NEW and Need advice! QCC/BMCC/Adelphi/Pace

U.S.A. New York

Published

My background:

Associates in Accounting - Queensborough Community College

Bachelors in Accounting - Baruch College

Work Experience - about 5 years in Acctg (not happy) (currently working full-time)

I want to change my career to nursing. I'm just not sure whether I should go for an Associates or Bachelors.

NOTE: If I go for the Associates...I still plan to go for the Bachelors degree afterwards (so no matter what...i plan to have my Bachelors eventually)...so I just don't know if I should go into ADN then BSN or straight into BSN

PLEASE HELP. This is what I've gathered so far:

Schools:

If I go for the Associates...I'm thinking of returning to Queensborough or go to BMCC

If I go for the Bachelors...I'm thinking of either Adelphi or Pace

Time:

It would take me about the same time to get the Associates and the Bachelors being that I don't have the pre-reqs of Biology or Chemistry or Micro

Queensborough or BMCC - 2 years (actually, add another semester for a pre-req)

Adelphi - They said if you have the pre-reqs=2.5 years. If not, 3 years. (They no longer offer the accelerated program)

Pace - Has an accelerated program in NYC which can be done in 1 year (full time), however, you need to have all your pre-reqs before beginning the program. So add another year for the pre-reqs. (note: this program is offered in NYC for those who start in Fall and in Pleasantville for those who start in Spring...I want to be in NYC)

Tuition:

Queensborough or BMCC - $1,400 full time per semester (4 or 5 semesters plus books total exp would be -> roughly $10K)

Adelphi - $26K a year (2.5 years plus books total exp would be -> roughly 70K or 3 years -> $80K)

Pace - $46.5K for the accelerated program (scheduled to increase later this year...probably to 48/50K - does not include books) add about $2/3K for the pre-reqs I need to take to get into the program which I would take at a community college

Plan:

I would like to start nursing next year 2010 (I need to stay at my current job for this year) but figure I should start taking the pre-reqs this summer.

What I've picked up so far:

From reading MANY forums and sites this is what I've gathered...

There really isn't much difference in salary between an ADN and BSN (at least immediate and short-term)

ADN students get more clinical exposure than BSN students

If you plan to eventually have a managerial position...you need/should have a BSN degree

The passing rate for the RN test is much higher in those with an ADN than those with BSN

Those with BSN have more doors opened for them and opportunities to advance

THE QUESTIONS:

Now with my background and all this said...What should I do?

Should I go for the ADN first or just jump into the BSN degree?

If I go for the BSN...should I go to Pace or Adelphi? Which is better?

Will I have a problem getting a job with an ADN degree when I'm done? How do you think things will be 3 years from now?....(2012 will probably be when I'm done with the test and looking for a job as a RN)

I heard that more and more places are requiring a BSN degree...is this true?

Do most hospitals in NY & Long Island (Nassau) pay for tuition? (let's say I get the ADN and go for the BSN while working)...what is the average amount they would cover? (50%/75%/100%)

How long would it take for me to get the BSN degree once I've taken and passed the RN test?

PLEASE HELP!!!

I was in the same situation as you recently and here are my two cents.. I had a BS in sociology and decided to go to nursing school, but I didn't consider getting my ADN I was only interested in BSN. This was just my personal preference, I felt that if it was going to take the same amount of time I would just go for my BSN.

I started school this semester at Adelphi (Garden City) and didn't have any prereqs done either. I am planning to graduate in August 2011. This semester I am taking A&P w/ lab, and three nursing classes. Obviously not clinical classes but 3 classes that are a part of the nursing program. I honestly don't know which is better, Pace or Adelphi. I was looking into Pace as well but I was interested in starting this semester and the NYC campus. I do know that at Adelphi there are quite a bit of clinical classes/rotations so I'm going to say that BSN students still get a comparable amount of exposure to clinicals as ADN students. I'm going to assume it depends on your school (or I could be wrong). Also, many students have externships in the summer.

I hope this helps a bit, feel free to ask me any other questions!!

I really think that going for the ADN is a waste of time because a lot of hospitals are wanting you to have your BSN so you might have a better chance of getting a job, especially by 2012 which is when I'll be graduating from my BSN at Long Island University.

Be advised that 2 year ADN programs are much more difficult to get into as opposed to the BSN programs. Not only are ADN programs more difficult to get into but community colleges in general are harder to get into than 4 year schools for nursing because they usually have a lesser number of professors and therefore cannot accept as many students and there's usually a waiting list. It's why I opted to go to the more expensive private university I'm at now than going to community college, I would have been placed on a two year waiting list.

I have been accepted to both 4 year (LIU, NYU) and 2 year (QCC). I also have a Bachelors. May I suggest taking the 2 years school. The reason why I say this is because it doesn't matter where you start you are going to end up with the same thing. If you start at QCC, you have to take your prereqs and wait until you are possibly accepted. For Aldephi, there are so many prereqs that you have to take and complete before you apply which takes up alot of time, plus Aldelphi has a bad reputation. Another reason why I may suggest you do a two-year program is you might not like the profession. Nursing is not for everybody. So if you go to these expensive schools, and possibly don't like it, than you have wasted alot of money, at least with a two year school you cough up a couple of hundred. You may also want to inquiry about Accelerated BSN programs if you are that determined to get your BSN.

I'm at Adelphi now (class of 2012), and I was in a similar situation as you. There are so many added fees and other loops I have to jump through at this school. There are several pre-reqs also before reaching clinicals. The school has a decent reputation (at least acc. to the employers I spoke to at a job fair recently). Every person was impressed when I told them I was attending Adelphi for nursing. A BSN might be best if you're 100% sure you want to become a nurse b/c it gets very expensive. If you want to play it safe, you can pursue the ASN route & later go for a BSN. If you're still unemployed at that time, then just directly jump into another BSN (if you can afford it, that is). If you go that route (ASN to BSN), you shave off about 1 semester in the BSN program, so it doesn't save much time nor money down the road, but if you land a hospital job full-time, your employer will cover about $5k-$10k per year depending on the hospital. It's a decent amount, but certainly not half the tuition at a private college. Adelphi definately has a LOT of clinical requirements, so I'm not afraid of lacking experience. Perhaps you can apply to both 2 yr and 4 yr colleges and decide then? I chose Adelphi b/c I was 100% certain of my career choice and wanted to have the most employment options for my time & money spent. Hope I helped. Good luck on your choice; I know it's not easy. Be prepared to study volumes of notes and texts. It's not easy no matter where you go.

I'm at Adelphi now (class of 2012), and I was in a similar situation as you. There are so many added fees and other loops I have to jump through at this school. There are several pre-reqs also before reaching clinicals. The school has a decent reputation (at least acc. to the employers I spoke to at a job fair recently). Every person was impressed when I told them I was attending Adelphi for nursing. A BSN might be best if you're 100% sure you want to become a nurse b/c it gets very expensive. If you want to play it safe, you can pursue the ASN route & later go for a BSN. If you're still unemployed at that time, then just directly jump into another BSN (if you can afford it, that is). If you go that route (ASN to BSN), you shave off about 1 semester in the BSN program, so it doesn't save much time nor money down the road, but if you land a hospital job full-time, your employer will cover about $5k-$10k per year depending on the hospital. It's a decent amount, but certainly not half the tuition at a private college. Adelphi definately has a LOT of clinical requirements, so I'm not afraid of lacking experience. Perhaps you can apply to both 2 yr and 4 yr colleges and decide then? I chose Adelphi b/c I was 100% certain of my career choice and wanted to have the most employment options for my time & money spent. Hope I helped. Good luck on your choice; I know it's not easy. Be prepared to study volumes of notes and texts. It's not easy no matter where you go.

hi, I have a question since I am planing to go to adelphi for the accelerated bsn program.

I dont have any prereqes done, can i take them at adelphi ? and then apply for the nursing program?

how much the tuition per semester?

when does the semester starts?

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