U.S.A. California
Published Nov 27, 2007
You are reading page 2 of Should I complete an LVN program while on the waitlist for RN in San Diego?
adawg67
21 Posts
My advice as a career switcher is to forego the BA for now, get your LVN if you are for sure going to be on a waiting list for 1-2 yrs. That way you can work registry or for a great employer like Kaiser who offers to pay for your education and gives union represented employees a stipend to pay for 1 day off of work when in FT school.
Either way you will have a back up to make $$$.
you are young so don't sweat it-just make sure you have time to study about 40 hours a week while you are in school
Good Luck
SDMamma
101 Posts
Thank you to everyone who took the time to reply to my post. All your responses have been extremly helpful. :)
lvnandmomx3
834 Posts
IMO I would get the lvn you may not have your dream job as an LVN but you will be working making decent money and in a field (hopefully) you love. I am starting the ISU distant LVN to RN BSN program. I don't have any pre rec's right now so it will take me about 3-4 yrs to complete but in the mean time I have a job I really enjoy. If you complete the LVN program and continue on with your pre rec's ISU may be an option for you to get your RN BSN if you are still on a wait list for other colleges. Alot of ppl think that LVN is a waist of time but in my area there are many opportunities not just in LTC/SNF but sub acute, clinics, and even teaching jobs.
amzyRN
1,142 Posts
IMHO, go for the bachelors degree if you can. Try to go to a good school with a good reputation, then you can do an accelerated BSN program. Maybe you could do a BSN somewhere local. I think getting a bachelors degree gives you more options down the road. Try not to think exclusively of cost. Give yourself a solid foundation that allows mobility.
J
Thank you. I am pretty certain that I will throw in an app to the National University BSN program as well, but if they don't accept me, I will finish up the Bachelor's. The LVN seems too much money to spend just to work as one for 2 years b4 I start the RN.
Still so confused..but most likely NOT going the LVN route because the LVN-BSN via Indiana State U/Sonoma State program requires a 3.5 cumulative and I have a 3.2 in 70 units.....
which basically means I need 50 more semester units with ALL A's to get that GPA. So...yet another hurdle, and the reason I should really finish my Bachelor's (not in nursing) at USD.
Of course...there is always the HOPE that I will be accepted to National University's BSN program, or SDSU's, but we will see. I am applying to all of the above and will go to any BSN program that will have me at this point.
:/
I don't have anything in the paperwork that states this I think I may need to research some more. I do know that you need at least a "c" in all pre rec classes and no more than 2 repeat classes. If the 3.5 gpa is a fact I don't know if I can maintain that.
Tracylvn-
No, you won't find this info in any brochure, it is what I was told by an instructor (RN) there who evaluates transcripts. And honestly, I think the reason for the huge gap between GPA at ISU as compared with CA schools is that frankly...grading systems in the midwest are much more lenient...thus the 3.5 is easier to attain.
CA colleges have a much tougher curriculum and grading system. Most instructors here dont just hand out grades, so the ISU program is trying to compensate for that.
But depending on where you are located, I think they may take that into account when they evaluate you, so don't let me steer you away. For me personally though, I have 2 children and my time away from them is very precious, and I just dont know that I could raise my gpa to a 3.5 even with my best efforts.
Good luck to you anyhow.