Pre-nursing in the Raleigh/Durham area

cns48 · Nov 9, 2006

I am originally from DC and am a senior nursing student at UNC-Chapel Hill. I also have a degree in another field. Personally, I chose to do the 24 month program at UNC rather than the 14-month program. Both of these programs are very competitive. Still apply, but I would recommend considering the 24-month option at UNC as well. It is a good program.

I took my prereqs through the community college(cc) system. Interest is high in nursing, so it can be difficult getting into classes. So I just took classes at any nearby cc that offered the courses and even took my nutrition and developmental psych courses online. I took classes at Wake Tech, Johnston CC, Piedmont CC, etc. I believe that taking courses through the community college is a good option. First it is much cheaper than a university; second, they tend to offer more classes in the evening, so I could go to class after work; and finally my professors were just as knowledgeable as other professors anywhere else. Thus, I highly recommend it. You can go to the following website to see what courses you need can be taken online. Type in the name of the course. For example if you need a developmental psych course, type in "psychology" and it will give you a list of all the psych courses offered through distance education and which community colleges offer them. http://www.ncccs.cc.nc.us/folder/

As for CNA training, most of the community colleges also provide CNA training and you shouldn't have a problem finding a job as a nursing assistant at any of the hospitals in the Triangle area. Many of my friends are working as CNAs while in school and the agencies are happy to have them simply because they are nursing students and it may be an opportunity for them to recruit you after graduation.

You may go to the following site to see which cc are in the Triangle area. http://www.ncccs.cc.nc.us/colleges_map.htm

Feel free to send me a private message for more info.

conehead · Nov 14, 2006

I live in Durham and I know Durham Tech. you can take the prereqs either on campus which they have two or they do have an online program that you can do. I am completing my BSN with Jacksonville University next month. Yeah... I did it online but I got my Associates in Nursing from a community college and then I went on for my BSN.

Good luck

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Nov 15, 2006

I took my science pre-reqs at Durham Tech (A&P, Micro, and Chemistry) and am completing my first semester in Duke's ABSN program. I have been very pleased with my DTCC classes and had an outstanding experience there. Currently I have 3 A's and one B in the program, and hope to end up with 4 A's before it's over (IN ONLY THREE SHORT WEEKS - THANK GOD FOR CHRISTMAS BREAK - no pun intended...).

I highly recommend DTCC. Every single system we are covering in Patho (which at Duke is a graduate class) was covered in my second semester A&P and my Micro class was incredible (I aced the immunology exam thanks to my DTCC instructor, just as an example).

I'm unfamiliar with UNC's program just by virtue of the fact that I chose to attend Duke, but I know that UNC has an outstanding reputation as a teaching/academic medical facility and I see no reason why their nursing school wouldn't be equally stellar. Duke is seven miles from my house and Chapel Hill is about 25 one-way; having spent four years commuting to Cary daily (a 60 mile round trip) and being fortunate enough to be able to swing the MI-inducing tuition, I enjoy the shorter trip and the ability to avoid the daily mess on 15-501.

But anyway, DTCC was a very positive experience for me. Five of my classmates at Duke took their prereqs there with me, and we're all doing quite well.