So confused, help me out please. Pre-nursing

1. Hello all, I am new here. I saw this forum continuously pop up when I googled a question related to nursing so i decided to join!
   I start school at a community college this fall, Borough of Manhattan Community College. My plan is to attend this college, do really good and then transfer to a 4 year university. My interest is nursing but my confusion sets in here: when I begin school, I will take all of my pre-Reqs? Correct?
   after I am finishvwith that.. Do I apply for the nursing program? Or do I not since my plan is to transfer and receive a BSN? Is that possible? I'm really lost.
   
   1. After I finished my pre-Reqs, can I attain an associates degree with out entering the nursing program?
   im Not sure if my question is worded correctly but I hope someone understands
   any tips or advice will be greatly appreciated.

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2. 20 Comments

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3. 
   Jul 5, '14

   Yes, my friend and I both did pre-req at a community college then we transferred to a university's nursing program. I did not get my associates but she did... I will find out how she did that without going into the community college nursing program.
4. 
   Jul 5, '14

   How did you transfer with out an associates?
5. 
   Jul 5, '14

   Its not transferring, once you get the credits you need you just apply to a University/program that offers a degree in nursing.
6. 
   Jul 5, '14

   Oh ok I never knew that :/. So I don't have to enter this extremely competitive nursing program if I'm going to end up applying for a university? And do you know how many credits? And approximately how long it will take? I know it isn't like high school where it takes 4 years for 40 credits
7. 
   Jul 5, '14

   A community college can be used to earn pre-reqs, co-reqs, or electives before transferring to a 4 year college. Some earn the AA or AS degree, some just transfer credits. If you want to be eligible to actually become a nurse, you need to enter into an actual program (ADN or BSN).
   if you want to enter nursing as a BSN, you don't need to enter the CC nursing program, just earn the necessary credits for transfer. The counselors at the college can give you all the details.
8. 
   Jul 5, '14

   Thank you. And the counselors didn't give me much information
9. 
   Jul 5, '14

   I did not need to get associate degree... All I did was do all the pre-req courses the university wanted with the GPA they wanted. The university told me exactly what courses to take and off course the GPA
10. 
    Jul 5, '14

    I think nursing programs are competitive whether you go the CC route (ADN) or university (BSN). They are in my area, at least.
    
    
    "I've saved some sunlight if you should ever need a place away from darkness where your mind can feed." - Rod McKuen
11. 
    Jul 5, '14

    I figured that. But I didn't want to "waste my time" (should I call it that?) going into that program if I planned to persue another school
12. 
    Jul 5, '14

    If you know what universities you are interested in, their counselors, or sometimes even links on their websites, should tell you what the required prerequisites are. Here in AZ, quite a few of the universities have a transfer guide for the larger community colleges to say which of the CC courses count for completion of the prerequisite course. If the university, or universities, that you are interested in, are close to you, it's worth paying a visit to the admissions department to meet with an advisor so that you make sure you're taking the appropriate courses. I completed all of my prerequisites at a CC and then applied to a university BSN program for nursing school
13. 
    Jul 6, '14

    The community college in my area has an Associate in Pre-Nursing program. It's not nursing school, it's all the prerequisites needed for transferring to a University to enter a BSN program. Maybe your school or another nearby has something similar?
14. 
    Jul 6, '14

    If you're absolutely set on entering a particular Bachelors program, look at what they require for prerequisites, not only for graduation but for entry to their program. You may find that by taking as much as you can at a community college, you may be able to enter the program of your choice and only have to complete the program coursework and perhaps a couple other courses, to complete your education and earn your Bachelors. If you're not so dead-set on a particular program, remember that most programs have very similar requirements/prerequisites, so you won't be taking too many "extra courses" just to meet a given program's entry requirements. Because the wait to enter a single program can be quite lengthy, I usually suggest/counsel that you should keep a sharp eye on all the programs in the area that will give you the degree you need (probably BSN given your post) and as you become qualified to apply to them, start doing so and keep at it being mindful of application cut-off dates and any other application instructions you'll need to follow. The reason I say this is because being able to follow the application process rules is part of the process too.
    
    Since you're very likely in the New York area, you'll find that you likely need a BSN to be competitive in the job hunt as an RN.
    
    You'll also need to have a very solid grasp of English, Science, and Math. This is because before you begin your application to a program, you'll have to take an assessment test. This test essentially shows programs how good of a handle you have on the basics and therefore, your readiness to enter the program and complete it successfully. Fortunately you won't likely have to take that test until you're just about ready to apply, so you can use your time to get very good at the basics and maximize your assessment test scores.
    
    Something else you'll find about this site: we won't usually spoon-feed you the answers or rationales. We do tend to be kind of blunt about things because, well, that's the way we are. We do really want you to learn the material and we do want you to succeed, even if it's not ultimately in Nursing (we're biased though... ) and usually someone will generally try to point you in the direction you need to go, though it's up to you to do the work.
    
    I hope this helps and you find yourself on the road that will eventually reach your goals! Good luck!

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