Pre-Med Psych Major & Money Issues

[Halakha]

I'm currently at a CC as a Psych Major, but I'm interested in switching majors due to money issues. I'm doing outstanding in Psych. The Dean of Psych here knows me on a personal level, and the same can be said about the other psych professors. I'm a 3.8 honors student, in two honors societies, currently an officer in Psi Beta; basically, I'm doing really well in my field.

The problem is, even with a lot of the money being offered to me, scholarship wise and research compensation wise; I can't seem to get my head above water financially. I won't go into personal details, but at 21 I'm supporting an entire house. Because of such, I was thinking about going for my BSN instead of B.S in Psychology so that I could hold a well paying job. I know It will come no where near close to covering future debt, but It would help this house breath for a little bit.

Is it worth discontinuing what I have going in psych, or should I stick it out? I know that Nursing is strongly discouraged as a pre-med major, but B.S/B.A's in psych just really don't net jobs unless your very lucky. I suppose my academics and connections might find me a place to work, but I doubt it will be another comparable to that of an RN.

Anyone have any suggestions or input? Very much appreciated, thank you.

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[TriagePreMed]

A BSN will take the same time (if not longer) than a BS in Psych. If you enter Med School right after your BS, you can support your family with loans.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

Also tread carefully. You are young, but take it from the nontrads with experience. Llife is going to keep throwing crap at you, and when you cross that line and focus on money, it becomes increasingly harder to go back. I appreciate the family situation. I have 3 kids of my own and work two jobs and so does my wife to get ahead enough for med school.

 

[FiremedicMike]

It is worth noting that the job market for nurses is NOT what it once was. Nurses with zero experience are a dime a dozen and it takes a significant amount of effort and luck to land that first job. My wife graduates nursing school and passed her boards a full 18 months before her first day on the floor, and during that time I bet she applied to about 200-300 different places. She was only hired due to a solid connection she had with the hospital, once hired the HR rep told her that applications for nurses with zero experience are generally immediately disregarded. Oh, she's also driving 50 minutes one way to get to work...

YMMV, we are in Ohio..

 

[mauberley]

It is worth noting that the job market for nurses is NOT what it once was.

Indeed. To lend some credence to this: http://www.npr.org/2011/05/09/136138374/sick-economy-means-nursing-jobs-harder-to-find

(Also, I initially read the thread title as "Pre-Med Psych Major and Mommy Issues." Given the "psych major," it made sense...)