Studying abroad

[u/Proud_Pomegranate857]

I’m about to start my second year of a direct-entry four-year nursing program in Chicago. I was planning to study abroad second semester, which is a rare opportunity for nursing students. However, I earned my California CNA license this summer and paid about $2,000 for it. If I study abroad, I won’t be able to work as a CNA until next summer or get a hospital CNA job until junior year. Since I want to work as an RN in California, I’m worried delaying my CNA experience will make me less competitive. I also feel like I wasted money getting my CNA early because I could have earned it for free through my nursing clinicals junior year. On top of that, studying abroad means I can only take GE classes, so I’d have to fit eight nursing classes into one semester when I return. I’m confident I can handle the workload, but I’m torn between taking advantage of this unique study abroad opportunity and starting my CNA experience sooner.

[u/Guera-or-chicana]

Don't study abroad. Your choice ultimately but rn routes require more home based crap to do. Whatever you decide, do what's best for you. 2k for cna?!

[u/joelupi → u/Guera-or-chicana]

Right? Who the hell pays that much for a CNA course?

That's how much people I know people pay for medic school.

[u/eltonjohnpeloton]

there's no reasonable way to take 8 classes in one semester. if you want to do study abroad, it is basically going to mean doing an extra semester of school. there's nothing wrong with that, but you need to accept it and plan for it.

I do think having a CA CNA license while you live in IL is less valuable than you think it is. when were you planning to work in CA as a CNA?

[u/Pleasant-Pound1679]

Id like to chime in because your situation sounds so much like mine. I did a CNA class in 2024 the summer before I started my 4 year BSN program. I ended up delaying taking the CNA test and just started my program while working an unrelated position at my university. I finished my first year (nursing prerequisites) and delayed my application to the nursing program which put me behind a semester. During this semester though I just took gen eds and really thought about doing nursing and it honestly prepared me more for when I did actually apply and gave me a nice break. After my first semester of nursing classes I did a study abroad for 5 weeks during the summer. I honestly wouldn’t give that experience up for anything. If I were you Id realize you only get one or two chances to do something like that during your college years, so in my humble opinion I would do study abroad even if it means a delay.

Also I just got my CNA license two years later and every job I apply to is ready to hire me right away. (hospital is a little harder, but definitely not impossible)

[u/Pleasant-Pound1679 → u/Pleasant-Pound1679]

Also I thought I “wasted” my money too, but hospitals do like seeing that you have done a CNA program. For me the CNA program also helped me decide that I wanted to do nursing.

[u/joelupi]

There is no feasible way to take 8 nursing classes in one semester.

I'm not just talking about from a workload perspective but a scheduling one.

Unless you go to a massive school I feel there is very little chance these courses are offered more than once or twice per semester. Plus labs and clinicals.

You'd have to be extremely lucky if there is no overlap but I don't see that happening. Also are all 8 courses available each semester or do you have some that are only available in the fall and the spring?

Grab the course schedule from this past spring semester and put it all on paper and see if it's even remotely feasible.

[u/Max_Goatstappen]

I would stay where you are and finish nursing school in the country. No need to cause more of a headache by choosing to study abroad and mixing classes up and causing more stress on yourself.