Confused about getting a nursing degree! Please help!

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I want to be a pediatric or neonatal nurse, but I am confused about what path to take. I have no one to guide me, my parents are both nurses but got their degrees in the Philippines so they cannot help me.

I am currently a 3rd year attending Sacramento State as a biochem major. I tried to switch to prenursing but they told me my gpa was too low to switch. I currently have a 3.4 cumulative GPA and a 3.2 nursing prereq GPA. I have only taken English, Psych, Sociology, and public speaking for the nursing prereqs. I'm a bit discouraged because my GPA is so low and those are the 'easier' classes!

When I try to get guidance from my school, I am not allowed to meet with nursing councilors, only chemistry councilors because it is my major. And when I say I plan to transfer out, they always try to make me stay and never provide sufficient help.

Sac state's program is highly competitive and I was looking to transfer somewhere else and get my BSN directly. My parents want me to be a nurse practitioner instead of a regular RN. Should I take another path, such as finishing at Sac State with a child development degree and doing an accelerated BSN? Or any other path?

Chemistry isn't a nursing pre-requisite? Why would you switch to the Education school for a child development degree and not finish your biochem program?

You generally have to become an RN before you can be an NP, so it's not really "instead of".

You have a three main options: 1. transfer into a BSN program at another school; 2. finish your BS in Biochem and apply for ABSN/RN or 2nd bachelors BSN programs; 3. finish your BS in Biochem and apply for MSN/RN programs. All of these will prepare you to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam, which is required to get a nursing license.

After that, then you can either apply immediately to an MSN or DNP program to become an NP, or (more likely) work for a few years to gain experience before applying to MSN or DNP programs.

Rather than trying to talk to the academic advisors in the nursing program itself, you might get more information from talking to the admissions office for the nursing program. But none of them are going to be able to tell you the "best" course for you... they can give you options, but the determination of what is "best" is yours to make. I would imagine the merits of the various options will vary based on your finances, the amount of time you'd like to spend in school, whether you can/want to move out of state, and your grades in the rest of your undergrad program.

First off, attend an information session. Find the schedule on link 1 below! Bring all your questions regarding applying to your school's nursing program. Then again if you carefully read thru the traditional BSN page (link 2), most of your questions will be answered. They have provided information on Second Bachelors, which I believe will help you decided whether to finish your biochem major or swap to pre-nursing. Are you referring to admissions and records having discouraged you from swapping to pre-nursing or is it only Chemistry counselors? If it's the latter, by all means you can swap your major. Side note: always do your own research first! You will get more done that way. All the best in your endeavors.

1. Traditional BSN Advising Schedule

2. Traditional BSN

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