Deciding between ASN or BSN

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

Published

I am 25 years old and live in California. I've just been accepted into two nursing programs, a BSN at San Francisco State, and an ASN at Ohlone College. Ohlone starts this fall and is two years long. SFSU starts next spring and is two and half years long. So I'm looking at a one year difference in time. There is also the consideration of finances, as I will have to do student loans for either choice. I've priced it out with cost of tuition and the extra year of living expenses--going the BSN route will cost me another $15000-20000 in student loans. Is it worth it? Is it better to get it done right away or go the ASN to BSN bridge part time while working? I've heard better nurses come out of ASN programs because of more clinical emphasis but I'm sure this all depends on the school. The NCLEX success rates for both schools is about the same, around 90%. I have straight A's so I'm sure I could do well in the BSN program. I would love to get it done the quickest, at Ohlone, but should I bite the bullet and get my BSN all done with up front? I would love some advice from experienced nurses. Thanks!

Specializes in Nursing Ed, Ob/GYN, AD, LTC, Rehab.

I am an ADN and am now working on my BSN. My BSN is taking 4 FULL semesters of work, thats 2 years. And it is costing me 9,000 in tuition alone. I would go straight for the BSN as doing the bridge after your ADN will take just as long and be about the same amount in the end. EIther way you put in nearly the same time and money. Plus a BSN is really what is perferred everywhere. Not that ADN have ANY trouble at all, its just nice to have that BSN in my opinion. My vote is BSN, youll be happy when its done.

(also if you bridge you will most likely be working full time and wont do school full time so add a year or so on to that 2 year time line for the bridge. You're in student mode now, go for it)

Specializes in Emergency.

From a person in a similar situation, I can tell you that I have decided to go with the ADN route. I have a BS already and I think saving the money will make a major difference. I also plan on getting my RN - BSN while working as an RN within 2 years of my ADN graduation. I think overall this will work out fine and save money. Also, you usually cant just jump into a nursing management position anyway so getting that experience will be mandatory while working on the BSN.

GL,

WLB

Specializes in Critical Care, Progressive Care.
From a person in a similar situation, I can tell you that I have decided to go with the ADN route. I have a BS already and I think saving the money will make a major difference. I also plan on getting my RN - BSN while working as an RN within 2 years of my ADN graduation.

You will also find that there are MSN programs will accept you with a non-nursing BS or BA coupled with an ADN. These programs (many at top tier universities) suggest an MSN pretty much obviates the need for a BSN. Good luck!

I'm almost 40, returning to school to become a nurse and am currently enrolled in a ASN,RN program... What other classes would I need to take to acquire a BSN,RN instead? I'm thinking about "long term" (...management might be a point of interest one day) but, in terms of money and opportunity is there a huge difference between ASN,RN and BSN,RN? :nuke:

Specializes in Pediatrics.

Hello,

I just got accepted into an "ONLINE" LVN-BSN Program at Chico State University. What do you guys think?

Specializes in Pediatrics.

Hello,

I'm an LVN who just started working. I got accepted into an "Online" LVN-BSN Program at Chico State University and start in Fall 2008. I'm leaning towards it. I've applied to other lvn-rn programs in the area that are not online and those programs are associate degree programs but if I got into a BSN program...I thought to myself...why not?? A friend of mine who graduated with me from the LVN program also got accepted so we'll have eachother for support and have eachother as study buddies. What do you guys think of an "online" lvn-bsn program???

Specializes in Critical Care, Progressive Care.
I'm almost 40, returning to school to become a nurse and am currently enrolled in a ASN,RN program... What other classes would I need to take to acquire a BSN,RN instead? I'm thinking about "long term" (...management might be a point of interest one day) but, in terms of money and opportunity is there a huge difference between ASN,RN and BSN,RN? :nuke:

txmomof2-

Congrats on going back to school. I am almost 43 and I have been at it the last 5 years - just got my BS in cell bio and now I am on to a masters entry program.

If your interested in management you will prolly need a BSN at a minimum. There are a number of ADN to BSN or ADN to MSN programs around. All have different requirements. You may want to go online and check the nursing programs in your area and see what they offer. In my neck of the woods there a quite a few options, all of them slightly different.

Hey there Alpha Dog! I was accepted into the Chico online LVN to BSN program too!!!! But, I live alllllllllll the way in the bay area!! Just thought I'd say hello....since it seems that we will be classmates. :)

Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

i myself have just completed an associates degree in nursing program and was very happy with it. i will completely agree with above responses, you will hear pros and cons to both programs. at my particular university there was a lot of animosity between the two programs and was brought on equally by both classes…..sad really…:uhoh3: especially considering only months later many of us were working together on the floors and getting along fine.

the one thing i would caution you to do is make sure that the kind of nursing you want to practice is covered by the program you choose. in my state their are only 2 differences in privileges between an adn nurse and bsn.... first would be community health nursing jobs are rarely given to adn graduates and associates level nurses could not work in a public school setting as a school nurse (but this is not true of every state). neither of those options appealed to me and i was looking at an additional 2 year wait to begin the bsn program so i got my adn.

good luck with whatever you choose and once accepted don't worry if you picked the correct one. in the end we are all rn’s, working under the exact same license, which we received by taking the same boards. the real differences in the programs (at least at my university) were minimal and really you just need to pick whichever is best suited for your needs & the best way to figure that out is to ask many questions of the two programs you are looking into. :wink2:

If you can do it now, get the BSN. You have less to lose. First of all, you qualify for more jobs, more education is always better. Second, life gets in the way sometimes when you try to go back later. Third, the cost of an education gets higher over time, not lower. And nowadays few employers offer tuition reimbursement or scheduling help for those going to school. What do you gain from the ADN? A quicker route into the workforce- helpful only in the short-term. Eventually you will probably want a BSN anyway, unless you are satisfied with a staff nurse position forever.

Specializes in Med-Surg.

I am completing an ADN program, with the intention of completing my BSN once I get to work. Here in Washington; many, many hospitals offer tuition reimbursement for pursuing your degree. In addition, our universities offer the RN to BSN degree online. Explore where you want to work and see if education is an employee benefit.

In Washington, BSN is the way to go. We have been told by our nursing instructors that beginning in 2012, nurses will have to have their BSN to practice. There is a grandfather clause in effect as well. North Dakota already requires a BSN to work as an RN (if my research is accurate).

Every nurse I have encountered during my clinicals has said there is a significant difference between ADN nurses and BSN nurses in terms of their clinical skills. ADN nurses have better skills because they get more clinical hours. BSN nurses catch up, but I would like to hit the ground running, if you know what I mean. Personnally, I say go the ADN route, get the clinical skills down pat, then go get your BSN. It will be less expensive that way. You only have to pay university tuition for the BSN year.

Look closely at your programs that accepted you. If you have the opportunity, talk to current students and ask them about their experiences. What is the philosophy of the faculty? What is the atmosphere? Are they willing to nurture their students or just thin the pack? Look into the program and talk to the students; that was the determining factor for me. I got accepted into 2 programs as well. I spoke with faculty from both schools, as well as current students and graduate nurses. If I am going through hell for 2 years I want all the support I can get. I made the right choice and actually I am having a very good time. My faculty is amazing! Best of luck to you, and congratulations! Kim:bow:

+ Add a Comment