You're going to Community College?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

Ok, I'm sure this isn't a new topic. I am just quite frankly surprised at a few reactions I've received. Everyone I've told, that I'm going back to school, is overwhelmingly happy that I'm doing this. A few have surprised me though. They usually follow up with, "the U of --"? I say, "I'm going to -- Community College." First it's a nose crinkle which they immediately try to mask. Then a few have said, "community college?" Which I respond with something like, "it's an excellent way to begin nursing as an RN, then I'll continue and get my BSN at a the U of - and the hospital I work for will pay for it." Depending on the look I may make a comment like "well with tuition costs and my lack of a money tree, it's the only option, and I'm very happy to be doing this!"

I guess I'm a bit surprised. I thought that the community college stigma had lessoned a bit with the reality of tuition costs sky rocketing. I think this attitude may come from the same sort of folks who make fun at people who live in mobile homes. I guess it makes them feel superior, while they provide no alternate option for those who lack the money for what they deem appropriate. So judgemental and not helpful.

As I think about it, even if the tuition cost the same, I would go the ADN route. I don't have the money to get through four years at a university. I think the community colleges work quite well for older students. It's also a smart way to go because I can let my new employer pay my tuition to complete my BSN. The large hospitals here have on site classes that they pay for their ADNs to do to get their BSNs.

Anyway, I've gotten this attitude from my next door neighbor, a BSN psych nurse, my allergist, my aunt, and a cousin. I was just so surprised and caught off guard. My first thought with my older aunt was...if you look down on what I'm doing so much why don't you bankroll me to go all they way and get my NP at the U of --, you do have millions you are sitting on, and you can't take it with you. But I digress. :roll

Enough. How do you deal with this?

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

As long as you are happy who cares what anyone else has to say. If they gladly want to fork over the cash then I am sure you would love to go to U of ??

Best wishes to you and enjoy every minute at your CC! :-)

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

Thank you Jess, you are so sweet. Frankly, I like the CC set up. I like it that they have tutoring. I like it that I can pace myself with 5 week long classes, one at a time, and do 9-12 credits per semester. I don't think I'm engaging in cognitive dissonance when I say these things. I like it that the CC helps those from underpriviledged backgrounds. Sure, I'd love to have professors (ph.d's) who instill their knowledge in my brain, but ya know...I think masters level instructors at the community college are perfectly sufficient at this level, the first two years.

I just hate the -- looking down the nose attitude. It's so not helpful. It doesn't acknowledge reality.

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Specializes in Policy, Emergency OR, Peds OR, CVOR.

You know, that really bums me out too. Why can't people just be glad that I am bettering myself and setting a good example for my children?

Is the pedigree of my education the definition of my self worth? I think not.

So someone wants to look down on me because I clip coupons, drive a 12 year old car, and go to community college. BAH. :no:

When someone asks you why community college, just hold your head up and say, "I am very proud to be a college/nursing student at __CC. It is a fantastic institution to take the first step in my education goals. Thanks for asking!"

Honestly, I am proud of you, I am proud of me. We kick *ss! :cheers:

________________________________________________________

mo bello

proud student of Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC

Awaiting notification of acceptance into ADN program - 3/2006

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:Melody: Cheers Cheers Cheers

:) A Community College Student, :balloons:

Angels'

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?! Wow!!! This post really surprised me!! I wonder where you are located, it may be a regional thing? I learn somethin' new everyday I spose.

I dunno how you deal with it, never had anyone even make a comment over it. Anytime I've ever mentioned the CC here folks have raved about how good a college it is... they are really proud of it. Now that may be a very southern rural type of attitude though, they tend to be VERY gung ho about school and sports down here. It's accredited, it's closer, and it's possibly easier, can't think why I'd care what anyone had to say about it all. ~grins~ You'd think they'd just be happy you are attending at all.

I'm clueless, honestly. I've gone to private colleges, universities, and overseas divisions of universities and I've never run across anyone make a negative comment about community colleges. (Yeah I have fun transferring all my credits around, LOL) It was always just mentioned as an "option."

I guess that's how I'd deal with it. Not give a rats what they think. ~grins~ Course I'm old and cranky these days. I'm an "elderly" 33. lol

Cats

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Community college affords me the ability to pay for my education as i go. If people don't like it, that's their problem, not mine.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.
Thank you Jess, you are so sweet. Frankly, I like the CC set up. I like it that they have tutoring. I like it that I can pace myself with 5 week long classes, one at a time, and do 9-12 credits per semester. I don't think I'm engaging in cognitive dissonance when I say these things. I like it that the CC helps those from underpriviledged backgrounds. Sure, I'd love to have professors (ph.d's) who instill their knowledge in my brain, but ya know...I think masters level instructors at the community college are perfectly sufficient at this level, the first two years.

I just hate the -- looking down the nose attitude. It's so not helpful. It doesn't acknowledge reality.

I am convinced that people will always have something to say my friend. I go to an expensive private college because the CC near me have a very long waiting list and this school did not. I get people tell me how crazy I am and how they are going to pay 1/3 than me etc.......

All I say is that is good for you. I don't have 3 years to waste on a waiting list. I have a family I want to start sometime soon so to each its own ;)

You have the best time of your life in school and never look back. :kiss

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here in Orange County I get that reaction quite often.......when I tell people I'm going to Community College they react strangely and say "OOOH You mean JUNIOR COLLEGE" ........

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Specializes in Burn/Trauma PCU.

don't let 'em chap your a$$ over it. there are always naysayers, as jess mentioned. when i went to a private, over-expensive college for my 1st degree, i used to sometimes hear remarks about my school being a place where kids majored in suntanning instead of serious scholastics. whatever. it was a college more well-known for its academic excellence, and besides, i was pale as a ghost the entire four years! :lol2: plus, i was lucky enough to not pay a dime of tuition, thanks to my mom who was a college employee. otherwise, i would have been at the doorsteps of the local cc myself... which is where i am now, doing prereqs for my nursing degree and saving oodles of money while getting a fantastic education. our nursing program here is supposedly one of the best in the state.

you are doing the best thing for you - good for you for going after your dream! it's not everyone who has the b*lls to do that, either, and sometimes other people get jealous of that. let them stew in their own narrow-mindedness, and you enjoy your new career. :smokin:

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

You know what this boils down to for me? It's my pet peeve, people who cannot understand those who are different than themselves. Or those who cannot understand those in different situations than their own. In my case, each person who has given me the wrinkled nose "community college?" bit has been someone who went to a respected university and had family help.

According to my step-father: "I paid my tuition, books, and spending money for U of A with my summer job as a lifeguard. I don't understand why it's such a challenge for you, that you have to settle for a junior college." Puuuuuleease. He lived at home a block from the university and Mommy had his breakfast ready every morning and his laundry done. I saw his receipt for a semester's tuition and books, 45 years ago. It was about $150. Inflation does not make up all of the difference.

It's this judgemental attitude that does not take into account that times have changed, costs have changed, and people have different needs.

Ok, here's why this really pisses me off. I can dismiss my neighbor the BSN psych nurse and my allergist for looking down their noses at me. Whatever, people will say crap. What pisses me off is my extended family. They all had parental help to go to college. It was assumed that family would help them, and that they would go to respected universities. So they did. When these same people look down their noses at me, when I am doing this on my own, with zero family help it pisses me off. I am doing this on my own and I'm already living in fear of when my car's transmission goes out, etc. They didn't have to worry about this sort of thing, and they are looking down their noses at me?! :nono:

My own step-father referred to his son having graduated from U of A, then gave me this real superior look, and asked me, "I forgot, are you going to become a practical nurse or one of those nurse aids?" He knows I am becoming an RN. But if it's not a four year degree from a university...well.

The hypocrisy of looking down on me? Truth be told...in my heart of hearts...I feel a smidgen superior to him, because I will do this on my own and he didn't. But I guess you can tell, it pissed me off.

edited to add: I think I just did psychotherapy on myself on the board. Sorry it was so long. I think it was primarily the step-father and aunt looking down on me that angered me enough to start a thread. Whatever. They aren't living my life. This is good for me. I just didn't realize the why of why I was so upset.

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Ok, I'm sure this isn't a new topic. I am just quite frankly surprised at a few reactions I've received. Everyone I've told, that I'm going back to school, is overwhelmingly happy that I'm doing this. A few have surprised me though. They usually follow up with, "the U of --"? I say, "I'm going to -- Community College." First it's a nose crinkle which they immediately try to mask. Then a few have said, "community college?" Which I respond with something like, "it's an excellent way to begin nursing as an RN, then I'll continue and get my BSN at a the U of - and the hospital I work for will pay for it." Depending on the look I may make a comment like "well with tuition costs and my lack of a money tree, it's the only option, and I'm very happy to be doing this!"

I guess I'm a bit surprised. I thought that the community college stigma had lessoned a bit with the reality of tuition costs sky rocketing. I think this attitude may come from the same sort of folks who make fun at people who live in mobile homes. I guess it makes them feel superior, while they provide no alternate option for those who lack the money for what they deem appropriate. So judgemental and not helpful.

As I think about it, even if the tuition cost the same, I would go the ADN route. I don't have the money to get through four years at a university. I think the community colleges work quite well for older students. It's also a smart way to go because I can let my new employer pay my tuition to complete my BSN. The large hospitals here have on site classes that they pay for their ADNs to do to get their BSNs.

Anyway, I've gotten this attitude from my next door neighbor, a BSN psych nurse, my allergist, my aunt, and a cousin. I was just so surprised and caught off guard. My first thought with my older aunt was...if you look down on what I'm doing so much why don't you bankroll me to go all they way and get my NP at the U of --, you do have millions you are sitting on, and you can't take it with you. But I digress. :roll

Enough. How do you deal with this?

The ADN program at our Community College is ranked #6 in the State and I bet if any of those people who are reacting negatively to you were enrolled in the classes that I have taken so far at my Community College they'd probably get their butts handed to them......particularly in the A&P class that I just survived.

I bet if you'd say what you thought (about your aunt paying your tuition at her favorite university) , their mouths would drop and nobody would ever say anything about your choice again.....as a matter of fact I might just use that method if anyone shows disapproval of me attending a Community College. Thank you for the great idea :p

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