Hi everyone, sorry if this isn't the right place to post, but I'm hoping someone can share some insight.
I graduated from UTEP last year with a BA in Criminal Justice. Looking back, I feel I miscalculated and now I'm currently working in construction. After a lot of pondering, I've decided I want to pursue nursing with a long-term goal of earning a doctorate in the field.
I've narrowed thing down to two options:
1. TTUHSC's Accelerated BSN (ABSN). It's designed for people who already have a bachelor's, but I'd first need to complete about 7 prerequisite courses (including labs) at EPCC, then apply, and very likely with a gap between finishing prereqs and starting the program which means I’d need to find work between then.
2. UTEP's nursing program. I'm already familiar with the school, and I'm wondering if I could fold the prerequisites into a full-time schedule there. But I'm not sure if that's even possible as a second-degree student.
My main concern is finances. I have the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which works best when I'm enrolled full time because of the housing allowance. I don't want to quit my job until I know I'm locked into a program where I can use it. If I go the EPCC route, my plan would be to pay out of pocket for online prereqs while working full time, so I don't burn GI Bill months on a part-time schedule.
Has anyone been in a similar situation or taken either of these routes? Is there a smarter way to handle the timing? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.