Interesting Piece of Info From an Advisor

[Spartan05]

Just wondering if anyone has heard this before.

I just got off the phone with an advisor to an anesthesia program here in Michigan and they mentioned to me that they actually rank applicants who attended community colleges lower than those who attend four year universities when they apply to their Master of Science in Anesthesia program? Not saying all applicants but she made it sound like two people equal in everthing except where they went to school, the four-year person would get the spot over the community college.

Wondering if maybe I misinterpreted what they said but that is a little bit disturbing considering that I plan on attending a community college to get my RN and get an RN-BSN completion through Michigan State.

Any thoughts on this?

[FLAreN]

I really do appreciate the advice. Right now, this just seems like one more hoop to jump through and also a way for schools for students to squeeze more money out of students but, I am a little bit of an idealist and probably still young and naive.

When you said adcoms, are you referring to CRNA school admissions?

Also, I already know that I am am going to bring up that I previously have a 4 year degree in engineering to all admissions committees that I talk to because 1)it sets me apart seeing as I haven't run into anyone else going from engineering to nursng 2)just to reinforice that I do already have a four year university degree and 3)and that one of the main reasons I went the ADN-BSN route was that is was more cost effective.

Hopefully that will help offset the notion that having a ADN makes me somewhat less of a desireable candidate.

If the school accepts an ADN along with a Bachelors in another field, I don't see why going to ADN school will hurt you that much in your chances of getting in even though they place some weight on it. I think you should concentrate on getting ICU experience, good grades and a good GRE. If you are an engineer then you should do well on the GRE.

I had an ADN and a non-nursing Bachelors degree and the only thing that they commented on during my interview was my experience. . .NOT the fact that I only had an ADN. Oh, I got wait-listed but then got in so I start Fall 07!

Oh. . .cost of my ADN. . .less than 10K. Cost if I had to get a BSN ... 40k. Hope that helps!

[deepz]

Dr John Nagelhout started his career as an ADN.

Go for it!

!

[Asherah, BSN, RN]

well, sort of, they are, because you can't get into 3 and 4 hundred level courses, which ARE harder than 1 and 2 hundred level courses.

Let's rethink the logic of the above argument. 300 and 400 courses are upper division courses that are specifically offered at 4-year universities, and clearly not at CCs. Your argument is comparing courses that are offered at one school and not even available at another.

Through the thread, the question seems to be taking pre-reqs at a CC v. a 4-yr (not upper division coursework). We're talking Bio, Micro, O-Chem, Biochem, etc. All of these are offered at CCs, are extremely challenging and are accepted by the state BON as part of accredited nursing programs (at least here in CA).

If they were universally "easier", they wouldn't be accepted and everyone and their mother would be forced to take their sciences at four year schools.

[dfk, RN, CRNA]

Let's rethink the logic of the above argument. 300 and 400 courses are upper division courses that are specifically offered at 4-year universities, and clearly not at CCs. Your argument is comparing courses that are offered at one school and not even available at another.

Through the thread, the question seems to be taking pre-reqs at a CC v. a 4-yr (not upper division coursework). We're talking Bio, Micro, O-Chem, Biochem, etc. All of these are offered at CCs, are extremely challenging and are accepted by the state BON as part of accredited nursing programs (at least here in CA).

If they were universally "easier", they wouldn't be accepted and everyone and their mother would be forced to take their sciences at four year schools.

there's a reason why ad-coms "prefer" upper level course work. you cannot get intro at 300-400 level. not sure about your program, but many that i have spoke with in the past relayed this info to me. i was merely passing that info on.

[TonyTovar]

You probably misinterpreted... Community College do not offer BSN's. You must go through ASN at a community college and the BSN from a four year institution before even considering CRNA. The fact that you got your BSN from MState would be the only thing that matters. Regardless of the ASN. There are, rarely, four year degree programs from a community college (i've never heard of this) and if they do exist i could see where a 4year school would be preferred over a community college.

I know a neurosurgeon who went two years to a community college for an Assoc. degree, went to UCLA for BSN and went to RUSH for MD school. He mentioned to me how smart it was for him to have saved some money by attending community community college.

[MB37]

Just a thought - what about the accelerated program at MSU? I just checked, out of curiosity, and it's only 3 semesters (1 year). That would cut down on the cost, especially since you'll have to pay them some tuition to do the ADN-BSN completion anyways...I'm pro-accelerated programs, since I'm in one, and my grades are actually better than those of most of my regular speed classmates.