"My name is Jill, and I am the 4th of 19 Duggar kids. Over the past few years, while considering my future plans, I’ve become very interested in nursing. When my little sister Josie was born prematurely, I spent a lot of time in the hospital with her and this really increased my nursing interest. I’ve decided to earn a Bachelors of Science in Nursing to allow me to pursue nursing.
With 19 kids in our family, we’re probably one of the busiest families out there. Besides family activities and travels, I’m also a First Responder with our local Fire Department. This has given me more medical training and experience, but it’s also added to my busyness. So as I started into my college studies, I needed flexibility. I’m currently studying for some of my general education classes independently and then taking CLEP exams to earn the college credit. This allows me to study any time I want to and from anywhere in the world our family happens to be. Not only is this approach flexible, it’s also a lot cheaper. After I’ve CLEPped out of all the classes I can, I’ll be transferring in to a local fully accredited nursing school to complete my degree.
There’s a really awesome college program called CollegePlus! which is helping me with this process, from researching the tests I can take, to studying for them, and later will help me with the transfer process. Go to http://www.collegeplus.org/duggars to find out more and see the college plans my siblings have."
This is an update to a post we wrote last year.
Thank you, CollegePlus!
Readers, if you have any questions, post them here, and we will forward them to CollegePlus!
Those of you in the US and Canada, be sure to tune in to TLC on Tuesday, October 4th, to hear more of the Duggar kids' college plans. As always, we will post a recap after the show.
Have you heard of CollgePlus!?
As a CollegePlus! grad, this is exciting to see! Congrats Jill! I wish you the best as you complete your nursing studies!
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool! I plan on getting my CNA (certified Nursing Assistant) certificate at 16 (years old) and hopefully start working as a CNA at a hospital or a nursing home.
ReplyDeleteI think it's great to see that the Duggar girls are pursuing educational interests. Although I am a stay at home mom, I have an advanced college degree that will allow me to make money in the future if I choose to work at some point. Right now our six children are young. I'm glad to see that the older Duggar girls are not expected to stay at home and just care for younger siblings. I'm pleased that college is an acceptable option.
ReplyDeleteWell done Jill, I'm not surprised that you are going for this, you seem to be a natural with the younger children, any idea what area you want to focus on, I would think you would make an excellent children's nurse, with having 15 children younger than you then you would have some experience of handling children been sick and especially since Josie was so ill, I'm sure this affirmed what you had wanted to do.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck and well done, keep us updated on how you are getting on and of course a few prayers that you get all your exams
You go girl!!! I can tell that your caring personality is suited for this! I wish you the best!!
ReplyDeleteJill, That is fantastic! Wishing you God's best for your future!
ReplyDeleteCool! I want to do that same thing when I finish High School. My brother got a International Business degree with CollegePlus.
ReplyDeleteRock on Duggars!
Awesome, Jill! I CLEP'd out of one or two courses on my journey to get my college degree and took advantage of the local community college. These are also great resources. Thanks for sharing your journey and my the Lord continue to Bless you richly!
ReplyDeleteThanks. And I was wondering if the duggars are going to go to the ATI family camp in TX this week?
ReplyDeleteHere is the link:
http://www.alertacademy.com/iaa/fc/
thanks. Marylynn
awesome, i'm so happy to see the Duggar girls going to college and making a difference in the world :) i've worked in 2 hospitals, and i've seen that nursing is a tough tough job with long work hours, demanding patients, plus the burden of caring for the really sick can get to a person very quick. however, i have much faith that Jill (and all the other Duggar kids) will do lots of great work!
ReplyDeleteHi Marylynn!
ReplyDeleteThe Duggars have attended ATI family camp in previous years, but we aren't positive whether they are attending this year. It doesn't look like they are scheduled to speak, so it's not really a public appearance.
Thanks for reading!
~Lily and Ellie
I'm so happy for Jill! I'm studying nursing right now too! She should check out the Journal of Christian Nursing.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Jill on finding your vocation. You will make one brilliant caring nurse. Good luck and may all your career dreams come true.
ReplyDeleteThank you for letting me know Lily and Ellie . :)
ReplyDeleteMarylynn
Way to go, Jill! On the new website, a future goal she listed is to return to South America. That'd be great if she could use her skills there when she graduates. But, one step at a time
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to be able to get the higher education and knowledge that will compliment your gifts so well.
ReplyDeleteI'm in my second semester of nursing school now and just wanted to say it'll be the hardest thing you probably ever do, but so worth it in the end when you get your license. The hard part will come from studying harder then you have ever before and then only getting a C or sometimes a D. The part that I like is doing clinicals at the hospital and getting to take care of people. I'm just finishing up my rotation with chronic med/surg which is basically chronic illness and then start 8 weeks of OB. I hope your parents are ok with you seeing nudity because you will see alot as a nursing student weither its during bed baths or inserting foleys on males and females you will see it ALOT. Also while collegeplus is helping you travel with your family and do school you won't be able to do that once in nursing school because the board of registered nursing (the people who give you your license in the end) says you have to be in school so many hours or you can't pass. like this semster i'm allowed to miss 9 hours, but the teacher makes you it up. Good luck and find a good program partically one that has high pass rate on the NCLEX it'll be a harder program, but really you wanna pass the first time when you take the NCLEX to get your license.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck!
ReplyDeleteI am happy to see that the Duggar girls will be pursuing further education. At one point I recall reading something about how their father had said the daughters would not be going to college. I'm glad to see that this is changed and the Duggar daughters are looking at their future careers.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Jana?
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous!
ReplyDeleteYou can read about Jana's college plans here:
http://duggarsblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/college-degrees-for-jana-and-john-david.html
Enjoy the weekend!
Lily and Ellie
Hi! I don't understand why they don't just go to college now?--They're all ready and certainly smart enough. If money is an issue, I'm sure FAFSA would be able to tell mom, dad, and kids what he financial outlay would be. Going now would probably save time and they can get started on what I can see will be promising careers--particularly the girls who are going into nursing. Wow! And if Jinger wants to study music, entry into an ensemble situation is necessary and invaluable. They will do great!
ReplyDeleteI am the mother of a 19 year old girl and a 17 year old boy, I should say woman and man. Due to many financial problems including my being recently fired and my husband being diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and having to go through a Stem Cell Transplant in 2008, we are truely struggling for the first times in my life. I have been feeling extremely guilty because I can not assist my children to pay for college. i just read your post and would love to get more information about how you are getting your education. I realize it is not free bue sounds like it would be much sheaper then attending a regular college. I have watched your show for many years and have always enjoyed it. Although i know I would not be brave enough to have as many children as your parents have, I truely respect them for their faith and at times am jealous of what appears to be true happiness in all of your lives. My heart goes out to your family for the lose of your newest addition and felt your dedication to her was beatiful and loving. Not many people would fing the good in such a lose instead of simply falling apart and not sharing how to go on after such a lose. i am sure you think of her daily and will always hold her in your hearts. I am also a nurse for over 28 years, a dream i have had since I was 10 years old. the experiences i have had has ranged from all kinds of levels both good and bad. It has been a true honor to be in someones life on either the best day of their lives or the truelu worst day of their lives. I wish when my father passed when I was 16 years old, I had had a nurse with a heart to put their arms aroundme and support me emotionally as i have done many a time. I wish you well in your career and know that you will find true happiness and fulfilment in this choice of careers. Hapyy New Years to all of your family and only success in your future. Thank You.
ReplyDeleteAs an "old nurse" and fan of your show and family I am so pleased to see that you are interested in nursing. It is a career that fits your personality and belief system and I honestly believe you will excel. Best of luck in your studies.
ReplyDeleteYou will be an awesome nurse.
ReplyDeletejill please get out of that house and live your life. I hope you won't sit around and help raise your parent's kids. Please get out and go AWAY to college. You are not required to devote your life to your parents and siblings. soon enough you'll have your own family. Not fair that you're not doing things that a young lady your age should be doing. And it's not raising your siblings.
ReplyDeleteI 100 percent agree. get out into the world girls! It needs people like you out in it!
Deletei think i am ready to faint in my chair their children go to college. doubt they will get any degree since they travel so much and jim and michelle would let their kids go off to any public school or even leave home
ReplyDeleteI think a Jill in healthcare is a great thing, society needs more positive influences.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Jill. I am undergoing treatment for cancer and must say that the nurses are angels here on earth. I see them more than I do the doctors and not once have I had a bad nurse. It is truly a calling from God and I wish you the upmost success in your studies and once you graduate in your practice. My prayers will remain with you daily Jill. Go get 'em!!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Karen
Anonymous on February 23, 2012 11:57
ReplyDelete~~~
I have a question, what do you mean when you say "You are not required to devote your life to your parents and siblings..." How can you say that?! True love for your family is doing just that! And as far as "Not fair that you're not doing things that a young lady your age should be doing..." Tell me, what SHOULD a girl her age being doing then!?!? She is doing just what God wants her to do, let's not criticize her for it.
i <3 u Jill!
ReplyDelete*idigtheduggars_19*
I am a nurse now and the hardest thing that will happen is not nursing school. It is when you get out into the real world and realize that no matter how hard you try not everyone will take the advice they are given and will come back worse than they left you. It is also seeing those people dying and the families are yelling and screaming at each other over whose fault it is. Please remember to keep God first and don't let your passion become tainted by those that don't care!
ReplyDeleteThis "update" from Jill is over a year old. What is currently happening in her pursuit of a nursing degree? Like some others I am skeptical that any of the Duggar children will earn college degrees from actual bricks-and-mortar accredited colleges. Time will tell...
ReplyDeleteWhy did the parents allow Josh and Anna to hold hands when they courted but the girls Jill and Jessa cannot???
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading the "20 and Counting" book, and had an enjoyable time reading it. I don't watch tv anymore because of a severe hearing loss, so reading anything about this amazing family is a plus for me. I didn't actually meet them, but attended a violin concert to watch my grandson and granddaughter perform and was able to watch several of the Duggers play, several years ago, at Ozark Adventist Academy in Gentry, AR , several years ago. This is truly a remarkable family. I, myself, am the oldest of seven children and I remember our Dad telling us if we didn't have at least as many kids as they did, we wouldn't be as "good" as they were. I ended up with the most...four (one daughter and three sons). Both of my sisters each have two, as well as one of my brothers. Another brother has three, while another brother has one. One of my brothers and his wife let the rest of us do the "begatting" While none of us reached the number "7", we each counted what we had as gifts from God, and., now, as life goes on, some of our children are now parents and one is even a grandparent. The Bible says that "children are an heritage to the Lord". Jesus said, that, "unless we become as little children", we will not be able to enter heaven. In spite of the large number of children, whom are known world-wide, I have a hunch that the Dugger family is just a larger version of our own families and have the same sort of problems we all have experienced from time to time. Like siblings not always getting along with each other or having to deal with an over-flowing toilet.The one thing I believe, for sure..no matter how many or few children we have, we as parents and grandparents, need to be diligently praying for all of our children and grandchildren because they will be facing issues that none of us have had to go through. I just have one closing thought, and that is,...God Bless the Dugger family and ALL of the families of the world
ReplyDeletewhen do you plan to be married?
ReplyDeletePeople of reality shows are getting paid big money, they really don't care what people think as long as the viewers are watching.
ReplyDeleteI am disappointed to see that Jill did not earn a bachelor's degree and is no longer working in midwifery.
ReplyDelete