Help! LVN bridge to RN? Or prereqs straight to RN program?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Hello everybody! My name is Sharon and I am in the very early stages in the ultimate goal to become an RN. I have concluded that there are 2 different routes to take and I just want to make sure I have all the right information from experienced RNs or ones who are currently in school. I know there is no shortcut to becoming an RN but I want to know the most practical route. I also live in Orange County if that helps at all. My original plan was to take the prerequisites in hopes to "wait"and get into an RN program. I have concluded that would take me at least 2 years just to get the prerequisites done. I have also had many people say do the LVN program first and then bridge into the RN program. The way I picture it and what I have read.... is that the LVN program is only 1 year, (faster than 2 years taking prerequisites) and gets you a more qualified spot into the RN program. So LVN to RN only 3 years OR prerequisites first then apply to RN program which will take around 4 years. This is just what I have taken from my research and im wanting to know if I have it right. Also, does the LVN program have the prerequisites included? Or will I have to take the prerequisites anyway? So if I do the LVN program, then do a LVN-RN bridge program and then have my RN liscense? The route I would want to take is start with LVN program because I want to learn right away and get hands on training and experience. I want to get started ASAP and want to begin on the right path. Also please include too schools to go to! Sorry for the long question! I know you all will help:)

-Sharon

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Are you interested in a BSN or ADN program? Most ADN programs are 3 years in length - 1 for pre reques and 2 for the nursing core... and all these classes are required for the RN program... so if you're 1 year LPN program does not offer the pre reques then you would have to take those prior to being admitted into most bridge programs.

My final opinion --- if you want to be an RN then go for RN....

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Welcome to AN! The largest online nursing community!

thread moved for best response

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Specializes in OR-ICU.

If you go the LVN route and if you go private the program cost range from $25k to $35K ( I could very well be wrong). If you go public like a community college LVN program the cost is $2-3k but there will be a long waiting list or the requirements to get in are stiff. Its always a tad easier to go private but you must be willing to pay.

Once you finish the LVN program you can attempt to bridge to the RN (ADN) program. This is where it gets tricky. The slots available for LVN bridging to RN is very very small. Something like 1 - 3. But mostly it is just 1 available slot per semester with 100-200 applicants. If you are the lucky one and gets accepted you will start second semester. You get to only skip one semester. So you will still do 1.5 years of nursing school. If you go BSN add another 1.5 years.

Now if you come in as a first semester student and you have fantastic grades your chances of getting in will be slightly better. There may be 40-50 available slots for the first semester and something like 400 applicants. The chances of getting in is slightly better.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Orange county - which state? There are several Orange counties.

In my area the LVN program does not have prereqs on the RN level, so they do not count. There may be some exceptions, but for the most part the LVN program does not help prepare you financially. The one advantage would be that an LVN might get a job quicker after graduating RN school, with the assumption there was some nursing experience built in. I would recommend an RN program. That way you do not waste time or money. However, situations differ. You might consider talking to an RN school advisor to get a degree plan - that way you can choose courses more intelligently.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

duplicate threads merged as per Terms of Service

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Specializes in LTC.

Here goes: Where I live in Northern California, ALL programs are tough to get into. The RN-ADN's are lotteries, and the RN-BSN's have heaps of 4.0 applicants just like me (I have a 3.85 but you get the gist). The LVN program local to me takes 24 every 18 months and admits based on merit. Personally, though I have completed all but one of my RN prerequisites to apply ADN or BSN, I'd rather not chance not getting in anywhere. I have applied to the LVN school locally. Because I have completed my prerequisite courses for RN (where I live LVNS must do them before bridging) I hope to do the LVN school and then IMMEDIATELY bridge. In my regional area, bridge seats rarely fill so if I go this route I forgo the lottery and the huge amount of traditional applicants and go right in. For this I'm paying (if I get in) an additional $6000 for the LVN course. Bonus to the LVN, I can work in the field and garner some experience while I get my RN, perhaps making it a tad easier to get a job in the end.

All that is just me, and my region, your region may be very different. You have to call every college and program and get their specific stats and requirements. That is how I formulated the plan I did.

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

Its going to be different everywhere, but I can say that one thing that is the same across the board is prereqs. Whether you go LVP/LPN-RN, or straight to RN, you will have to complete the pre reqs. Only time you wouldn't is if the pre reqs are built into the LPN program (I haven't heard of that but its possible I guess). So either way, you will need to do pre reqs if your ultimate goal is to become and RN. Also the bridge from LPN-RN is based on how many students failed in the 2nd blpck and you get their 3rd block place. It is not 1.5 years from LPN. Since LPN is 2 semesters and similar in course material to the first year of RN school, you skip the first 2 semesters and get into the 3rd. This if of course if you have the pre reqs done. THe only advantage to the LPN route is if you want to be able to work making pretty decent money while you complete your prereqs and the clinical experience of being an LPN will give you an edge when it come to finding new grad work as an RN.

In my area, the LPN program has a 1-2 semester wait. Then its a 2 semester course. Then its one to 2 semesters wait to get into block 3 of the nursing program from there (assuming pre reqs are done). But the waitlist for the ADN RN program (not competitive) is up to 4 years. So the LPN to RN route cuts about a year or 2 off placement waiting time. And the spots available are definitely NOT 1-3 spots per entry. It all depends on how many students failed or dropped out of blocks 1 and 2, leaving openings int he program.

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Specializes in OR-ICU.

My post was based in my area. LPNs come in as 2nd semester student. Since in my area, schools have dropped the lottery system and adopted points/merit system, they haven't had the level of drop out/failures that they had when they were a lottery system, hence the 1 or 2 spots available per funding. They also have no waiting list since every applicant must submit an application every year, but it also means that you will be competing with the 4.0 applicants. The schools were able to get 95 % to 100 % NCLEX passing when they adopted the new system.

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.
My post was based in my area. LPNs come in as 2nd semester student. Since in my area, schools have dropped the lottery system and adopted points/merit system, they haven't had the level of drop out/failures that they had when they were a lottery system, hence the 1 or 2 spots available per funding. They also have no waiting list since every applicant must submit an application every year, but it also means that you will be competing with the 4.0 applicants. The schools were able to get 95 % to 100 % NCLEX passing when they adopted the new system.

Makes sense. I wasnt trying to say you were wrong, though after rereading my post, I see it came off that way. My bad. I was trying to point out that its different everywhere since in my program, there are more than 1-3 openings. We have over 97% NCLEX pass rate, but graduation rates are in the 80's, so it makes sense that a more competitive application process would yield less failing or dropping students per term.

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