Confused and lost about finding a nursing school
April 15, 2015 11:58 PM Subscribe
I'm a 20 year old living in NYC. I want to be a nurse. I'm in a community college I hate, so I'm leaving after the spring. Problem is I have nowhere set up to transfer to. I want to apply to a bachelor's program for nursing. I also want to go somewhere I have the best chance of getting a job. Should I apply to a school and move to another state? Or stay in NYC?
So I think I hate community colleges but I might have no choice to go to one to get all the prerequisites (and associates degree) I need. I'd really prefer to do a bachelor's program. I want to be a nurse for my career, and I'm really not sure what to do so I can get into a school, graduate and get a job. Do you guys have any advice as far as if I should stay in NYC or leave to go to nursing school? If I can't get into a school for the fall semester I will apply for schools and stay home and study or try to get a job.I've never lived anywhere else except upstate so as much as I want to move, I want to know what i'm getting into. I'm interested in the east coast. I live anywhere at home. I'm looking for some school recommendations and info about states and job prospects in the coming years. I would prefersbly go to a state school or somewhete there is low tution because my family has trouble paying for school because we don't get as much financial aid as we need. Thank you so much!
So I think I hate community colleges but I might have no choice to go to one to get all the prerequisites (and associates degree) I need. I'd really prefer to do a bachelor's program. I want to be a nurse for my career, and I'm really not sure what to do so I can get into a school, graduate and get a job. Do you guys have any advice as far as if I should stay in NYC or leave to go to nursing school? If I can't get into a school for the fall semester I will apply for schools and stay home and study or try to get a job.I've never lived anywhere else except upstate so as much as I want to move, I want to know what i'm getting into. I'm interested in the east coast. I live anywhere at home. I'm looking for some school recommendations and info about states and job prospects in the coming years. I would prefersbly go to a state school or somewhete there is low tution because my family has trouble paying for school because we don't get as much financial aid as we need. Thank you so much!
Response by poster: I hate that the people are immature, the school isn't well maintained, the security guards intimidate me and my commute is 1 and a half hours each way. I used to live in a dorm at my old college, so that's what I'm used to.
posted by starlybri at 12:53 AM on April 16, 2015
posted by starlybri at 12:53 AM on April 16, 2015
Off the top of my head, can you establish residency in New Jersey (it takes 12 months I believe). You could find a roommate situation maybe in one of the Hudson County NJ towns near NYC on one of the commuter rail lines and work a bit. You could then go to a place like Hudson County Community College in Jersey City, and/or go to someplace like Rutgers (a state school), which is one of several good ones in NJ for nursing programs. If you were a NJ resident you even transfer to Rutgers for undergrad and get a BA, assuming your grades are decent. The job situation for all kinds of nurses is also good in NY and NJ. It is easy enough to check out these places prior to making any decision or move, to see if they are a good fit for you, since they are all close to NYC and accessible via rail and bus from NYC.
posted by gudrun at 5:46 AM on April 16, 2015
posted by gudrun at 5:46 AM on April 16, 2015
It looks like CUNY has a nursing program at Hunter. CUNY is also pretty affordable, especially as far as college tuition goes.
posted by KernalM at 6:11 AM on April 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by KernalM at 6:11 AM on April 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Def. look into transferring to Hunter. It should be relatively simple as the CC system feeds into CUNY and most (if not all) credits should be transferable. CUNY is also cheap enough that TAP+PELL may cover your entire tuition.
posted by griphus at 6:27 AM on April 16, 2015
posted by griphus at 6:27 AM on April 16, 2015
If you don't mind coming Upstate again, look into Saint Josephs school of nursing - they have a 2+2 program. The cost of living in Syracuse is a lot less than in NYC and its easy to get back to your family.
If you don't mind going to the North Country, then Jefferson Community College in Watertown has an associate degree program. The one track that is weekends only starts in January so timing wise that might work better for you. Then you will have time to transfer to a BSN program. You will not feel scared there and the campus is cute. You can rent a room easily.
If you do decide to go out of state, look for a state that participates in the Nursing Lisencsure Compact, it makes it easier to move around the country.
Good luck!
posted by SyraCarol at 7:28 AM on April 16, 2015
If you don't mind going to the North Country, then Jefferson Community College in Watertown has an associate degree program. The one track that is weekends only starts in January so timing wise that might work better for you. Then you will have time to transfer to a BSN program. You will not feel scared there and the campus is cute. You can rent a room easily.
If you do decide to go out of state, look for a state that participates in the Nursing Lisencsure Compact, it makes it easier to move around the country.
Good luck!
posted by SyraCarol at 7:28 AM on April 16, 2015
I work at CUNY, although not at Hunter. Hunter College is the senior college with the best-known nursing program. If you're currently attending a CC in the CUNY system, it should be not so difficult to transfer to Hunter, and a large number of your credits should transfer. CUNY is also very used to absorbing students from neighboring community college systems (Westchester, Nassau, etc). Please at least talk to the Hunter admissions folks soon.
Depending on where you live, this won't solve your commute quandary or your living situation. CUNY schools are commuter schools, and there's no getting around that. I do believe Hunter has some dorms, but by far most students live on their own or at home. But CUNY tuition can't be beat, and as griphus said, federal and state aid can often take care of a lot of it.
posted by Liesl at 7:32 AM on April 16, 2015
Depending on where you live, this won't solve your commute quandary or your living situation. CUNY schools are commuter schools, and there's no getting around that. I do believe Hunter has some dorms, but by far most students live on their own or at home. But CUNY tuition can't be beat, and as griphus said, federal and state aid can often take care of a lot of it.
posted by Liesl at 7:32 AM on April 16, 2015
Response by poster: These suggestions sound good, especially about New Jersey or upstate. However, I've visited Hunter and I really really don't like it. It's very small and makes me feel claustrophobic. I think I just don't like the atmosphere of CUNY/ city community colleges. My bad if I'may being picky. I really loved my old school but they didn't have my major.
posted by starlybri at 8:06 AM on April 16, 2015
posted by starlybri at 8:06 AM on April 16, 2015
I am a current accelerated BSN student upstate at a SUNY school (which is very different and much less disorganized than the CUNY system, where I did my pre-reqs, yet still cheap). I have had a good experience, and although I am not staying upstate, many, many of my classmates who are have already been hired at local hospitals.
NYC is a different story from what I hear, and I don't know of anyone who has had even an interview there. I think upstate is a good place to gain experience.
You can PM me for more details, I am happy to share my experience.
posted by queens86 at 2:52 PM on April 16, 2015
NYC is a different story from what I hear, and I don't know of anyone who has had even an interview there. I think upstate is a good place to gain experience.
You can PM me for more details, I am happy to share my experience.
posted by queens86 at 2:52 PM on April 16, 2015
I've been a nurse for ten years. I attended a community college (not in NY), got a job as a nurse, then completed an RN-to-BSN program at a four year university. Passing boards so you have a license and can practice as an RN should be your main goal as a new nurse, whether you accomplish that in an ADN or a BSN program. Honestly working as a nurse while I was completing my BSN meant that the coursework had a lot more resonance for me.
I don't mean to sound harsh, but your complaints about your current school (other than your super long commute, which is admittedly not ideal) make me wonder if nursing is a good fit for you. You seem preoccupied with some fairly superficial issues ("not well-maintained," "too small" "immature people"), and nurses need to be able to adapt to a wide variety of environments, personalities, etc. You will have to do clinical work in some settings that will almost definitely be underfunded or even unpleasant (nursing facilities, state hospitals), and you'll need to be able to set aside whatever feelings you have about your surroundings to take care of your patients. Clinical instructors can be very demanding of nursing students, which may feel intimidating to you. Does that sound like something you can handle, even enjoy?
Nursing should be a calling, not just a job. I think it may be worthwhile to reflect on why you want to become a nurse in the first place. Some insight into that should help put other concerns into better perspective.
posted by little mouth at 4:37 PM on April 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
I don't mean to sound harsh, but your complaints about your current school (other than your super long commute, which is admittedly not ideal) make me wonder if nursing is a good fit for you. You seem preoccupied with some fairly superficial issues ("not well-maintained," "too small" "immature people"), and nurses need to be able to adapt to a wide variety of environments, personalities, etc. You will have to do clinical work in some settings that will almost definitely be underfunded or even unpleasant (nursing facilities, state hospitals), and you'll need to be able to set aside whatever feelings you have about your surroundings to take care of your patients. Clinical instructors can be very demanding of nursing students, which may feel intimidating to you. Does that sound like something you can handle, even enjoy?
Nursing should be a calling, not just a job. I think it may be worthwhile to reflect on why you want to become a nurse in the first place. Some insight into that should help put other concerns into better perspective.
posted by little mouth at 4:37 PM on April 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
You have to think about your long-term goals versus short-term dislikes. In choosing a nursing school, you should look for a program that is well-respected and has a good track record for placing graduates. It is just a couple of years, and how you feel about it as a place is a lot less important than the education you get. You're not picking a situation for the rest of your life. Your training is temporary.
You should find the intersection between the best nursing education you can get for the most reasonable amount of money, and not worry about whether you love the school or environment. When it comes time to get a job, then maybe (maybe! even jobs aren't forever) be more picky about environment and locale.
Nitpicking every reasonable option just leaves you with no prospects and no future career, and that is not a place you want to be in 2-3 years.
posted by jeoc at 7:36 PM on April 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
You should find the intersection between the best nursing education you can get for the most reasonable amount of money, and not worry about whether you love the school or environment. When it comes time to get a job, then maybe (maybe! even jobs aren't forever) be more picky about environment and locale.
Nitpicking every reasonable option just leaves you with no prospects and no future career, and that is not a place you want to be in 2-3 years.
posted by jeoc at 7:36 PM on April 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
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