[spicychickensandwich]

I'm a former college drop-out who just got back to school. My short-term goal is to at least get a BS in any field; I need it just for the emotional satisfaction because I only had a year to go when I dropped out. However, my long-term goal is really to be a nurse. I have considered the following options:

1. Get my BS in a CSU and try to get into the RN program at my community college (1 year for BS, 2 years for ADN). The problem with this option is that I could be on the waiting list for as long as two years, maybe more.

2. Get my BS in a CSU and transfer to a UC for MSN (1 year for BS, 2 years for MSN if full-time). The problem with this option is that I've heard it's hard to transfer to a UC from a CSU. I'm also not sure if I want to be in school for that long.

2. Go straight to UC and get my BSN (2 years if full-time). The problem with this option that I may not qualify to get into UCLA. My GPA is relatively low (3.06) because I did really poorly at college before I dropped out and I transferred everything to avoid retaking most of my classes. I also may not be able to get two people to recommend me because I'm sort of new to the area and I don't impress people that easily.

Anyway. I just need some input. I thought I'd had my mind made up, but apparently I'm still open to possibilities. Thanks.

[TheCommuter]

The quickest path to the RN licensure would be to attend a private, expensive trade school with no waiting lists or prerequisites. In my area, private RN programs take an average of a little less than 2 years to complete, but they tend to cost in the $20,000 range.

Maric College is a private trade school in the San Diego area that offers an RN program, with the only prerequisite being a CNA certificate. However, this school is very expensive.

[LuvRehab]

I was in a similar situation 4 years ago. I am older and wanted to start working sooner rather than later. My GPA wasn't that great either. I took all of the prereq classes at the community college to bring up my GPA. I did well on the entrance exam and was admitted right away. I graduated as a AD RN in two years and passed the boards on my first try. As soon as I started working at a hospital I signed up for their RN to BSN program. I will have my BSN in May. Granted it took a little longer to get the BSN, but I have been working and making a salary for the last 2 1/2 years. The hospital also paid me back for the AD and is paying for my BSN. I will owe them 2 years when I finished, but I got a 4 year degree for freee!!!!! I also got 2 years of experience as an RN before I finished by BSN. I am hoping to get the hospital to pay for a MSN degree when I finish the BSN!

[Salesman217]

I, too, was a college dropout. I had completed about 45 credit hours at North Carolina State University back in the mid to late 80s. At the age of 40, some 20+ years after my first college experience, I enrolled in Bryant and Stratton College in Willoughby Hills, OH. (I'm originally from Cleveland and moved back 11/05). Bryant and Stratton's Associates Degree RN program is 5 semesters, 4 months per semester with no summer break except for a 4 week break from mid Aug to mid Sept. I.e. 20 months from start to finish.

Anyway, because I had some previous college, I was able to get credit for most of the first semester non-nursing classes like Psychology, Eng 101, Math Survey, etc. I took 18 hours instead of the prescribed 14 in my first semester (2nd semester of the program) and went on to finish in a total of 16 months!

Like someone else said, private colleges are expensive but all the community colleges in my area claimed to have a 2 to 3 year waiting list for their RN programs. I applied to Bryant and Stratton in April 2006, started in May 2006 and finished in August 2007.

The downside is that I still owe the college $1,800 and I can't take the NCLEX until I pay them. It was more bad financial planning on my part than the cost of the college which was about $7,000 per semester. All but the $1800 was covered by financial aid and non-credit-qualifying subsidized student loans. Had I been in the state 1 year before I started school, I wouldn't owe anything but to qualify for the Ohio Instructional Grant, one must be a resident of the state for at least 1 year.

Our school's NCLEX pass rate is comparable and or better than the local community colleges AND BSN programs and all of the previous graduates that I've talked to who are currently working as nurses feel that they know as much or more about nursing as compared to most of the graduates from other schools that they work with.

Here in Cleveland ADN and BSN nurses start at the same $22.50/hour (Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals) so the extra two years isn't an immediate advantage.

Anyway, that's my experience.

Salesman

[motorcycle mama]

Just remember, there is no quick and easy way to attain anything worthwhile.

[donster]

Originally Posted by motorcycle mama

Just remember, there is no quick and easy way to attain anything worthwhile.

Ditto that!!!

[RNsRWe]

Typically, the quicker the trip, the more expensive and difficult it is to take. Be careful that this is really what you want.

[txspadequeen921]

Right!!!!!

Originally Posted by motorcycle mama

Just remember, there is no quick and easy way to attain anything worthwhile.

[christiannurse]

which hospital do you work for?

[JulieRN07]

I did and LPN-RN fast track. I was able to jump right into an LPN program that was only 10 months. Work as an LPN as I continued on another 15 months to become and RN. This is the path I would recommend.

Good Luck!