I am currently a prenursing student. I'm trying to complete my prerequisites for CSU LB to get into their BSN program that is completed in 2 years. They seem to be one of the few schools in california that has a 2 year program while the rest are 3 year. I was hoping to qualify for the Spring 2007 semester.I started looking into Texas programs because I originally came from Texas and graduated high school there. They have more 2 year programs and one specifically at UTMB that has extended their deadline for the fall semester. I emailed the program director to evaluate my transcript to see if i can qualify for their program beginning the fall 2007. I have my fingers crossed because more than likely i will not be qualified. BUT should for some miracle I be qualified I'd be at crossroads as to whether I should apply or not. I would much rather do the utmb program given the chance since it'll only take 2 years and I won't have to sacrifice my summer and winter breaks but at the same time I'm afraid it will be too hard to come back to california after graduation. My parents and i recently moved to california and they really want me to live here and work her when i graduate and I have grown to like it here as well. if I graduate from UTMB will that mean i would need to work in Texas and gain experience before california hospitals will accept me? Does anyone know the process of getting hired into a hospital after graduation?? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Once you graduate from a nursing school and take and pass the NCLEX all you have to do is apply for reciprocity for RN licensure in another state to work in that state. Actually, you can go to school in TX if you like and take the NCLEX in California. All it requires is that when you apply to take the NCLEX you will apply to take it in California rather than TX. All state boards require that your school of nursing send an official transcript of your grades verifying your graduation anyway.

I don't understand, however, why you want to go to school in TX over California. Surely, the tuition is cheaper here. Also, California allows nursing school grads to work as interim permittees while they are waiting to take their NCLEX. I don't know if TX allows that. Many nursing school grads are up and working as graduate RNs as soon as the California BON (board of nursing) gets their NCLEX application and transcript showing their graduation from nursing school which is only a few short weeks after graduation.

Once you graduate from a nursing school and take and pass the NCLEX all you have to do is apply for reciprocity for RN licensure in another state to work in that state. Actually, you can go to school in TX if you like and take the NCLEX in California. All it requires is that when you apply to take the NCLEX you will apply to take it in California rather than TX. All state boards require that your school of nursing send an official transcript of your grades verifying your graduation anyway.

I don't understand, however, why you want to go to school in TX over California. Surely, the tuition is cheaper here. Also, California allows nursing school grads to work as interim permittees while they are waiting to take their NCLEX. I don't know if TX allows that. Many nursing school grads are up and working as graduate RNs as soon as the California BON (board of nursing) gets their NCLEX application and transcript showing their graduation from nursing school which is only a few short weeks after graduation.

thanks! Well the only reason I wanted to attend school in TX was because their curriculum is a 2 year program -- 4 semesters as opposed to the 3 year program that they have at California nursing schools. I think the tuition is fairly the same as well. I'm trying to get into a BSN program so it'll be the university tuition as opposed to community college tuition. And i think it'll be the same tuition costs as california; I might get a non-resident exemption and be considered as a resident in Texas since I graduated high school there -- i know california schools do that type of thing. I'm also not so sure about the NCLEX and interim processes so thank you for letting me know a little bit. Thanks for the info!!

You can take the NCLEX in any state and on the form you choose for which state you want licensed in. For example... You can go to school and take the NCLEX in say.. NY for a license in Iowa. The NCLEX is a national test so that part doesn't matter.

If I were you I would apply to both schools (it cost's nothing to apply) and then go from there. If you get into one and not the other then you have the answer to your dilemma without much worry. If you are accepted to both then sit down and list the pro's and con's of both schools. Ask to meet with and speak to current and/or past students of each program and see what they say about their experience.

It won't matter which school you choose. You can still easily get a job in CA after graduation. I honestly think they won't care which state your education came from.

In my state though they do offer a state funded nursing student loan program that if accepted (my the student) then you have to work as an RN in the state for a certain number of years. You may look into that as well. If CA offers something like that and you qualify for it that may help you to make your decision.

I was also wondering. You mentioned the school in TX was a BSN program but only was 4 semesters or 2 years. Are you sure it is not an ADN program there? Have you looked at what classes they require before starting the nursing program? I'm just wondering how a BSN program can be only 2 years if you are not already an RN with an ADN... Doesn't mean I KNOW! I just was not aware of it.

Good luck to you either way,

rags

Hi rags,

I read your question about Texas BSN programs being two years and I just wanted to let you know that it is true. I go to nursing school in Texas and my program is 5 semesters which includes required summer courses and 12-14 credit hours per term. Some other programs are 4 semesters and they require you to take 14-18 credits during the FALL and Spring semesters. In Texas you take about 60 credit hours which is about 2-2 1/2 years of school before you apply and actually get accepted into a nursing school. You do your last two years and graduate from your nursing school and it is actually a BSN because overall with your pre-reqs and nursing courses you are in school for a total of 4-4 1/2 years. How is it where you are from?

We have the 4 year University with the BSN program that also offers a 1 year jump if you already have your ADN. We also have several 2 year Colleges that actually take 3 to 3 1/2 years with the credit hours you mentioned if you have no pre-rec's completed. You do have to have some of the pre-rec's prior to applying for the nursing program in those schools such as Micro, A&P, & have a CNA couse completed prior to beginning the program.

Thank you for the details because I really was a bit confused. It sounds similar to our schools here with the exception of several of our schools offering an ADN program only in the 2 year schools.

rags

You can take the NCLEX in any state and on the form you choose for which state you want licensed in. For example... You can go to school and take the NCLEX in say.. NY for a license in Iowa. The NCLEX is a national test so that part doesn't matter.

If I were you I would apply to both schools (it cost's nothing to apply) and then go from there. If you get into one and not the other then you have the answer to your dilemma without much worry. If you are accepted to both then sit down and list the pro's and con's of both schools. Ask to meet with and speak to current and/or past students of each program and see what they say about their experience.

It won't matter which school you choose. You can still easily get a job in CA after graduation. I honestly think they won't care which state your education came from.

In my state though they do offer a state funded nursing student loan program that if accepted (my the student) then you have to work as an RN in the state for a certain number of years. You may look into that as well. If CA offers something like that and you qualify for it that may help you to make your decision.

I was also wondering. You mentioned the school in TX was a BSN program but only was 4 semesters or 2 years. Are you sure it is not an ADN program there? Have you looked at what classes they require before starting the nursing program? I'm just wondering how a BSN program can be only 2 years if you are not already an RN with an ADN... Doesn't mean I KNOW! I just was not aware of it.

Good luck to you either way,

rags

yeah I'm sorry if that was confusing. I'm also kind of confused with the whole BSN program between California and Texas. Because in california it seems that you can complete your prerequisites in either 1 to 2 years and then get accepted into a nursing program that is suppose to take 3 years to graduate. But in Texas, it's 2 years of pre-requisites or I suppose less if you really work hard and then 2 years of the actual nursing program. My only concern about applying to both is their differences in the prerequisite. You see I just changed my major to prenursing so a lot of the course I took prior to this year were biology courses not anatomy and physiology and microbiology. So this semester I'm getting those completed and hopefully a&p II over the summer. Both schools require those but Cal State LB requires a chemistry class and speech class that UTMB doesn't. While UTMB requires a nutrition class and TX government class that Cal State LB doesn't. I have to choose between taking chemistry or nutrition because I am already in a microbio and anatomy class. If I take chemistry and get into an a&p II course over the summer then it ups my chances of getting into CSULB for their spring semester because they do a points system based on grades. You're allowed to apply to the program with only one class in progress. If you have a class in progress they'll consider that as a 'C' whereas if you have it completed and lets say I get an 'A' or 'B' then that gets me more points. The more points you have the greater your chance of getting in. BUT I can only apply to CSU LB for the spring semester since their fall deadline has passed. For UTMB however, they have extended the deadline until May 31. Which means I can get my micro and anatomy class completed and apply for their fall 2007 semester. Then I would just need to complete the anatomy II over the summer and a CNA course offered at their school should I be accepted. The only thing with that is I would need to get the nutrition class done this semester because it's a little hard to try to get a&p II, a cna course, and possibly a tx gov't + the nutrition course in one summer. I'd like to go to UTMB because that would mean I could get into a program sooner and graduate sooner. I don't know that all that really made sense lol. I really appreciate you and everyone else's input on the matter. Thanks again!

Sounds like either way you have some major studing ahead of you. For what it's worth I would suggest taking a nutrition class either way. It will help you in nursing school. My program required it the year I got in and then changed the it to non-required. I had already taken it and was very thankful. There is a great deal of nutrition involved in nursing even after graduation!

Good luck and I know what ever decision you make it will be well thought out and the right one for you.

rags

Sounds like either way you have some major studing ahead of you. For what it's worth I would suggest taking a nutrition class either way. It will help you in nursing school. My program required it the year I got in and then changed the it to non-required. I had already taken it and was very thankful. There is a great deal of nutrition involved in nursing even after graduation!

Good luck and I know what ever decision you make it will be well thought out and the right one for you.

rags

thank you for all the advice and help. I really really appreciate it. You have no idea how helpful all of you have been. I think i will go ahead and take a nutrition course. It seems to be something that is required in a lot of nursing schools other than CSU LB. Thanks again!