Nursing Degree College, Nursing As A Second Career - Degree Options

Q: I'm sure people in this group have seen this topic before so apologies in advance, but I've recently begun considering nursing as a second career. I have a lot of questions but before I get into any of them I have some questions about the various degrees -- I already have a Bachelor's degree in a non-nursing related field so am considering an accelerated BSN program. Does that make more sense than doing an associate's? I would think so since I've already done a bachelor's general requirements. If I do do the BSN, I need to fulfill about 5 undergraduate pre-requisites. Does anyone know if I can just do those at a community college/local school before applying to a BSN program?

A:I can't see the rationale for returning to school, spending two years in a nursing program and only coming out with a ADN, all things being equal and if one is only lacking certain pre-req's including the science courses. In many states the core requirements for a B.S degree are set at the state level, with the real differences coming in core requirements for a particular major. Many second degree BSN programs are very generous in what they will accept in terms of credits, with the only real line in the sand being science courses. If one already has a B.S degree what would be the value of making students take 2 years of more of liberal arts

and sciences? Of course if one had a B.F. degree things may be different. Every additional year between the two is more than $60,000 in costs (between lost salary and benefits, costs of tuition and books,etc.). As I said, if you can afford ALWAYS go for the BSN. Well, money for the school is one big issue with credits (g). When I went back for nursing, they only thing they were going to give me from my BS was the electives. I had to go to the dean to get them to waive the requirements that I retake the 100 level English Comp class despite the fact that my BS had a minor in journalism and I had been working full time as a reporter just prior to starting.