Accelerated Nursing Programs in PA

[JA0421]

I am very interested in doing a second degree nursing program. I went to Drexel for undergrad as a Finance/Econ major and worked on Wall Street. I realized that it wasn't for me and I want to pursue a career in nursing. I recently quit my job and I am taking my prerequisites for an accelerated nursing program. I just applied to HFU for Spring 2016. I'm a little concerned about my chances of getting in to many of these programs because I won't be done with my prerequisites until December of this year.

I graduated with a 3.8 at Drexel in the Honors College and I got A's in Statistics and Nutrition. I am also volunteering with an NP once a week to gain some clinical experience. I just started taking Anatomy and Physiology I and II and these will be done by August. I'll be taking Microbiology in the fall and that won't be done until December (only a month before the spring program would start at HFU). I can try to change the Micro class to the second summer session, but it would be a tough schedule. Does anyone know if they would realistically consider someone if the prerequisites wouldn't be done until that late? I will also be applying to Drexel, Jefferson, and Rutgers. Any advice on the subject would be helpful!

[notnursezelda]

Check the prerequisites for each school. And the time line for applications. When I was applying, they all had something different. Even more, by the time I finished Rutgers list of pre-reqs, literally a semester before I could apply, they changed and added things, so I couldn't apply until the following year, so becareful with that, hopefully they wont change it again this soon. And schools have different policies in regards to applying during or after your prereqs, some think its okay, some want to have your final transcript in hand.

What I did was, I took the classes they all had in common first, and then starting applying, while taking the oddball classes such as communications, since not all of them required it. That way I was working and saving money, still taking prereqs, and applying. Turned out I didn't need to take communications at all since the school I got accepted into didn't require it, but it gave me time to save some money, get my priorities in order, and still have time to prepare for nursing school. And it was at a community college, so it didnt cost me a lot, I made up for it by working the work study there and doing my other job, so it worked out in the long run.

This is also my second degree, and I opted to do a 2 year program instead of a 1 year accelerated one (I got accepted into both), because I figured the cost would be the same, and life gets hectic, especially for older students who have responsibilities, so make sure your stuff is in order before proceeding, my advice to you!

Good luck!