ADN vs Accelarated BSN

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Sep 3, 2016

I would say do the accelerated. I did and you have proven yourself as a good student..and a BSN in Boston is important. Curry is south of Boston and has a good accelerated program. I almost went there.

WCSU1987 · Sep 6, 2016

My area and work hire mainly BSNs. The BSN program was flexible it required more prerequisites. I would start school a year later then the ASN program, and some of the BSN nursing programs took 6 semesters to complete instead of 4.

In addition to, the accelerated programs most weren't that flexible and encouraged you not to work. I need to work I can't put life on hold and stop paying bills. Only one was flexible. However, it was very costly and stringent on requirements: Biogenetics; Statistics...So forth.

Again cost played a factor I think I only have to pay $30,000 for most of the BSN programs on average. With the associates a semester is only $1500 to $2000. If I can maintain part time status at work $3,000 is covered by work. In addition to, nooks are pricey for the program. However, $500 and your covered for 4 semesters.

Feel there is only 2 downsides with the associate program. One is flexibility. They have 2 evening programs where I live, which is great. However, some classes are not all evening some areason at 1p & 2p. Other classes cannot guarantee what day or time your classes are due to the size of students your schedule is picked by a lottery system. Some schools clinicals are not flexible and some are. For me since I work mainly 2 variable shifts, but sometimes do work the 3rd a set schedule be beneficial. Really only 2 of the Associate programs offered in my State do that. Example being one has a 8a to 230p M-T class schedule. That makes balancing work out easy able to work Thurs, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The second downside is the cost is inexpensive causes for a lot of demand. A lot of people apply and are wait listed. Wait listing has improved in our State use to be 3 years with hopes of being accepted, but usually can reapply guaranteed to get in. My backup plan if wait listed was to do the LPN program then bridge over, but our State did away with the LPN program.

If I am wait listed from nursing school will forgo it after this coming Spring look into PTA school and then look into a BSN program later in life maybe.

Best of luck to you.

Buyer beware, BSN · Sep 9, 2016

OP: "Accelerated Program" sounds like corporate inticement jive. You still have to put in the work and the school's registrar will have her due (meaning: you want the paper, we want the money).

Of course, then there are the children.

Take it slow and methodical. Nursing school is most often time consuming, comprehensive and intense.

There really is no PDQ to where you want to be so be careful of the hype.

Only you truly know what your circumstances and responsibilities are and what is best for you in terms of time and money and prior committments.

Trust your instincts and know you already, as the prior post indicated, have a proven record of success. Just take the preliminary courses, talk to people who you believe have some sense who are already in the field and take it from there.

Good luck in all things.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2016

ABSN programs are more overtime than full time. It's the same content crammed into a shorter timeframe, so it requires many more hours per day.

Honestly with four kids I think it would be very difficult to learn the content at that pace AND give them the time they need. At least it would be for me; I have 5 kids and while I can learn content quickly for testing purposes it's harder to retain. The thought of trying to do nursing school on fast forward with a big family makes me feel nervous.

I personally would do the ADN program and then do a reputable online RN-to-BSN bridge program.

jj16, BSN · Sep 10, 2016

Thank you for your response! Something about the accelerated program feels like the "easy way out" which makes me feel that I would feel a lot less prepared.