[Annegg]

Hi. I'm a sophmore student in a four yr college with no nursing program. I'd like to become a nurse but I am not sure of the best option is at this point.

My options are:

1. Graduate my college (probably fall 2010) with a Biology major and then go to an accelerated BSN program

2. Transfer to a four yr nursing program for however long it will take.

3. Transfer to a adn program.

By Fall 2008 I will have the following under my belt:

• Bio 101
• Bio 102
• Microbiology
• A & P 1
• A & P 2
• Pre cal
• Comp 1
• Inorganic Chem 1
• Psy 101
• a bunch of liberal arts credits

for a total of 77 credits.

Which do you think is the best path for me?

[Elvish]

With each option, you have to ask yourself several questions.

Does that work for me right now?
Is that a feasible goal financially, physically, and otherwise?
Can I put off that desire to become a nurse for several years if I choose option 1?

Something else you might consider is seeing how many of your credits will transfer to a four-yr university program that offers nursing. I'd be willing to bet they'd take a lot of them, and then you have less time before you're finished with your BSN. Or is that what you mean by transferring in option 2?

Whatever you choose, good luck & keep us posted!
(I'm sure other posters have more words of wisdom than I, so keep checking back!)

[Annegg]

Originally Posted by Arwen_U

With each option, you have to ask yourself several questions.

Does that work for me right now?
Is that a feasible goal financially, physically, and otherwise?
Can I put off that desire to become a nurse for several years if I choose option 1?

Any of them would be on with me.
Financially, only option 1 would be a concern.
Time wise I think they will all take about the same amount of time at this point. (give or take a semester)

Originally Posted by Arwen_U

Something else you might consider is seeing how many of your credits will transfer to a four-yr university program that offers nursing. I'd be willing to bet they'd take a lot of them, and then you have less time before you're finished with your BSN. Or is that what you mean by transferring in option 2?

That is what meant, sorry for not being so clear.

I think I knocked out option 3. For the same amount of time I can do option 1 or 2. The question is really should I go directly for a BSN or get a BS in biology and then go to an accelerated BSN program even if it will cost me more.

[Elvish]

If you have the choice, and your ultimate goal is a BSN, if I were you, I'd go straight for it. All other things being equal, that is.

[jjjoy]

Have you looked into other 4-yr schools with nursing programs, what their requirements for acceptance and transfers are, what kind of competition there is (average GPA, number of applicants, etc), deadlines and such? In many parts of the country, it can take years to be accepted to ASN programs due to wait lists. You'll need to know the situation in your area. Also, nursing schools often have variable requirements, so don't assume that the pre-reqs for one school will also work for the others.

How sure are you about nursing? If you transfer and then decide against nursing, would you be okay with completing a different degree at the new school? Do you enjoy biology? If so, you might want to stick with it with an eye on nursing school in the future. Meanwhile, you could volunteer or get a job related to nursing to find out more about it, which would only help your future nursing career, if you decided on that. If you don't enjoy biology, then you might as well change to something else regardless.

If you can afford it, I'd suggest completing a bachelor's degree since you're already accepted and almost halfway there. A bachelor's degree in any field can open many doors in the work world. Of course, it's not the only way and many people are very successful without them.

It can be hard to make such decisions as many of us don't have the kind of self-awareness or life experience to know what will work for us. You just do your best and work from wherever you are.

Good luck with your decisions!

[Sehille4774]

I think that if it were me (and it pratically was)...I would look at that situation and ask how long have I been in college? 2yrs. How long will i have to go to an associates school..(still 2 years casue of the way MOST run the program(you must take the clinicals at a certain pace and in order). That is 4 years. Therefore: If i have to be in college close to 4yrs reguardless..I damn sure want to have a BS at the end and not a Associates!!...
I do agree with Arwen tho. Make sure you take into account if the BSN right now is praticle for you. If not then perhaps the simpler road is best for now.

[LeavingTeaching4RN]

If your ultimate goal is to become a nurse, I would go with the ASN or BSN especially if money is an issue. If you receive federal aid, you will not qualify once you receive a BS degree.

I have a BS degree and some master's coursework and I'm returning to school to get my RN. I can't even receive federal loans because my school will not certify the loans since I've exceeded the community college's loan limits (which is lower than the fed limits). My current loans are at an extremely low rate so I'm not in a hurry to pay them off.

I knew that I wouldn't qualify for fed and state grants. However, I was surprised by the loan situation. I have made other financial plans, but I just wanted to mention it so you're not surprised.