Sorry off topic, or if posted in wrong place.Need your advice.
This is totally off topic of any food, but I am throwing around the idea of going to nursing school. I started to a while back, but decided not to for a few reasons. One of them being that after the birth of our son 9 months ago, I applied for financial aid and was turned down for federal goverment aid, our 2004 income tax child credit (3 kids) went up, so it put us over for aid, so I got this reject letter, which at the time I was like oh well, but now I am truly upset over this. I have been looking for a job for awhile now and it just seems like nobody is hiring or I don't have what they are looking for, so what I am thinking is that with our economy the way it is today jobs at McDonalds are even gonna be hard to come by before long, and who can raise 3 kids on an additional income of minimum wage.
My husband makes good money, but not great money, we still live pay check to pay check like most other people, I babysit to bring in gas money (ughhh gas prices, my husband drives about 40 miles round trip to work) and grocery's, so you know we are not well-off, so my question is "How can we make to much money?" when we don't have a car payment, they are paid off and older cars, we do have a house payment, NO credit card payment, I shop at thrift stores or Walmart, so I don't blow money there, we don't eat out hardly at all, all of our money is basically on food, the house and utilities, the utilities alone kill a person.
I don't mean to come off as a person who is just taking pitty on themselves because I am wanting to make something of my life, I have 3 kids to help put into college, let alone, weddings, proms, just the little things like playing sports that we now have to pay for, I guess I am just down on our system right now and knew you all would listen to my rant. I wish my mom/dad would have put more pressure on me to go to college when I was in high school and not been such a slacker, but I thought I knew better, yeah right!!!
Has anyone ever overcome anything like this pertaining to school and had to pay for it themselves. I just read about some loans available to nursing students, but they only cover like $1400.00-$2000.00 or something right around there, can't remember which, but for me to go thru just L.Practical Nursing which is a step below RN, the school wanted $8,295, and that doesn't include the refresher courses (I've been out of school since 1990, I need to refresh my algebra realllllllllly bad), or the required courses you must take before you start the actual program, or the $500.00 application fee, non refundable, Even if I could get financial aid thru the Goverment, the most you can get (or so I think this is what it meant when I read it just now), the most you can get is a little over $4,000, then you have to come up w/ the rest either in other loans or whatever..I can't come up with $500.00 let alone probably $11,000 by the time all expenses are paid.
If only I could win the lottery, tee hee hee,
or a rich Aunt who I never knew existed would die.... just kidding.
Ok, my rant has been long enough, just be glad I wasn't talking to you on the phone about it, you never would have got a word in.... HAHAHAHA!!!!
Thanks and if you have any inspirational words or know someone who has overcome this please let me know, I am in need of a happing ending story.
You can ask the school, once you've applied, to reconsider your application for financial aid based on different criteria, if you feel that the information the decision was based on is out of date (due to change in circumstances). Talk to your FA counselor at the school you wish to apply for. You may also qualify for scholarships or loans.
It's been a long time since I went through nursing school (BSN) so I know that things have changed and are much more expensive.
Can you take your refresher courses at a community or junoir college?? This is cheaper and transferrable. I took all of my prerequesite classes in a community college. Then while I was in nursing school, I only had to take the nursing courses. Saved me lots of money before attending the university. I also got school loans which "helped" to cover the cost of books and registrations. I paid those off as soon as I got my forst nursing job.
Good luck in whatever you choose!! I know it is difficult with a family but it is sooo worth it in the end!!!!! I would also talk to a school counselor as they have tons of info that might help.
I'm a nurse, and went through nursing school as a single parent of a then 2 year old boy. I went on a combination of financial aid and scholarship. I went to a state university and got a large scholarship for having had good grades prior to entering the program. During school itself I got a few merit based scholarships. The rest was paid for through FAFSA. Although in the future I look forward to going to graduate school in a different field, it has been a good decision overall. While in school I worked as a patient care technician (basically a nurse's aide, position goes by different names depending on what part of the country you're in). Most hospitals will allow you to work in that position and be very generous with your school schedule. The pay is decent for a position that does not require any real education. Almost all large hospitals will pay back some if not all of your loan in return for you working for their organization after graduation. That would be my suggestion. In any case, go up to the school and speak with the financial aid counselor. Also check out fastweb.com for more scholarship ideas. Good luck and feel free to ask any questions you may have about the process!
Has anyone ever overcome anything like this pertaining to school and had to pay for it themselves. I just read about some loans available to nursing students, but they only cover like $1400.00-$2000.00 or something right around there, can't remember which, but for me to go thru just L.Practical Nursing which is a step below RN, the school wanted $8,295, and that doesn't include the refresher courses (I've been out of school since 1990, I need to refresh my algebra realllllllllly bad), or the required courses you must take before you start the actual program, or the $500.00 application fee, non refundable, Even if I could get financial aid thru the Goverment, the most you can get (or so I think this is what it meant when I read it just now), the most you can get is a little over $4,000, then you have to come up w/ the rest either in other loans or whatever..I can't come up with $500.00 let alone probably $11,000 by the time all expenses are paid.
I did some searching on the web.
Do you have a community college near you? You can get a ADN-which is an associates degree in nursing. Some even have an LPN program. That way you don't have to pay the entire fee up front, just the credits you are taking. Then you can apply for a Pell grant which is free to apply and see how much you are expected to pay yourself. See if the college has some nursing scholarships also. http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm
What type of school are you applying for? Is it part of a hospital? Are they acredited by your state? Do they some sort of payment plan or do they want it all up front? I'm a little leary of some of these pay in advance schools, I fell for one many years ago-The culinary institute of Washington DC. I wound up with student loans and didn't get much out of the class. Later I found out it was a for profit business with a shady record. It wasn't acredited, so nothing transferred when I moved. How sad, and I had to keep paying my student loans, expensive lesson.
Here are some things to think about. Most (not all, but most) want you to have done the "academics" before you actually start nursing school-"clinicals". By the time you have your academics done, your GPA will be(and I know it will) good enough to apply for nursing school, and the school you are attending, scholarships. If all else fails, student loans.
You might even apply for some scholarhips at the school you are attending after a semester, I know I will, .
I have done alot of research and talked to alot of nurses. I also advise getting a ADN(associate's degree). An ADN is a step down from a BSN, but the pay rate is not much different(maybe $1/hr) compared to LPN, which is much less. The school I found is only 2 yrs. In my case, I see no need for a BSN. Plus alot of schools offer Bridge Programs. Like going from a LPN to an ADN, and ADN to BSN.
And, it has to be accredited. If it isnt, there is no guarantee you will get a job you wantwhen employers see where you went to school.(Happened to a friend of mine).
This link has helped me find schools in my area, what programs the offer, if they are accredited or not, if they offer bridge programs, and links to the school's website. www.discovernursing.com
And like happydaisy said, most hospitals will pay for nursing school(or most of it) if you sign a contract with them saying you will work for them for a certain period of time after graduation.
My DS is 4 and I know I am going to have a hard time. I can't imagine it with 3, and a DH.
Just a few more thoughts for you - I would not advise the LPN route. (no disrespect to any LPN's on this site). I have only worked peds/emergency since graduation so I can only speak from that perspective. The LPN's where I work are awesome, but all very unhappy with their jobs. Their program was between 12-18 months, which is not much shorter than the ADN, but their responsibilities are severely limited, at least here. Again, state laws govern and in different states LPN's and RN's may have slightly different scopes of practice. I would advise going "all the way" for what you want. Just as an example, one of the LPN's has been an LPN in the prison system for 18 years and knows more than me, but because I am an RN, I have to actually sign behind her on some things. In addition they are limited to a small section of the ER that operates like a doctors office, so none of the "exciting stuff," if that's what you're looking for. Don't let the practical stuff of getting your RN scare you. You can do it! It's been very much worth it for me. I'm a single mom and my hospital allows me to work (for a significant pay raise too) only weekends. While this isn't the most fun I've had on weekends in my life, it does let me put my son on the bus, pick him up, do his homework, volunteer with his class etc.. On the weekends he stays with his grandparents while I'm at work. The pay raise is allowing me to save for grad school and a house. Go for it, and let us know how it goes!
My daughter out in California is doing the same thing as Wenchy. Out there they are fortunate enough to have very inexpensive "in state" tuition and a high need for nursing students. She's gotten all her core classes out of the way and has a 3.8 GPA. This semester she began her nursing classes. I hope to see her pinned in the spring of 2007!
Look around and see if you can get most or all of your core classes done before you begin looking for your nursing classes. Sometimes you can even take them online...and the cost is even less than traditional classes.
Good luck! I know this is a challenge, but it WILL be worth it.
Just for inspiration: My cousin married a gal from Africa. She came to this country not speaking a word of English. She wanted to be an RN. She had to get her GED, THEN take her SAT's, then apply to a college. She got in, and was accepted. It took her almost 5 years but she graduated, passed her exit exams on the first try and passed her NCLEX exam on the first try...all this after learning English as an adult! Imagine us trying to do the same thing in reverse!
Another option is to check out the AmeriCorps program in your area. AmeriCorps is for all ages. You work 1 or 2 years in social services types of programs, earn a monthly living stipend, child care is paid for, and you earn scholarship monies. http://www.americorps.org/
Oh my gosh, what an inspiration you guys are all around..
My problem with classes is, it is a community college I would be attending to be a RN, I talked w/ the first year counselor and he said w/ the waiting list, that would give me time to get my pre-reqs out of the way, but I would not be graduating till what looked to be spring of 2012, yes 2012, back in March the class of 2010 was almost full, I looked at it myself, I couldn't believe my eyes. But since posting this first post, my BIL talked to the Dean of the college and he said an area hospital is in need of nurses very bad and they personally paid for 2 more instructors to be added to the school, so now there is 4 instructors, that should help the list along, maybe I could graduate in fall of at least 2010, but man that seems sooooooo far away, I at least would be graduated before I was 40, still a lifetime to work, or so it will seem.LOL.
So I was thinking if I can find the money and a way to go, I could be a LPN, which classes are from Aug-June, so I missed that, but I could still have many prereqs for that and maybe a few more for RN out of the way before the next class starts up in Aug. But that all takes lots and lots of money. Right now I am going to check out the Americorps...
Thank you all so much..
maybe I could graduate in fall of at least 2010, but man that seems sooooooo far away
And so what would you be doing in the fall of 2010 if you DON'T go to school?
Seriously, don't think about how long it's going to take, because that's a sure-fire way to depress yourself.
I would suggest you go back and look at the financial aid issues - it might be helpful to make an appointment with the financial aid office at your community college. There are multiple types of financial aid available, and it sounds to me like you were only talking about the Pell Grants (which ARE nice, because you don't have to pay them back). But there is lots of money available via loans, too, and the interest rates on those are good, you don't need to start paying them back until 6 months after you finish school, and the repayment rates are low. I took out loans for both my undergrad and graduate work, and it was not difficult to pay back.
I am doing the same thing...I am taking my coe classes at a community college right now...(at 31 years old), and then I am transfering to a nursing program that is done by a college here locally. Just get into your core classes, and then explore your options. I know the hospital here is loaning the $$ for school intrest free, if you agree to work for them for 3 years after graduating, and you pay the money back at $1.47 per hour directly out of your paycheck...that is what I am doing.
What I want to know...and it frustrates the life out of me...is WHY should we "nontraditional" students who've been out in the workforce for years (and some of us years & YEARS) have to take SATs?
When I entertained notions of going to nursing school I was told I'd have to track down my high school GPA's, find a place and time (and the money) and take my SAT's, wait for the results, apply to the local school, and then, after all that, wait to see if I'd even been accepted! My tax dollars at work!! ARRGGHHH!!
It would have been so much simpler if I'd just been able to waltz myself down to the college, sign up for my core classes, start taking them and apply for the nursing program. If I was accepted, fine. If not, no matter, education is still education.
Sorry off topic, or if posted in wrong place.Need your advice.
I went on a combination of financial aid and scholarship. I went to a state university and got a large scholarship for having had good grades prior to entering the program. During school itself I got a few merit based scholarships. The rest was paid for through FAFSA. Although in the future I look forward to going to graduate school in a different field, it has been a good decision overall. While in school I worked as a patient care technician (basically a nurse's aide, position goes by different names depending on what part of the country you're in). Most hospitals will allow you to work in that position and be very generous with your school schedule. The pay is decent for a position that does not require any real education. Almost all large hospitals will pay back some if not all of your loan in return for you working for their organization after graduation. That would be my suggestion. In any case, go up to the school and speak with the financial aid counselor. Also check out fastweb.com for more scholarship ideas. Good luck and feel free to ask any questions you may have about the process! 
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