Becoming an Associate Degree Nurse in Wisconsin

Student Testimony

I am a 28 year old single mother of two beautiful children going back to school to become a Registered Nurse. Some might say, I have taken the long road to reach my goals, but that is alright with me. There are many ways to reach the goal of becoming a successful caring Nurse in Wisconsin. There are different types of Colleges, different programs, and financial assistance as well.
Some people will continue to go to college right after high school. If a high school graduate wants to go to college for Nursing, they can go to a four year college and obtain their Bachelors Degree in four years time. Well, some high school graduates don’t have the money or recourses to go to a four year college. Sometimes after high school graduation, if you were like me, you don’t really know what you want to be when you grow up! This is not a reason to become discouraged. One thing I like about the State of Wisconsin is there are many Technical Colleges, such as all of the Wisconsin Technical Colleges, Lakeshore Technical College, and University of Phoenix, among others.

I know a lot of people that don’t return to school until later in life. There are still many ways to achieve your goal. For example, the school I attend is Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, which is included in the list I wrote earlier. I graduated with my LPN many years ago and did not think I would go any further with my education. I have fallen in love with the Nursing profession and I am currently in the process of getting my ADN. Since I am an adult, I still have to work and take care of my children and so on. I am able to smoothly make the transition from LPN to ADN due to what is called the Associate Degree Bridge program. The first year of the Associate degree program is the Licensed Practical Nurse program! Now I can finish my last year of schooling. A lot of Wisconsin Nursing students choose to use this route because they can take the LPN boards and also work as an LPN while finishing with their ADN program. The technical colleges also offer part-time associate degree programs. This means instead of a 2 year program, you would finish school in four years and still be able to concentrate on other obligations, which is a little more difficult while in school full time. A lot of times you will find that there are wait lists before you are eligible to enter the Nursing programs. Many Technical Schools allow the options of taking some courses while you are waiting. Many courses are offered online or as a blended course. The best part is, if you want to continue on for your Bachelor’s and are past the time in your life for dorm rooms, many Technical College credits will transfer to four year colleges. These are some of the Colleges in Wisconsin that will accept transferred credits: Lakeland College, Kaplan University, Marian University, UW Milwaukee, UW Oshkosh, Capella, and UW Green Bay. Before applying to a program it is first wise to contact the academic/program advisor of the College you are going to attend. They are there to ask any questions regarding the programs offered by that College and what is the best way to achieve your goals and help make a “game plan.”
Sometimes it is difficult to return to school due to financial need.

Many Colleges in Wisconsin will have financial counselors on staff to answer questions regarding financial aid, subsidized and unsubsidized loans, grants, and scholarships. Subsidized loans are awarded on the basis of financial need. You won’t be charged any interest before you begin repaying the loan because the federal government subsidizes the interest during this time. Unsubsidized loans charge interest from the time the money is fist disbursed until it is pain in full. The interest is capitalized, meaning that you pay the interest that has already accrued. One way to minimize how much interest accrues is to pay the interest as it accumulates. Grants and scholarships would not need to be paid back. Counselors can show you how to access the Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) website and apply for financial aid. They can also discuss places to find scholarships, such as online, in a local newspaper and area Hospital bulletin boards.

I hope this helps anyone work towards their dream of becoming a Registered Nurse. This dream can be obtained via many different avenues, at different paces, and at many different ages.