Nursing School? Which One?

Well I learned today that I have been accepted to Laboure College for Nursing. I just don't know if I should go there or not. According to admissions at the college I can start my actual nursing courses in September of 2008. In the meantime I have to take 6 general education courses before then. I can go part-time evenings for the general eds. When the nursing courses begin, I can take those of Friday nights and Saturday days. The program will take two years from September of 2008! My other option is Quincy College. I can apply in October of 2007 for January 2009! In the meantime I can take the 5 general education classes that I need there all online at another college and transfer them in. This program will take 2 1/2 years from January of 2009, thus adding an additional ten months. The nursing courses for Quincy will occur 3 times a week at 2:30 in the afternoon for the first year, and then twice a week at 2:30. Quincy will also be almost 9000.00 cheaper than Laboure. I really am having a terrible time trying to decide. At 43, getting out 10 months early seems really inviting. The money I will start making at the earlier date will more than cover the 9000.00 difference. Knowing that the Nursing clinicals are Friday nights and Saturdays, seems to be easier to manage while I am at home taking care of my mom too. The downside to Laboure are some of the general eds that I have to take that I have no interest in such as World Literature, Religions of the World, or Christianity. The fact that I physically have to attend the college while taking the general eds takes me away from my responsibilities as caregiver to my mother as well.

Quincy is very appealing in that they will accept so many of my general eds from my days at Framingham State, and the only gen eds that I have to take are science courses that I can take online. I can be around at home whenever mom needs me until the Nursing classes start. The downside are the afternoon clinicals, which is when my mother may have doctor appointments and such. The other downside is graduating 10 months later than Laboure. Considering that I will probably want to pursue a Bachelor's or Master's while working, 10 months is a nice chunk of my quickly advancing age!

I think if Quincy got me out at the same time, I would probably go there. Taking online science courses with home labs is very appealing to me. I could also probably hire someone if need be with the 9000 dollars I would be saving to sit with my mother. 10 extra months at Quincy though seems like a lot added on when I am just trying to get an associates degree. I need to decide by Monday, so I am having a great weekend!