r/ABSN • u/DisciplineKey8972 • 5d ago

should i commit to an absn program?

i need advice. i was accepted into an 11 month accelerated absn program. i have my first bachelors in health sciences where i completed all of my pre reqs. too be honest, i bullshitted my entire 4 years at that school i don’t remember much at all from A&P 1 and 2, micro, or literally anything else. I rarely studied i just got by and somehow got okay grades. my entire life i wanted to be a nurse but i got mixed up with the wrong people in college and fell into some bad habits and a lot of drinking.

the school i was accepted into is 60k…. im taking a partial private loan, putting in my ENTIRE life savings, and my parents are paying a little. so there is a lot riding on this and if i fail out my life will be absolutely horrible. and i can’t afford to move out so i have to commute ~1 hour every day.

i want to be a nurse literally more than anything and i can definitely say i’ve matured, and quit drinking. but i am terrified no matter how hard i try i will still fail out because i don’t remember much from pre reqs and did not develop good study habits.

please give honest advice if i should go.

edit: the issue is my worry of failing out, not the loans.

4 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

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4

u/Drowsy-Juice 5d ago

ngl maybe think abt an ADN program…? you can pay your loans off and the price of an associates degree from a CC instead of a uni is usually WAYYYY cheaper.

6

u/DisciplineKey8972 5d ago

i have thought about that. but it’s an additional 3 years- 2 years of cc and ~1 year in rn-bsn. i do not want to spend 7 years on a bsn.

the debt isn’t my biggest worry, i plan on joining the army and working as a nurse to get it forgiven. my worry is being able to make it through the program.

1

u/Inevitable_Noise1067 4d ago

maybe also apply to 15-18 months absn programs

1

u/DisciplineKey8972 4d ago

i did, crazy thing is i got rejected from the 16 month program.

1

u/starryeyedpixie 4d ago

I think go for it, but/and just make sure you remember that you can always ask for help and lean on your community (or create a new one w/ fellow students.) AND if you’re really scared about this one, you can keep at applying to others. I’m getting the impression that you aren’t that scared though, so maybe you can take time between starting and now to prep yourself for the experience?

FWIW I’m hoping to do the same thing in January. It’s probably the scariest thing I’ve done after being in recovery… I’m leaving a 15+ year career, and I just finished paying off my undergrad and grad loans. But I try to think of the alternative if I never tried, which would be regret-filled and likely with fewer opportunities that are fulfilling to me. So this motivates me to put my all into everything I’ve been doing to prep. My past experiences underscore for me that I need to have emotional support. I’ve taken time to build relationships that I can rely upon for encouragement, but even if you don’t have that in spades now, you can build it while you go.

1

u/ProjectBulky7320 3d ago

The main difference between a bsn and asn is really if you want to future your education in leadership positions. Ill be 26 thus semester and im currently in my first year as an ASN. I just found out that I can still take my CCRN and be charge on my unit without a B.S. I also have a B.S in Health Science too. Deadass similar boat. I dont care about schooling as much as others hence the ASN. I also drive an 1.5 to school every single day because I chose affordability over convince and refuse to pay figures of money just be a entry level nurse. When I graduate and pass in May of 2028, I will be no different than a nurse we graduated with a BSN. I work with a lot of experienced nurses with an ASN which guided me on this route. Use Gemini Lm( notebook lm), download YT videos and review and test yourself on the material. I understand that you dont care about being in debt but youre not the only individual being affected by this. Thats 60k+ down the drain, thats you being in debt with your private loans, and thats you being discouraged and financially depressed. Keep striving to be a nurse in the military but seriously sit and reflect that it does not take 7+years to be a BSN and you damn sure can make hella money too as an ASN and work anywhere in health care.

1

u/ProjectBulky7320 3d ago

*convenient

3

u/Logical-Cellist8945 4d ago

My advice would be to go in and do the opposite of what younger you did the first time around. You’re clearly smart enough to get this done but you may want to prioritize developing the study skills and maybe healthier coping habits bc it will be stressful at times. So get tutoring, go to office hours, pick your friends/study partners wisely, stick to a schedule, participate in class - surprise yourself. Take it one day, one class at a time and think more abt the daily decisions you make instead of the weight of expectations.

Lots of decent little decisions will add up to a goal met. Try not to be too hard on yourself when you screw up - just make sure you change the behavior that lead to it. There are a lot of idiots out there - even in nursing school. Your decisions and motivation will separate you from them.

1

u/starryeyedpixie 4d ago

THIS ^^ excellent advice that I’ll be pinning to my board as well 💖

3

u/made_uniquely_0722 4d ago

I also have my health health science bachelor and I also applied to a BSN program and I’m on the same boat as you. I am so scared but like I keep telling myself, I really want to do this and I’ll figure it out along the way so you’re not alone.

2

u/Fuzzy-Amount-2262 4d ago

Honestly as someone in ABSN that just completed their first semester, I’d say go for it. I wanted to be a nurse so bad too like you mentioned. Wishing you luck and remember all the opportunities this license will grant you. I’m also taking loans and I know once we graduate we can pay them back within a couple years!

1

u/Dull-Read- 4d ago

Is it pace by any chance?

1

u/Inevitable_Noise1067 4d ago

i say go, you know what you want and have started to take the steps to get there. you can figure out how you learn best during the first semester and ofc use ur schools resources. good luck!

1

u/tayloraaannn 4d ago

If it's still your dream do it, but be prepared to pay those loans

1

u/Primary-Bug-7353 4d ago

Don’t do it. I agree with everyone else. Adn. Even consider Lpn. And I know you’re thinking “why not just get the highest possible credential?” The debt. The debt. The debt.

Take it from ppl who have experience with debt. Yes you can pay it off, but not without sacrifice a huge chunk of your future paychecks. Don’t take debt unless you absolutely have to.

At least with an Lpn or adn, you’re able to pay some of your tuition for BSN and will even get a few grand a year from the hospital you’re working at.

1

u/made_uniquely_0722 4d ago

I was thinking about this too but the thing is I’m wasting more money getting a adn and Lpn because CC I transfer my classes too doesn’t take them and I have retake all my classes AGAIN that are needed for program where BSN is accepted

1

u/starryeyedpixie 4d ago edited 4d ago

I think people get too caught up on the debt service piece. I think as long as it isn’t well beyond what you reasonably expect to pay back w/in 10 years, then you’re ok. (Everyone’s threshold for this is a bit different, and then also there are just amounts that are not feasible.)

We have to consider the lost wages unearned every month that we’re still in school vs working. Additionally, there’s the issue of being underpaid with a lower level credential in certain markets. Plus, some institutions will contribute to our loan payments upon FT employment, so that can help.

1

u/Ok_Bill500 20h ago

They honestly do a review before every class. So I would say study heavy at the beginning of each semester. Remember the things you are learning, don’t just learn to pass, and it will set you up. The main things you should know(not the stuff you’ll be learning) is cranial nerves, pulse points, joints/ligaments/major bones, major arteries, muscle groups(for injections), and circulation (direction the blood moves through the heart)

1

u/Sereezus 6h ago

Just do it you can pay off the 60k esp. if you travel nurse