Advice Please: Seems I'll NEVER get to accelerated BSN at this point!

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Hey everyone!

I apologize in advance, I know this is going to be long, rambling, and kinda confusing. I'm just so frustrated, stressed and disappointed right now.

I've been working on my first degree off-and-on for almost 10 years. I took off more than three years to manage a video store. While I was in school, after I realized I could never fulfill my childhood dream of being a vet (can't handle putting animals to sleep, among other reasons), I drifted from major to major, wracking up loans and useless hours in the process. Around a year ago, it hit me that nursing was for me. My dad has been in the hospital three times in the last two years, and I realized that it was the nurses and not the doctors that really made the hospital work. From that point on, I have felt serene in my decision...a first.

The problem? It feels like I'll NEVER get TO nursing school. Even though I have somewhere around 150 hours, I still have about 6 classes to go for a Psych degree, as well as my Developmental Psych, Nutrition, A&P I and II, and Chemistry (Not required at most of the schools I'm looking for, and I've already taken a major's chemistry, but at my "lovely" school, they won't let you take Nutrition until the nursing chem and A&P are taken. If I SQUEEZE (literally--take A&P I this summer with a Psych, 20 hours in the fall (A&P II, Chem, 3 Psychs and a Music for relaxation) and Nutrition and the harder Psych's in the Spring, I could graduate in the Spring. I'm just worried about it jeopardizing my grades. Also, I don't really plan on doing anything with Psych, and these classes just seem to interfere with my pre-reqs.

Or, I could switch my major to General Studies, graduate this fall with all my pre-reqs done, and take a Nutrition online.

My dream school is JHU. I will do whatever it takes to get accepted, whether it be waiting another two years, or whatever. I'm not sure if I'd be a competitive candidate this for next incoming accelerated program without a degree (although I would have it by the time I entered--but would General be good enough?) and still working on pre-reqs..as well as volunteer and letters..[edit: i know you're not supposed to put your eggs in one basket, but after "settling" the first time around, I'm going for my dream this time.]

A slight problem I feel is that even though I've called around in the past, I've never been able to volunteer with a hospital, and I'm wondering whether I should just wait another year either way before applying so that I can get more volunteer experience under my belt.

Also, although I have a 3.45 (I've had one "B" in the two years I've been back in school, but because I wasn't gone long enough for amnesty, trying to bring my GPA up), I'm not sure who the heck I'm going to ask for my letters of recommendation. The only person I can think of right now is an English professors. All my science professors know me by face, but I don't think they KNOW me well enough to fill out that info--any advice about how to get great letters of rec?

So besides the letter question, I guess I'm asking whether I should:

1. push ahead with applying in the fall and graduate in the spring with psych?

2. push ahead with applying in the fall and switch to general studies and graduate in the fall?

3. switch to general studies and graduate in the fall, and spend the next year working, volunteering, etc...?

4. expand the psych degree and take my time finishing up pre-reqs and psychs?

I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY appreciate ANY input you guys give me. I just want this so bad, and it just seems I'm no closer to my goal than I was a year ago.

I hope this made SOME kind of sense! :chair:

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
Hey everyone!

I apologize in advance, I know this is going to be long, rambling, and kinda confusing. I'm just so frustrated, stressed and disappointed right now.

I hope this made SOME kind of sense! :chair:

I will reply again but wanted to share some stuff first.

I was in your shoes.

My final decision was to complete the quickest degree that I liked that I was close to, (to come to some conclusion) and chose to make it a BA in Sociology with a minor in Psychology and also completed my nursing pre-reqs.

Then, while I was searching around for a second degree BSN program that I qualified for I found something, (remember I earned the BA to reach conclusion and planned to keep on going).

I applied for a direct entry masters program for non-nurse majors who have a Ba/BS in any field and have their nursing pre-reqs done.

Meanwhile I also applied to and was accepted to a junior college to complete the ADN, (have an AAS in biology too...been working on this so to say since 1989...don't give up).

So, as it stands right this moment I am waiting for news from the direct entry program and am good to go for the ADN and may apply to another GEP if I don't get the first.

The wait you will find, for all of us working on our pre-reqs for nursing and for nursing schools takes a bit, then of course with the nursing school shortage you will most likely have to deal with waiting lists when you do qualify.

Yes, it takes a while, back up plans are good. Conclusion is good too, so, my off the cuff quickie suggestion is to complete the Psych degree and still complete the nursing pre-reqs.

Now, I am going to go and read beyond your first paragraph!!

Good luck and welcome to student nursing!!

Gen

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
Hey everyone!

Or, I could switch my major to General Studies, graduate this fall with all my pre-reqs done, and take a Nutrition online.

....

A slight problem I feel is that even though I've called around in the past, I've never been able to volunteer with a hospital, and I'm wondering whether I should just wait another year either way before applying so that I can get more volunteer experience under my belt.

...

I'm not sure who the heck I'm going to ask for my letters of recommendation. The only person I can think of right now is an English professors. All my science professors know me by face, but I don't think they KNOW me well enough to fill out that info--any advice about how to get great letters of rec?

So besides the letter question, I guess I'm asking whether I should:

1. push ahead with applying in the fall and graduate in the spring with psych?

2. push ahead with applying in the fall and switch to general studies and graduate in the fall?

3. switch to general studies and graduate in the fall, and spend the next year working, volunteering, etc...?

4. expand the psych degree and take my time finishing up pre-reqs and psychs?

Hi again,

Okay well you made number 2 sound so good, that may be it, which is easiest to fulfill?

Also, about the volunteering and the letters of rec, relax. Breath in, you can get letters of recs in a few months after you take some more classes, the profs will know you then, volunteering-->if you want time for that you might want to take the number 4 option so you have time to do it.

Hope it helped you somehow but, you have lots of options, I am all for occasionally NOT follow the path of most resistance!!

Gen

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hi!

your story sounds just like my story. i have been working on and off for my first degree for about 14 years now. i have finally decided that i want to be a nurse.

my biggest concern is that after taking all of my pre-reqs and i do not get accepted into the program then i will be stuck. right now my major is sociology. i was thinking about taking my pre-reqs along with taking some courses toward the sociology degree so at least if i do not get into the nursing program at least i will have most of my courses towards my ba sociology.

does that seem like a waste of time?

thanks

tracy

hey everyone!

i apologize in advance, i know this is going to be long, rambling, and kinda confusing. i'm just so frustrated, stressed and disappointed right now.

i've been working on my first degree off-and-on for almost 10 years. i took off more than three years to manage a video store. while i was in school, after i realized i could never fulfill my childhood dream of being a vet (can't handle putting animals to sleep, among other reasons), i drifted from major to major, wracking up loans and useless hours in the process. around a year ago, it hit me that nursing was for me. my dad has been in the hospital three times in the last two years, and i realized that it was the nurses and not the doctors that really made the hospital work. from that point on, i have felt serene in my decision...a first.

the problem? it feels like i'll never get to nursing school. even though i have somewhere around 150 hours, i still have about 6 classes to go for a psych degree, as well as my developmental psych, nutrition, a&p i and ii, and chemistry (not required at most of the schools i'm looking for, and i've already taken a major's chemistry, but at my "lovely" school, they won't let you take nutrition until the nursing chem and a&p are taken. if i squeeze (literally--take a&p i this summer with a psych, 20 hours in the fall (a&p ii, chem, 3 psychs and a music for relaxation) and nutrition and the harder psych's in the spring, i could graduate in the spring. i'm just worried about it jeopardizing my grades. also, i don't really plan on doing anything with psych, and these classes just seem to interfere with my pre-reqs.

or, i could switch my major to general studies, graduate this fall with all my pre-reqs done, and take a nutrition online.

my dream school is jhu. i will do whatever it takes to get accepted, whether it be waiting another two years, or whatever. i'm not sure if i'd be a competitive candidate this for next incoming accelerated program without a degree (although i would have it by the time i entered--but would general be good enough?) and still working on pre-reqs..as well as volunteer and letters..[edit: i know you're not supposed to put your eggs in one basket, but after "settling" the first time around, i'm going for my dream this time.]

a slight problem i feel is that even though i've called around in the past, i've never been able to volunteer with a hospital, and i'm wondering whether i should just wait another year either way before applying so that i can get more volunteer experience under my belt.

also, although i have a 3.45 (i've had one "b" in the two years i've been back in school, but because i wasn't gone long enough for amnesty, trying to bring my gpa up), i'm not sure who the heck i'm going to ask for my letters of recommendation. the only person i can think of right now is an english professors. all my science professors know me by face, but i don't think they know me well enough to fill out that info--any advice about how to get great letters of rec?

so besides the letter question, i guess i'm asking whether i should:

1. push ahead with applying in the fall and graduate in the spring with psych?

2. push ahead with applying in the fall and switch to general studies and graduate in the fall?

3. switch to general studies and graduate in the fall, and spend the next year working, volunteering, etc...?

4. expand the psych degree and take my time finishing up pre-reqs and psychs?

i really, really, really appreciate any input you guys give me. i just want this so bad, and it just seems i'm no closer to my goal than i was a year ago.

i hope this made some kind of sense! :chair:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
hi!

your story sounds just like my story. i have been working on and off for my first degree for about 14 years now. i have finally decided that i want to be a nurse.

my biggest concern is that after taking all of my pre-reqs and i do not get accepted into the program then i will be stuck. right now my major is sociology. i was thinking about taking my pre-reqs along with taking some courses toward the sociology degree so at least if i do not get into the nursing program at least i will have most of my courses towards my ba sociology.

does that seem like a waste of time?

thanks

tracy

hi tracy,

it seems like a good idea to go on and complete your ba in sociology and to continue working on your nursing pre-reqs post bacc.

if you feel that you must hold out and not complete your ba even if you are so close then, you must follow what you really want.

i have met several people who went on to become nurses post-bacc and even as a second major, (years after completing the first.)

if you are so close to completion of a degree and you are interested go for it.

now, the exception is if you have no desire whatsoever to become a sociologist!

i like my sociology degree because i really am interested in people and society and how it all works.

gen

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Thanks SO much for replying!!

I do feel a bit better now. It just seems like I'm going in circles, but I will wait as long as it takes to make things happen. Since I plan on going out of state, I can look at it as more time with my family for now.

Gen, you touched on one of my fears. That General Studies is a degree, but it will look better finishing in something. Even my best friend, who has a Gen. Studies Degree, tried telling me the same thing.

Tracy, that's exactly what I'm doing. Working on both is kind of draining, but it'll be worth it!! Like Gen said about her socio degree, I picked Psych so I could know what my patients were going through and how to communicate better with them. I don't think you'll have the "stuck" problem at all...sometimes the thought comes to me, and I try to knock it down with the "I Have Confidence" song from Sound of Music.

Gen, thank you thank you thank you again. I've been following the DE thread, and can't wait to be able to shower a lot of "congrats!" on you!! Not too much longer, eh? :Melody:

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