Hi,

I recently applied to BSU for the Spring semester of 08'. How hard is it to enter thr program? I am applying as an LPN. I'm hoping to go through the LPN-BSN bridge. Any advice?

thanks

hello and welcome to allnurses.com

i moved your post to the idaho forum for a better response.

good luck with your nursing program and hope you enjoy the site.

I am not sure about the LPN-BSN bridge. It took me three applications to get in and I scored pretty high on the exams. They have put together new admission requirements starting this term so it might be more or less difficult I am unsure. Either way good luck to you and I hope someone on here has a better answer for you.

-Craig

So how is the program? Is it really hard? What's the schedule like? I want to be able to work and get some experience as an LPN while I go through the program. Is that even possible?

I am only second semester it gets busier later from what I understand but right now I am able to work full time and still do well in class. Someone else on here might no more about how busy it gets.

Thanks for your replies. I'm moving there in Jan 08'. Hopefully I get in and see you there. I'm actually in the LPN program on Maui. I won't be going through to the RN cause my husband and I already want to move, so whether or not I get in I'm still gonna go to BSU. If I don't get accepted I'll probably just take more prereqs. Laters.

Good luck in getting in to the program. I hope everything works out. I got all my prereqs done while waiting. I will keep an eye out for you hanging around the department :)

I am in the 5th semester Nursing program at BSU. I will graduate in December with my ASN. I got accepted on my first try but the criteria has changed quite a bit since I was accepted. It may take you several attempts. My suggestion is to start taking your prereqs right away because part of acceptance is now based on how many prereqs you have completed. I would set up a meeting with a pre-nursing advisor a the beginning of the school year and they will tell you exactly what you need to do. Also make sure that your math skills are good. Math is half of the compass test and you have to score almost a perfect score to be considered. The phone number to the nursing department is 208-426-4143. Any more questions from anyone....please feel free to ask.

So I have to take a compass test for math? Didn't know that cause I'm applying as an LPN. The only prereqs I need are Statistics and 1 more Chemistry class. Can you tell me a little about the program such as, if you can work, the clinical days, and theory classes? Here on Maui you need to get a B in all your classes, any lower and you get dropped if your final grade isn't a B. So as long as your final percentage is 83.5% your good. I really hope I get in for Spring. Nancy said that they average the GPAs for ENG 100, SPEECH 151, and ANTATOMY and PHYS and they go by that. Right now with these 3 classes I'm at a 3.0, what do you think? Shoots, let me know cause I need all the info. Appreciate it alot. Laters.

I am not really sure about the LPN to RN entrance requirements. As far as the schedule and ability to work...it can be done. I do not work because I don't have to and it makes life easier while in school. I know of several people that are working while taking classes. I think that it can be tough. None of my classmates are LPN to RN converts. We all started off with no nursing experience so the students who are working now hold a position of CNA or Nurse Apprentice. BSU no longer offers an LPN program (unless through the Larry Selland College) so students cannot start working as an LPN after 4th semester so all of us are waiting until the end of next semester before we can really work.

The schedule varies as far as clinical rotations. It depends on which days of the week you sign up for. Usually Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday. I am not sure how many days of clinical the LPN to RN program requires right off the bat. I would guess no more than 2 days/week. I am just going to tell you about what my schedule and experiences have been like since I am not familiar with LPN to RN.

This semester I have clinical rotation on Mondays and Wednesdays scheduled from 7:30am to 3:30pm. Then I go to class from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. For the first 5 weeks I am in a hospital and the 2nd 5 weeks I am in a psych rotation at a mental hospital. For the last 5 weeks I have 90 hours of preceptorship which is worked around the nurse's schedule. I don't know for sure which days I will be working during preceptorship.

As far as theory classes go....they suck. They require a lot of busy work for only 1 credit. This semester my theory class is online (not my choice) during the 2nd 5 weeks. I have heard that the instructor requires A LOT of work. I am definately not looking forward to that class.

The minimum grade required in all of the nursing classes to pass is a 75%. I couldn't tell you whether I think you will get in or not because I really don't know for sure how they are determining that. I do kow that it is a difficult program to get into and that there are a lot of people angry that they haven't gotten in. As long as you do whatever the nursing department has told you to do then you have done your best.

On a different note...where are you moving to around here? Do you have family here? If you need advice on nice areas to look let me know. Boise is probably very different from Maui!

Talk to you later.

Thanks so much. My husband and I are actually planning on staying in the family apartments until we get more familiar with the area. Nope, we don't have any family out there so its definitely gonna be real different from Maui. We really just want to move and live in the mainland cause theres so much to do.

Hey, how many students are in your program? Do you know how many get accepted?

There are about 60 students per semester. That means that about 120 students get accepted every year. I have heard that as many as 700 people apply per year.

If you like outdoor fun, Idaho is for you! People like camping, fishing, offroad, swimming, hiking, hunting, stuff like that. During school there seems to be no time for fun. You probably experience that too.

Wow! Thats alot of people that apply. 60 is still way more than the amount of people that get accepted here which is 30-40.

Oh man, can't wait to do all those things. That all sounds awesome. Its what were looking foward to. Maui is really beautiful and the people are amazing but theres not a whole lot to do. The most exciting thing here are the beaches but after 10 years it gets kinda old.

Anyways I'll keep you posted cause I'm sending in everything on Aug. to the Nursing Dept. so I'll let you know whats up.

Thanks for all your help. Please feel free to let me know whatever.

thanks again