Is this really for me?

Early this summer, I had a conversation with a doctor friend and fellow Zumba instructor on a long car ride to another friend's home. I told her how I had been thinking about looking at nursing programs. She excitedly said I should definitely do it. I listened but then put it in my back pocket.

The thoughts that ran through my head were:

• Are you kidding? You already have two degrees.
• Do you have any idea what this will cost you?
• You haven't studied any science since High School?
• You can't just jump up and decide you want to change careers. The world doesn't work that way.
• You are crazy.

I thought about it but always came to the same conclusion. I was insane. Until another friend of mine who is also in marketing and also in fitness and is unemployed confided in me that he had been thinking of nursing. I ran through all my thoughts with him and he confirmed that I was crazy. Not because I was thinking it but because I just stored it away and gave up on the thought so quickly WITHOUT doing any research.

So, I began researching. I began learning about the various programs and I organized a spreadsheet. Here is the list that I put together of things that were important to me:

1. Location - I didn't want to go to a school that was too difficult to commute to as I realized the Accelerated Programs were eight hours a day and then you need time to study. Being far from home would extend my time away by at least an hour, perhaps two, and I wouldn't have any time for anything else. 
2. Length of time - In my book, more time is more money and I can't afford being in school for too long.
3. Cost per credit or Cost of program - something I never considered in undergrad or even grad school but a definitely consideration now. 
4. Pre-requisites: The way I see it, the more pre-requisites that the school requested of me that I already didn't have, the more money I would have to spend.

Doing the research and making myself fill out my spreadsheet helped me start learning about programs, the school offering it, and the type of students. Most students who go for the Accelerated BSN program are professionals in career transition just like me. 

Anyway, I decided to take a step-by-step approach. I'm signing up for one or two courses in the spring semester at a local community college. If I enjoy the coursework, and want to continue, then I will. If not, then I won't. My goal is to pay for all my pre-requisites on my own without student loans so this might be a long process but I am excited about it.

See ya later!