I was married and had three children when I first went to college. I was 22 years old. How old were you when you first went to college. When did you decide to become a nurse, or what made you to decide to choose nursing as a second career choice?

Got ya all beat!! got my RN at age 20, my BS (not BSN) at age 25 and was 54 when I got my MSN. Returned to school at 51 and now, at almost 55 I am in the doctoral mode!! I ALWAYS wanted to be a nurse. When a guidance counselor told me I needed 4 years of school, I briefly thought about being a math teacher, but nursing won out. I trained at the hospital where my granddad did his residency and where I was born. My 1st start in life and my new start in life. I have been a nurse for 34 years and have not regretted one single minute,. I love nursing. My daughter is a nurse, both of us are labor nurses, I have also done stints in geriatrics, management and now am into education. Thank god for nursing's variety!!!

Well, I guess I'm a youngin'...This is my first year at college (I just turned 19 years old today!)

I first went right out of high school. I actually started when I was17! Four years later I had my undergrad degree and then about 12 years later I started classes again!

Nothing unusual, after high school. leila

I'm with Leila - I was 18 going on 19

I am just taking my prerequsties at 32. I hope to be an RN by 35. Being a single mom with three kids is going to make this a bit of a challenge. I keep telling myself that it will be worth it. I wanted to go to nursing school out of high school but my mom said that I would not like it. After my son was bit by a dog and had 45 stitches, then had to have a gland removed, then was burned by a sparkler I figured I could make it. I am not sure if I want to work in Peds or Mental Health.

I went to nursing school when I was 30. I was a single mom with 3 kids. Stephanie-it is hard-but believe me, it is well worth it. And your kids will thank you for it later. My only regret is that I didn't go on for my RN license then. I wouldn't want to go back now. I would tell anyone thinking of going to Practical Nursing School, to go ahead and get your RN license. It makes more sense. And Stephanie-if you ever need any moral support-I'd be glad to be there for you!

I started nursing right after hih school at age 18. I have been nursing for 47 years now and recently went into hospice care. When I was in high school I started the Future Nurses Club and voted in president for 3 years. My Director of Nursing at my college ask me to go back and recrute from my high school but the principle there would not let me do it since 90% of the students went into nursing after I left. She said they had to form a Future Teachers Club!
Nursing is my love besides swimming! My mother said I had more of a passion for swimming then the guys when I was growing up.

when i first went to college i was 27 years old. i attended louisiana techinical college hammond area campus. boy at that time my children were small, mu husband at the time was looking to go to school. i gave myself 10 years to become a registered nurse. 1st is was going to be a cna about 2 years, then an lpn about four years the rn school. but ly life went like this, i was a cna for 1 year, and now an lpn for 7 years, i have two semesters left to become an rn. but i have major adjustsments in my life. but i am not going to stop there. i am reaching for the stars.

I went to Voc/Tech at 25 for Secretarial Science- my mother in law tried to get me to do nursing then, but I wasn't confident enough. I started LPN school at night 2 years ago at the age of 35. I graduate in Dec and plan to go right on to RN school, Utimately, I want to have my RN, BSN at least, I may try for the MSN. Nothing is out of the question. Growth and Learning at any age Right Ladies? and Gentlemen.

I started college in January at the start of the winter semester, was 17 years...(18 in May), and still in HS! I was taking night courses in the nursing program, as I got to skip the pre reqs secondary to high GPA. Guess I got pretty lucky!

I have not yet started my journey through school, but am looking at starting. I am 27 years old and a mother of three.

wow - where to start- i started college right after high school in 198*%&&*^$%#, but marriage, babies, hubby in school, min wage $3.35/hr put the lid on that for a few years...but worked as a CNA for about 9 yrs...after hubby was done, tried to go back ten years later, but then he decided he needed a Masters, so the lid was back. Now, 25+ years out of high school, i am back in the mix. The family joke is that i am on the 30 yr plan. When i posted on the Bath Tub Test discussion, i wasn't kidding about wanting a room with a view of the gardens, cuz i must be crazy to be forcing my little pea brain to go through Chem, Biology Microbiology, A&P, math, etc for the 3rd time. Lately i have been wondering if my decision was financially sound as well. Yes i will make more money than i was in the Call Center racket, but will it make up for the thousands of $'s worth of student loans i will be forced to assume...any thoughts from the group?

I was 32 years old with four kids when I went to school to be a LPN. I found out I was once again pregnant while in school. My oldest was 16 years old and my youngest was just a year old. I did not want another baby! My sister, a RN , told me for years that she thought that I would be a good nurse, encouraged me. I was Blessed with a wonderful husband(not the father of the first three) that was very supportive. I am now 55 years old and found that nursing is my forte', I love nursing; I don't know anything else I'd rather do. I've always worked in long term care and found that this is where I suppose to be in nursing! I have no desire to go further than being a LPN, I'm comfortable with my pay and content with what I do. Incidentally I now have two daugters (out of three) that are nurses, both RNs'............................................VFC 267