Have a BS in Biology now - what's next? ASN or BSN? HELP!

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Hello everyone,

I graduated from Cornell in May of 2009 with a BS in Biology.

I now want to go on to nursing.

Here is my predicament.

Should I take the pre-reqs and go into an accelerated BSN program next fall or should I just start my ASN this fall and then become an RN that way? I know you take the NCLEX either way, and you're a RN either way, so I am wondering if anyone has any advice of which is better for me considering I already have a BS.

Also, I am considering BMCC in the CUNY system or TC3 upstate, that is part of the SUNY system. If you advise me to do the ASN, where would you recommend I go?

Thank you so much!!

Why did no one tell me this!! It didn't occur to me that I could just apply to BSN programs instead of aBSN programs. The reason I am going to an ADN program is because I still need pre-reqs for an aBSN program. I know I'd graduate around roughly the same time - but I just want to be on the road to getting my nursing degree as soon as possible. If I had known I could go straight into a BSN program, I would have applied :( I looked around on the school sites, and no schools mentioned this!

Anyway - good luck on your degree! It sounds like you definitely are getting things organized and such :)

It's hard when nobody is very good at providing information to you. I have called multiple community colleges to try and get in touch with them about their programs, but no response at all. I guess that they are just overworked and have so many applicants that they just can't keep up? Whatever the case is, my husband was screwed by relying on advisors too much in college, so I am overanalytical when it comes to planning out my coursework. Whatever your situation may be, it will work out. I may end up in an ASN program, but I'm shooting for the BSN just due to it being the same amount of time. Good luck with your persuits though! I'm sure that it will work out for the best.

Specializes in being a Credible Source.

In the past I'd have said go with whichever route is the quickest because I figured that we'd be ending up where we are with regard to new grads struggling to find work in an ever increasingly saturated market.

Now I'd say go with whichever route is the cheapest in order to minimize debt when you graduate since you may face severe challenges in obtaining meaningful employment.

just curious--why did you major in biology in the beginning? you must be one smart cookie:)

In the past I'd have said go with whichever route is the quickest because I figured that we'd be ending up where we are with regard to new grads struggling to find work in an ever increasingly saturated market.

Now I'd say go with whichever route is the cheapest in order to minimize debt when you graduate since you may face severe challenges in obtaining meaningful employment.

The difference in the public university BSN versus public community college ASN is about $10,000 which is reasonable IMO. I had originally thought that I would go to private BSN program if I didn't get accepted in to the public BSN program, but I have since decided not to do that. If I do go the ASN route, I will find a way to get the RN to BSN through another public university eventually.

Yeah, you can apply to most BSN programs as a second degree student. There are only a few that you cannot, and it will tell you on the school's website. I don't think it should take you another 4 years if you already have a degree, they will generally accept your general required classes so that you don't have to do that over again. You just need to make sure you have all the nursing prereqs before you apply to the school.

Things to consider:

1. costs. Usually if you have a bachelor's degree you cannot get anymore grants. So at the school you apply to whether it is an ASN, BSN, or ABSN program will you be able to handle paying for the tuition/fees? Will you be eligible for scholarships? Can you take out loans?

2. How long will it take before you can enter the program. Do you have all the prereqs completed? Can you apply to the program immediately?

3. Do you have the numbers? Do you have the minimum GPA (or better yet above)?

Also to what damaranicole said about there being a $10,000 difference, sometimes hospitals will pay tuition reimbursement for nurses that go back to get BSN, and usually its cheaper (even if you don't get reimbursement) its usually cheaper to go the ADN route and bridge to a BSN than BSN or ABSN.

@ ♪♫ in my ♥ - I agree. Debt is a really important factor, which is why I want to do the ASN. I can work and take out minimal loans. If I did a BSN, I would probably end up at a private school, and living in NYC would mean taking out $40-60K+ in loans...

@ muffinCNA15 - I majored in biology because I wanted to be pre-med (granted I was 16 when I started college so I had no idea what hit me). After a bunch of missteps and finishing my BS in a way that wasn't really up to par (to me), I have found myself kind of floating and not knowing what to do (having an undiagnosed learning disability didn't help!). I definitely want to do nursing, but I don't know whether I will pursue an NP, PA or MD path afterward...

@ LilMSSunshine - thanks for pointing that out. Cost is definitely an issue. I didn't need any extra pre-reqs to get into ASN programs (and I already have). For aBSN programs, I need a few extra classes like A&P (which I didn't take as an undergrad). Taking those over the next year made me think it's just better to start on my ASN right away rather than taking a chance by completing those pre-reqs and potentially not getting into BSN programs. In terms of GPA, I have a 3.0 (I started off really terrible and then improved a ton by senior year) from undergrad and probably won't have a problem pulling that up while taking pre-reqs.

I should look into the hospital reimbursement thing too.

Thanks for all the info everyone!!

I too agree I am in the same situation and am going for the ABSN why go backwards for the same amount of time if not less in the accelerated option.

good luck

I just want to know what is the minimum GPA if i would like to go to ABSN. Are the have the same minimum GPA? I get my degree in BS Biology. I want to take Accelated Bachelor Degree in Nursing. Any advice?

Different programs have different requirements. There is no "universal" rule to it. You will have to research different programs and what their requirements are for admission.

Some schools will say 3.0, some others say 3.3, its not universal. The thing is though if you ask them for the average GPA of their entering class, it is generally 3.6/3.7.

I have been out of school for going on two years now with a BS in Biology. I once wanted to go to PT school but I changed my mind a year ago. I have two boys now (which is why I did not go straigt to nursing school) and I am ready to go back to school to get my BSN and then on to MSN, am I going in the right direction considering in the future I want to become a Nurse Practicioner? I am very confused about where I should start in order to begin taking the coursed I need. HELP!!!!!!

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