a private school, opting to go to CC for practical reasons (who knows what your circumstances are going to be by the time you graduate and have to start paying off those loans?), is a completely legitimate decision and those who make such a choice don't deserve to be judged for it.

And as long as we ARE talking about sacrifices, isn't a 2-year waiting list enough of one?

I still don't know why this was even an issue for you in the first place. It doesn't matter.