40 yr old with GED. Is a MSN even possible?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I'll try to make it short. I'll be 40 this December. I got my GED when I was 18 and I've been a hairstylist/salon owner since I was 20. Looking for a career change and nursing has always been the field I wanted to pursue.

But boy to I have some Debbie downers around. From family to even my perspective counselor. Family days I'm too old and the counselor said basically that because of the time frame since I got my GED until now that it would be extremely hard & time consuming for me. She wasn't the nicest person while communicating this to me as well. I left out in tears.

So I was hoping there were some nurses/students here with similar situations like mine that can motivate me and hopefully can share any advice. I appreciate you guys.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
I would start with an AS in math/science. Basically, get an AA but also get your anatomy/physio/microbiology and statistics out of the way at the same time. If you can do that, then look into nursing, either an AA from any local CC or check out transferring into a BSN program. Look at the requirements for your local ASN program and work those prereqs into your 2-3 year associates degree.

First things first, get your prereqs out of the way. Then you can decide if you still want to pursue nursing.

Forget the associate degree in math/science. Waste of time & energy. No need to take fill-in credits for a worthless degree.

Go straight for the ASN. Trust me, there will be pre-requisites. There will even be prerequisites to the prerequisites. But you will have your eye on the prize all along, with your goal in mind.

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I'm in a pretty similar situation. I got my GED at 16, and worked in customer service until I was 34. Then I decided become a nurse :-) I am now almost 37 and have one year left of school to get my BSN. You can definitely do it, I don't think age makes it harder, I actually think life experience helps quite a bit.

I agree with the other posters, go and take your prereqs and see how that goes. I went to a community college and took all of the prereqs needed for the BSN program I wanted to enter. I ended up only being 6 credit hours away from having an AS so I went ahead and got that on my way. I didn't have to work, so I took 18 - 20 credit hours a semester and summer credits to so I was able to finish in 18 months. If you have to work just take it slower.

Definitely do what you need to do to make sure you get the highest grades possible. In my area nursing schools only look at your application if you have over a 3.5. My semester we had over 300 qualified applicants and they only took 50. Most of those had a 4.0.

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Specializes in IMCU, Oncology.

If you want to do it, then you can do it. I will be 40 soon and just graduated with my ADN and plan to pursue my MSN too. One of my friends in nursing school was 63. Many of the students were in their 30's and 40's. If you go to a community college, you will have to do pre-reqs first and that will take at least a year. If all that goes well, then complete the ADN and while you are working as a nurse you can work on your BSN or your RN to MSN online which often times requires a couple of years of nursing experience. It is competitive to get into nursing school, so your grades will be important!

It is hard work, but don't let people hold you back. If you can handle the hard work, math, science and new way of studying once you get to nursing school, it is doable.

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There is a common misconception that those with a GED are academically weak. The truth is that there are 100 reasons that kids drop out. I was a straight A student that ran track and was enjoying her senior year. Then I was raped by someone I thought was a friend. I was really messed up physically and mentally. It was made worse when his version of what happened was accepted as the truth at school(that I came to his house one afternoon and just gave it up). My reputation was a mess and I could not handle it. I went home on Friday before Winter break and I never went back. The following October I felt human again and received my GED. I went to LPN school three months later and the rest is history. I will receive my BSN this summer and will enter a MSN program in January 2017. I only said all of that to say know your own capabilities and do not accept someone else's version of who you are.

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P.S. My oldest classmate in LPN school was a chain smoking 64 year old grandmother and she made excellent grades.

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Specializes in ICU.

First of all, I'm going to ask you if you have even researched the job market in your area? Is it easy for new grads to find a job? How competitive is it? Why are you looking at your MSN? Do hospitals hire ASNs or BSNs? Do you fully understand what nursing entails?

I will tell you, I turned 40 last December. I graduated a couple of weeks ago with my ASN. I started my job as a nurse today. It was not easy. I'm a single mom. I filed for divorce and signed up for school the same week. This past semester, I started a part time night shift job, graduated, bought a house, and got engaged. All in the same semester!! It can be done, but not without blood, sweat, and tears. Literally.

The amount of time and sacrifice needed is big. The prereqs are nothing compared to the program. There may be over 200 applicants to a program and they may only accept 30, so you need stellar grades to get in. Your counselor knows this and she was trying to be realistic with you.

You need to understand this going in so you know what you are up against. Everyone says they are going to nursing school these days, when the reality is 10-20% will make it to the end to graduate. I know, it's big money and you only work 3, 12 hour shifts a week, but the amount of time and stress doesn't exactly compensate. Know that going in.

I hope you have a little understanding of what it takes. Forty is not too old, it's just that you get out of school for so long, and you don't realize what it takes to obtain the degree. If you can get yourself organized, get into school, and handle it, go for it. Don't let age deter you. But know what you are in for and go in eyes wide open. And do not, sign up for a for profit school.

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I just graduated with my ADN last week and I'm 41 years old! I plan to continue with my BSN starting January 2017. I graduated from HS in 1993 and worked in the clerical world for 20 years. I started my prerequisites in 2011, worked part time, and have two young children. Nursing school is not for the weak! You definitely have to have discipline. If you want it bad enough then you'll make it happen. There were students in my program that were in their 50's. It really all depends on you! Prove the nay say'ers wrong!

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Don't listen to them. I was a high school dropout and I went back when I was 38. MSN is getting a little ahead of yourself. A Masters might be too much. I would try working as a CNA, plus check out programs in your area for a BSN. Do a couple of prerequisites and see how it goes. You could even go the LPN-BSN route.Good luck to you.

Thank you very much. I'm so glad you posted. MSN is the end goal and I think it is very much obtainable. I would have to work my tush off but obtainable nevertheless. A CNA doesn't interest me at all. I respect every position in the healthcare industry however here locally a CNA equates to diaper changer. No thanks. My plan was going for ASN first at my local CC as others have stated. I start in fall. From there onto my BSN or for ASN to MSN. I don't know but yes everything will be one step at a time and yes I have at least a year of pre-req's before I could even start the actual nursing program. I'm going for it. Thank you.

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I started nursing school at age 39 - and just completed an MSN, right before my 55th birthday. Go for it!

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Wow. You all have given me such great advice and encouragement. I thank each and everyone of you. I've already enrolled in my local CC for ASN. Their nursing program is very competitive as I see most all are. I'm looking at a 11/2 years (2 semester & a summer) of pre-reqs. I'm going to try my hardest, enlist the help of any and all tutors and work my tush off to get accepted. Nothing beats a failure but a try. I am scared but I'm up for the challenge.

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You can totally do this!!!! :yes: People earn a GED for a ton of reasons so don't feel that you are less capable academically. I was a teacher and taught GED prep and it's a really difficult test so I commend you!

As others have said, check out your local Community College to get your Associates in Nursing (called ASN/ADN) first; work as a nurse for a bit then then get your BSN online (I'm doing it right now after getting my ADN) then see if you want to continue on for your MSN.

Best of luck to you!!!!

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Yes, you can do this. My study partner in nursing school was well into her forties, going through a divorce and had three teenagers. She worked two sixteen hour shifts on the weekends as a nurse extern. It is possible, good luck.

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