Hi, Everyone! I'm an 18 year old pre-nursing student completing pre-reqs for my local nursing schools, FCCJ and UNF. I am currently a freshman at FCCJ, but wish to complete my bachelor's. Although this is my ultimate goal, UNF only admits 48 students twice a year and I do not have a lot of time to wait on a list as I really need to be in a career soon. My GPA is 3.80 right now, but I've yet to take Chem. or Micro. so it probably will go down. Do you think that I should complete my Associates in Nursing first then do a bachelors or should I just keep my heart on UNF?

By the way, in December I will have my AA degree, then I would probably go on to nursing school at FCCJ for another 1.5 years only to recieve an AS. I could wait, however, until the summer semester, and hope that I get in UNF. If so, I would only spend one more semester and recieve a bach. degree. The RN-BSN takes at least 3 to 4 semesters, time I do not think I would commit when I began to work full time. I have scholarships which should pay for everything providing I attend school without interruption, so If I were to go for an AS then take a semester off before the RN-BSN program started I would forfeit my scholarship.

I am from Jacksonville, FL. Does anyone know if Baptist Hospital, Shands, or St. Vincents pays for an RN-BSN program for its nurses? If so, then maybe I should deeply consider going for my AS first then BSN. My worst nighmare would be postponing nursing school for 2 or more semesters to try to get in UNF only to be rejected:crying2: .

Sorry for the long post. Any insight would be appreciated.

If anyone has ever attended FCCJ or UNF's nursing schools could you give me any info about the programs. What kind of hours do/did you attend school?

It sounds like you are getting really good grades. I am at UNF now, and I will tell you honestly...UNF is NOT all that great. They bombard you with paperwork, and you graduate with less technical skills than your FCCJ counterparts. We spend hours on Ethics, research, and on "self-teaching" projects, and most of us have yet to hang an IV, or cath a patient. Yes, we can prepare an APA paper with the "best of them", and we can tell you the difference between quantitative and qualitative research, and we can quote every ethical theory ever proposed. However...in the real world, and on the floor, these are not skills that are much appreciated by the patients.

It's great that you want a BSN. Just don't expect UNF to make you a great nurse. Get your ADN, and do an RN-BSN program at the University of Florida. Yes, your employer will most likely have a program that will carry some (if not most) of the cost. And, as a BSN, you will NOT make more money than your ADN sisters/brothers....at least not on the floor. Don't kill yourself to get into UNF, because it isn't that great of a program. FCCJ has a great program, and you'll graduate with better technical skills.

If I'd known then what I know now, I'd have gone somewhere else.

Thanks so much for the reply. I feel a whole lot better now. With UNF turning down people with 4.0 GPA's, I'd rather not risk everything for the slim chance to get in there.

I went through the same dilema you are going through. I decided to go to FCCJ and receive my ADN.

In Jax, there is no difference in pay between an RN-ADN and RN-BSN. I work at Memorial Hospital and we get a lot of FCCJ and UNF students. The UNF students tend to gripe about the amount of "useless" paperwork and projects that they have to do.

I came to the conclusion that I would rather just get my ADN, start working, and have my employer pay for the rest of my education. As far as I know, all hospitals in Jax have tuition reimbursement if you decide to go back for your BSN. UNF and UF at Shands both have good, flexible RN-BSN programs.

Good luck!

I am in my 2nd semester at SJRCC. It is a 5 semester program and has 36 spots, three times a year. I would look into this program as well. The instructors are awesome, the coursework is challenging and the clinicals are very rewarding. Good Luck to you.

Thanks so much for the replies!

flrn18- Your insight was really helpful! I really believe I'll go the same route that you did. Tuition Reinbursement would be wonderful! How did you like FCCJ? What kind of hours did you attend class?

JR816- I will apply at SJRCC as well. How do you like their program?

Nedix9 since you still very young going for the BSN will not be a bad thing; but if you can get to a two year program, go for it.

Think positive, your GPA will stay up if you continue to stay focus. I wish you luck.

I applied to UNF for the summer 2006. You have me worried now with the talk of people with 4.0s getting rejected! Have you checked into JU as well? I applied there also. JU is my last choice though, due to the high cost of tuition.

I've thought about JU, but honestly, with the high cost of tuition, I would probably rethink careers before attending there.

I'm still not 100% sure about nursing. As of the 10th grade I had always wanted to be a famous journalist (classmates said I lived to join corporate America), but due to family restrictions, I will not be able to attend journalism school where I had wished.

In addition, I despertly need stability. I need a career that will last. I do not intend on staying in Jax too long and I don't have family, or really anyone in the world to turn to if I were to ever be unemployed. I'm not looking to get rich in a career, only make enough money to live comfortably and perhaps save enough to backpack across Europe one day (one of my far far out carzy dreams.):roll

So, when I started thinking of this 2 years ago, nursing came to mind:nurse: . After all I know many RN's who have said I would make a great nurses. These are wonderful nurses so hearing it from them was a huge compliment. I definately want a job, where I will be needed, and hopefully appreciated. I am very spirtual, and am thinking of also being a missionary (nursing would definately come in handy). Anyway, I'm doing all my pre-reqs for nursing and going to career counceling. the last thing I would want is to get into a nursing program, then figure out its not for me. I would have wasted someone's spot, not to mention money that I cannot really afford.

Sorry for making this post so long, but in my personality tests Recongition and Acheivement came up as my two greatest desires from a job (believe me, I'm sooo not self centered. this is just my personality, I cannot change it). How much of this do you get form nursing?

I need a career where I will be treated as an equal human being. How do MDs treat RNs? I could not have a job where I was looked down upon.

Thanks everyone for all the great advice!!!

Wow!! You sound like a responsible young adult. I'm only in clinicals but already I can see that the nurses pretty much run the hospital. They make sure all the i's are dotted and t's are crossed. Not to mention they protect and act as patient advocates. I think you will make an awesome nurse.

I'm in SJRCC's program, too...will graduate this August. If you do decide to go for the ASN vs. the BSN you might as well try applying at both FCCJ & SJRCC. Just be sure to compare the pre-reqs of each...they are a little different (you can go to the school web sites and do that). I did my pre-reqs at FCCJ then transferred to SJRCC. They start 3 times a year, spring & summer for the OP program and fall for Palatka. Good luck to you!

D.W.

Thanks everyone! I will definately keep SJRCC in mind. You guys are so encouraging. I guess you chose the right profession!

Hi from a current UNF nursing student!

I love UNF, there is a lot of paperwork and things that might be considered "busy work" but I feel that overall it will help me with all of the thinking aspects of nursing. And I really don't know what people are talking about when they say that they are turning down 4.0 GPA because I definitly did not have a 4.0 and they let me in :) Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do!! But think long and hard about any decision that you make!