I’m a junior at high school and I’m thinking of becoming an RN (Live in NC). I was thinking of going to Forsyth Tech Community College and get my ADN. Then after completion try to find a job and continue studies to get my BSN. I was thinking this way because I could afford to pay for tuition at the CC but probably not a 4 year college. Then after I get a job I’d be making money to pay for my BSN. The other option is getting loans and going to UNC Greensboro to get my BSN and then find a job to pay for my loans. Which is a better option?
You might want to check the college majors/nursing forum here.
But the path you are thinking of is one way many need to go and it can work. What would be the loan total for UNC? The BSN is the more valuable degree and nice to have but you can get it later through a RN to BSN program.
There are benefits to both routes. While many hospitals are switching to prefer BSNs (to try to get/maintain magnet status), ADNs can still find jobs in NC hospitals, so that wouldn’t be as much worry for you, especially if you work in a hospital during nursing school. Hospitals prefer to hire their own nursing students before recruiting other new grads.
ADN programs are often cheaper than a 4 year degree, and the cost for getting an RN - BSN program completed it relatively cheap (from what I’ve heard it can be 5-6k in tuition, but I have no personally experience to speak from. Depends on how many non-nursing credits you need). My school (in NC) has an RN-BSN program that is 100% online and easy to complete while working full time. So the benefit is not only less cost in general, but you can start working after your ADN to pay off any loan you may have incurred, and save up to pay off the bridge program to avoid getting more/any loans. Many hospitals also offer to pay for the RN- BSN tuition cost.
The downside is that ADN programs often are closer to 3+ years in length depending on how many of the pre-reqs you can take at once and when you are admitted into the program. Some CCs have waiting lists that can be a year or more wait. They can be just as competitive as BSN programs to get into, so getting into and through the program in 2 years is not a guarantee, and often does not happen that way unless you plan it out and do well.
As for BSN programs, they are 4 years in length again depending on when you get into the program. They are more expensive, but you get to finish your degree in one go, and you can potentially have an easier time applying to magnet hospitals if you have no previous experience working there. Both degrees result in becoming a Registered Nurse, and there is no difference in pay normally especially as a new grad. The main difference is BSN nurses have management opportunities, while ADN nurses would have to get their BSN first.
I personally am in a BSN program in order to avoid all of the extra steps, but if I had realized how much an ADN could have saved money I would have greatly considered it. I’d also recommend looking online at allnurses, there are a lot of posts on there about ADN vs BSN that might help you decide.
I’ve never heard of an ADN. That is a bad sign. Go for the BSN. I can’t tell you how many sort-of-nurses I have seen who are essentially unemployable. There is a shortage of RN’s. If possible, start with that.
Ah, an ADN is simply an associates degree. No question then - if you can afford it, get a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
^She’s not asking whether or not she should get a BSN. She’s simply asking whether she should start with an associate’s degree in nursing and then transfer to a four-year school or whether she should go directly into a four year program. (Besides, you never hearing of an ADN isn’t a bad sign - most people may not know what it is but the vast majority of nurses are ADNs. I’d still recommend a BSN over an ADN in the long run, but an ADN is by no means “bad” because non-nurses don’t know what it stands for. You have probably never heard of FAAN either but it’s a good thing if your nurse has it!)
Frankly, either is a viable route. @SandyScrubs very neatly laid out the pros and cons. The ADN can take 3+ years because of a shortage of classes (because of a shortage of nursing faculty) and your prerequisites, but the upside is that afterwards you can do an RN-to-BSN program, so your total investment of time might be the same as if you went to a traditional four-year BSN program. There’s also the upside that you could work full- or part-time as an RN while you do the BSN part to help pay for living expenses and coursework. It’s a really cost-effective way to the degree.
How much would you have to borrow to go to UNC-Greensboro? That’s the linchpin. New nurses make decent money, but if you have to borrow more than around $40K (total) you’re probably borrowing too much and you’ll make it difficult to repay that money.
What is the pay differential between RN and BSN? (Am I presuming correctly ADN allows you to practice as an RN?)
If you know the differential, the availability of jobs as an RN, and how much more time it takes (and tuition cost) to get your BSN, I think you can lay it all out and see a clearer picture of the way to go.
OP, to reduce your future college cost, can you enroll in a dual enrollment program in your senior year of high school? You could potentially complete as much as 30 credits during your final year of high school by going to your local Community College full time and have your tuition/fees/books covered by the state/college/school board. You could complete most, if not all, your nursing prerequisites by the time you finish high school, allowing you to apply to either an ADN or BSN program (check prerequisites for BSN programs).
At Forsyth Tech Community College, you can complete your ADN within 4+ semesters (plus a summer term):
http://www.forsythtech.edu/catalog/1516/program/associate-degree-nursing-fall-entry
Associates degrees in nursing are one of the lowest rungs of the ladder. Nothing wrong with that but from a career standpoint it is not the best endpoint. I understand that the question is about the starting point for an education, but many people get comfortable with an associate’s degree, get working, etc. and never complete their education to their potential. Going as far with your education as your mind will take you usually leads to the most fulfilling work in the long run. Starting with a BSN opens vastly more opportunities for career than an associate’s degree. So if you are capable and can afford it, you should consider starting in a BSN program.
Depending on total debt accrued, I suggest UNC-Greensboro and focus on completing the program on time to keep the cost down. You might have to work a lot of double shifts afterward to pay down the debt but you will be paid better and can pay off the debt faster. If you try to work as an associates degree nurse while working on a BSN it might take longer for which there is an opportunity cost.
My daughter just graduated and at the hospital she was hired at brand new nurses with an ADN start at $2 per hour less than brand new ones with a BSRN. I thought the pay differential would be more. I am sure salaries for ADNs who don’t go on to finish their BSRN top out more quickly, but if finances are an issue the two year degree can be a great way to get started.
consider the RIBN program at Forsyth Tech:
http://www.forsythtech.edu/apply/admission-requirements/nursing-allied-health-programs/ribn/
http://www.forsythtech.edu/catalog/1516/program/associate-degree-nursing-RIBN
http://www.forsythtech.edu/files/admissions/RIBN%20Curriculum.pdf
My daughter is in the RIBN program in eastern NC. You will do 3 years at CC and the 4th at Winston-Salem State University. so 3 years will be at community college prices.