ABSN programs

Hello!

I live on the East Coast and I'm strongly considering moving out to the west coast for a change of pace. My best friend from college moved out to Oakland, CA to attend Mills and recommended checking out Samuel Merritt for nursing. The program sounds good, I like that they seem value your work experience (I've worked as a PCA and as a CNA/mental health worker for about 3 years, all paid work experience), my math and science GPA is decent since I took the courses at a community college that assigned grades, so it's something like a 3.7.

I started off at community college and my GPA when I transferred was 3.95. The caveat is I don't have an overall undergrad GPA. My undergraduate school (Bennington College in Bennington, VT) gave detailed written course evaluations. They also offered numeric grades but the professors I took courses with tended to be against assigning grades, and I'm pretty anti grade in general (it's a major reason why I went there). Other alumni have gone on to med school and other grad programs so it's not some totally weird, unregulated and unrecognized hippie thing. My undergrad major was Social Sciences.

When I spoke to an admissions counselor at SMU they said they were open to receiving the written reviews instead of grades. (Columbia in NYC was too, and I have several Bennington classmates attending grad school there, but I don't want to go from zero nursing experience to a Doctorate. Simmons College in Boston was also fine with my undergrad grading system being different, but I want to get out of the Boston area forever!).

It's also difficult given the job market to decide on what kind of degree to go for. I was initially thinking the direct entry MSN route might be better, but some older RNs strongly recommended getting a BSN and work experience first. I want to get actual bedside nursing experience before specializing anyway.

Any advice? Experience at Samuel Merritt? Recommendations for other schools to check out?

Awesome school I am from Oakland and was in the medical field as an EMT there for some years. I did alot of transports, birthed my first child and I have close friends at Summit Medical Center (Formerly Samuel Merritt Hospital, right across from the school). There have been nothing but nice things to say about the school. It has been around 100 plus years and have been providing quality education and medical professionals. Now they are alittle pricey so if financial is tight for you, then you might not want to go there, if you have the funding then do it! You will not be disappointed.

It is also a great way to get top consideration to Summit Because they are still connected and they use them for clinicals as well and other near by hospitals.

If I was back home I would be in the 12 Month ABSN program myself. They require a Bachelor Degree in any field. I moved to So Cal where I am having to school here.

If you are starting as a freshman for the traditional program you apply directly to one of their partner college programs for pre-nursing at Holy Names University, Mills College (which is women only) or Notre Dame de Namur University. Once you finish general education and science then you get top pick on transfer into the BSN.

Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing | Samuel Merritt University

If you want information on other schools, here is the current link to the schools available

Board of Registered Nursing - RN Programs

Thanks for your reply Shondaj! What school are you going to?

I am pushing for the October cohort for Western Governors University, or I am trying National University. I wish I could go through SMUs 12 month program. I would love to get it over with quick. I have a bachelor already and getting tired of school but I am determined to get my BSN. So while I am still in So Cal I will make the best of it.

SMU has online information sessions. Check their website and they post the upcoming dates. They are good with talking to you on the phone too. I thought I was going back home last year but it didn't work out.

I have a hard time reconciling the 65K + tuition and COL in the Bay Area when you're not likely to find an acute bedside nursing job in the state but if money isn't currently an issue (young and well funded) and you're flexible re location as a grad nurse, I would go for it. It's a respected school and the weather can't be beat.

And absolutely a BSN at minimum.

Try applying for West Coast University in Los Angeles for a BSN. Cost $130,000 for the program.

$60,000 is nothing. Up there alittle but worth it for a school with high rep and have existed for 100 years and still going strong and producing quality health professionals.

Plus there are plenty of bed side nursing positions. SMU student get an advantage at their clinical site Summit Medical Center.

CSUS produces quality nurses as well at half the tuition and approx half the COL, but if money isn't an issue, or SMU doesn't have additional out of state tuition, then I would choose Oakland.

My sister graduated from the SMU CRNA program at a time when she walked into a 250K job but times have changed and jobs are scarce. In fact she was just telling me that a So Cal CRNA graduate friend of hers can't find a job, too many CRNA grads in So Val, but I bet they never saw that coming.

Yeah. Way too many Nurses graduating in So Cal. I agree. It is very bad out here in So Cal. I am from Oakland so if I Could go to school there now I would. I have some obligations here in So Cal for now.

Once I graduate from a BSN I Plan to move back home to either Oakland or Sacramento. But Depending on what happens by the summer time I may return before getting into a BSN and go with SMU. They have a Sacramento Campus so I may apply for the ABSN or the ELMSN NP.

The cost of living in So Cal is higher as well. Especially in Los Angeles County. You can find some less expensive places to reside in the Bay, just have to look and find some spots just outside of Oakland.

Sac has a good nursing wages to COL, I'm outside of Sac and am pretty comfortable but will be moving to SF to join my SO. I wish the wages lined up with the COL.

Yeah Sac is very cheap. I was living in Sacramento prior to moving to So Cal. Big difference in COL. I go back every year to visit family and my best friend and my daughters father is still there. I miss being in Sac. I do plan to move back in the future.

SF is much more as well. I feel for you with that move. It's good there are 2 of you and not you alone.

Thank you for the insight! This is the sort of information I've been looking for. My partner and would ideally relocate to Northern California (he's considering UC Berkeley & UC Davis for PhD programs). We have friends and family out that way which would make it a lot easier. We're also exploring options for both of us in Washington and Oregon.

It can be pretty tough for new RNs where I'm from, too (Massachusetts). It seems difficult for new RNs in general when it comes to places that are desirable to live (eg: NYC, LA, SF, Boston). The COL of living in Boston has just exploded. We actually found less expensive and nicer housing in Manhattan.

I won't be applying for about 2 years (by then I'm sure the tuition will be about $70000). I have a few prereqs to finish up (A&P, Microbiology and Chemistry). My plan is to get a relevant job in healthcare (that actually requires my BA degree, hopefully) and get some more volunteer experience on the side at local clinics.