Am I nursing school material??

boston13 · Jan 2, 2011

congrats on a great start! gen chem can be tough, but you did well in your other chem course so you should be in good shape.

since you're coming from a cc, be sure to meet with your advisor regularly to make sure you’re taking classes that will transfer to the 4 year school of your choice. i know a lot of people that had to do an extra semester or year after transferring to a 4-year school because of equivalency or course credit issues. you should also have at least one back-up school in mind, both for your bs and msn.

also check in with the ucsf program to see exactly what their pre-reqs are and confirm they accept cc credits (it’s rare but some schools do say they prefer 4-year college classes). plus some schools have time limits on the science pre-reqs (ex: must be within the past 5 years), but you should be able to plan your classes to make sure you don’t have to retake anything.

finally, since you’re just starting out keep your options open. you might take a class and fall in love with a completely different field. also, direct entry programs are pretty competitive, and from what i've heard the nursing school competition in cali is brutal. you might need a plan b, even if it's only temporary.

keep up the good work and best wishes!

AL1992 · Jan 3, 2011

Thanks, I checked UCSF's website and they only have three prerequisites: Anatomy, Physiology, and Statistics(They can be taken at a CC or university). I think it'll be easier to take them at a CC as opposed to a university, I'm guessing. My plan B if I do not get into UCSF is to go to PA school, but a nurse practitioner is what I truly want to pursue because I can focus on helping people without being constantly supervised by a physician. I just want to make sure I'm doing all the right things to improve my chances of being accepted. Yes, nursing here in CA is brutal, its super competitive, so I'm trying to stand out from all the other hopefuls lol.

Assailants · Jan 3, 2011

Why dont you just go for your BSN instead of a entry levels masters program. Seems like a waste of time getting a degree in biology if you aren't a pre-med student or if you aren't going to get a advanced degree in bio.

AL1992 · Jan 4, 2011

BSN programs here is CA are very competitive. Plus, I'm guaranteed admission to a UC campus if Biology is my major with nursing you aren't guaranteed. So, by majoring in Bio it'll make it easier knowing I'm forsure to get in whereas with nursing there is no guarantee

Protongirl · Jan 8, 2011

Just as a word of warning, although UCSF doesn't require very many prerequisites, it is virtually impossible to get in without significant clinical experience (preferably paid). Also, I would really question putting all my eggs in one basket - especially the #2 basket in the country!

If you are in your first semester of college, I would hesitate to take such a circuitous path to your goal. I would really suggest trying your best to get into an ASN program. It is much easier to get into RN to BSN programs then into traditional BSN programs. Also, as a practicing RN you would be gaining experience that will help you later as a FNP. Better yet, most employers will pay for at least part of your RN to BSN and MSN education. Student debt may seem minor now, but later when a huge chunk of your paycheck goes to loans it will suddenly be pretty major!

Good luck!

AL1992 · Feb 27, 2011

I've decided to change my major from Biology to Nursing and apply to BSN programs. I'm currently taking Chem and Anatomy, so my journey is underway :).

Taylo040 · Feb 28, 2011

Congrats and Good luck! :yeah:

strawberryluv, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2011

Hey, I just wanted to say good luck and congrats to a

very good start! :yeah: