As an RN with 42 years experience, I agree with all the good advice above: Do it. Don't work while doing it…other than possibly some kind of aide or nursing tech. part-time position. Make sure you are in a "real", fully-accredited nursing program…none of that U. of Phoenix stuff. Federal loans, not private. Do whatever you have to do to get good grades. Display the kind of personal qualities they'll be looking for: Caring, reliable, hard-worker, mature, pleasant to work with…try to demonstrate that you've got a stable personal life that is not rife with social problems. Be prepared to start your nursing career working off-shifts and/or rotating shifts. Try very hard to get at least one year's experience on a general med-surg floor, even if your career goals lie somewhere else. You need that basic, nuts-and-bolts experience to get started. Double-check with yourself that this is what you want to do--yes, nursing should give you a first-income, living-wage type of career. You should be able to drive a decent car and buy at least a little house on your income alone. But here's the thing--you have to have the "X factor"--you have to be a caring person with a need to help people and do something worthwhile for society. If it's only about the money, you will never last. The work is going to be physically, mentally, and emotionally draining at times--you will always be working short-staffed--you will always be expected to do more than one human can possibly do--impossible to get everything done--but you get it done anyway. So think hard.
One big plus about nursing is that you will have a skill-set that will be very helpful to your loved ones at home if (God forbid) they need that. I've helped out family members who've had surgeries, taken care of an elderly relative with Alzheimers right up until the dead end, (he died at home, with me right there), and helped advocate for and advise many a relative wending their way through the health care system. It's hard to put a price tag on things like that, that you're able to help your family so much if need be.