I need opinions. I know all of you are good at voicing them....

[camchristo]

Maria,

I think it is great that you are considering this and figuring out what you can do to make it happen.

A few suggestions.

Just make sure nursing is what you really want to do. If it is, then the sacrifices will be worth it.

Research what the pay will be for the position you will be qualified for after you graduate. You said you were going for the associates, right? Is that an LPN? I would research what the pay range is for that position so you will have an idea as to whether you will be able to make it on that pay, especially since you might have the student loans to consider.

Do you have plans to pursue the bachelor's? If so, will you new position allow you the time and flexibility to pursue it?

Are the widow's benefits available to you even if you are voluntarily unemployed - since you will be quitting your job?

What about health insurance? Will you have health benefits for you and your girls while you are attending school?

I'm sure you have thought about all of these things cause you're a really smart woman. Just expressing some of the concerns I would have.

I really admire you for this. I don't really like my job - well, career, I should say. If I had it to do over again, I would definitely do something different. However, at this point, I don't really feel like I'm in a position to be able to do it. I would have gone to medical school. And me doing that is just not realistic. I'd have to quit working and go to school full time. I'd have to take a lot of undergraduate classes as my degree did not require any chemistry or biology. I'm still paying a **** ton of loans from law school (the monthly amount isn't bad but I'll be paying for a long time). I don't really want to add $100,000+ to my loan balance. And, I like my lifestyle. If I wasn't contributing to the household expenses, we'd have to move. It would be probably 8 to 10 years until I was established again and by that time I'd be old.

I guess if I really wanted it, I'd find a way. It just seems like too many obstacles. And I guess I don't want to work that hard for it. Which is why I admire you.

As long as you've considered everything and don't think you'll regret it - do it.