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Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I'm wanting to become a registered nurse & eventually a certified pediatrics nurse. I'm a young single mother in California & have a high school diploma. I'm not worried about how much work I'll have to do. I know it'll be a lot. I'm very determined to succeed especially now that I have a son to take care of on my own. I want a good career so that he can grow up with the best financial support. I would just like advice on what the best way to go about the situation would be. Also the cheapest considering I'll need financial aid. I'll have to be getting my general ed out of the way first. I was also wondering what courses I would need for my pre requisites? I'm starting at a community college. I don't know if I should stay at the community college and get an associates degree in nursing then move up from there or try to transfer to a university for my bachelors with just my general & pre requisites taken care of. I've also looked into vocational nurse programs at places like American career college or platt college. I know some colleges have bridge programs for Lvns to become RNs, but I'm not sure if it's worth the time of the lvn program or if it has the same benefits you would get by starting at a community college. Anything helps! Please & thank you in advance!

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Specializes in ICU.

From what I understand from other posters on here, CA is very impacted right now. There are long wait lists to get into any program. I would research schools you want to go to and talk to some admissions officers and see what you need to do in order to get in, and what kind of wait list they have. I have heard of people waiting 5 years just to get into the nursing program. I live in an area that is not impacted and no waiting lists. You either get in or you don't. Community colleges are a good place to do prereqs at, just make sure the credits transfer if you want your BSN.

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Heather gave good advice. You are smart to take your prereqs at the community college where classes are less expensive. Research which classes you need to apply to the community college and the BSN programs at the universities in your area. Then start taking those general ed classes that you will need, no matter where you go.

Every school will require:

Freshman composition

Algebra or some type of math

History

Non-western studies

Biology (usually for healthcare or science majors)

Anatomy and Physiology

Microbiology

Chemistry

Do those classes first so that you can asses your skills as a student and be ready to apply to apply to any and all programs.

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Thank you both Heather & CDE! It's very helpful information & yes California is a very high in impact there's a lot of competition out here! I've decided I want to transfer to a university once there's an available opening and in the mean time get all my preriqs and everything else done so that I'm ready. Thanks a lot for the help!

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Definitely do your prereqs at a community college (as much as you possibly can!). Keep your GPA as high as you can, and nail the TEAS when the time comes. From there, apply to as many schools as you could feasibly attend. I applied to 10, and I'm about to graduate from a CSU. There are grants available through the CSUs, especially if your income is limited, and there are, of course, scholarships and the dreaded loans.

Your community college should have what is required to transfer to a CSU, and you can look at each program's website to see which courses are required. Every BSN program in CA requires anatomy, physiology, microbiology (all 5 unit versions with labs), statistics, and critical thinking. Some require CNA certification, some require a language, some look at your psych grade... There is some variation between programs, so it's important to look at each one's requirements.

If you DO go the LVN route, DO NOT attend a private school- many community colleges offer LVN programs (I know for sure Santa Rosa Junior College, but there are others as well).

Small AllNurses tip- change your pic so it's not your real pic- anonymity is important here! :)

Best of luck to you!

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