Applying to RN Programs this year...I feel lost.

mrsboots87 · Oct 1, 2013

I am in az so I don't have specific info for your area, but generally you woul want to see the schools stats and admission outlook. Go to your states board of nursing websit and get graduation and nclex pass rates for the schools you are interested in. Also in the search on this site, search the schools. A lot of times applicants will post their gpa and teas scores when they get in so you can get an idea of how competitive your scores are. Those things should help you narrow the schools down to get to a handful that seem good and that you would have a good chance of getting into.

ScientistSalarian · Oct 1, 2013

Hi, I applied to a bunch of CA ADN and BSN programs last year - it's definitely a stressful process but if you stay organized and right on top of deadlines you'll be just fine.

Since you know you're going to apply to state schools assist.org is going to be a great starting point. If you haven't used the site before you're looking for the articulation agreement for nursing majors from your school to whichever other schools you're interested in applying to. This will tell you EXACTLY which prerequisites each program needs (and they *do* vary a bit from CSU to CSU) and gives you a decent rundown of the fine print (some schools allow you to have prereqs in progress this coming year, some don't or have specific limitations - stuff like that). I used the articulation agreements to figure out which schools I was eligible to apply to and then went to each school's website to be absolutely sure I wasn't missing any critical details.

Once I knew where I wanted to apply I created a Google docs document to keep everything organized. I had a section for each school with links to the transfer admissions website and the nursing program's requirements page, all of my user ID's and passwords, and a master list of deadlines. Once you have your list going it'll be a lot easier to see what you need to do and when. The only tricky part is that you need to make sure you're meeting all of the requirements and deadlines for BOTH transfer and nursing admissions at each school. This usually involves two separate applications (one for general admission to the school as a transfer and one for admission into the nursing program) which may have to be submitted at the same time or months apart depending on the school.

You seem like you're in pretty good shape academically but it's always a good idea to apply to several schools of varying degrees of competitiveness and have a backup plan (or two). Good luck with everything! :)

(I think you need something like 15 posts to send private messages but if you need any help down the line feel free to PM me)

Mandy0728 · Oct 1, 2013

I actually DID put all of my eggs in one basket. I applied back in June for a BSN program for spring 2014. I find out in a few weeks!

CDEWannaBe · Oct 1, 2013

It's also smart to call the schools you're interested in to ask about GPA, test scores and other qualities of students they've accepted most recently. Also ask to have your transcripts evaluated. Then apply to a handful that are a good fit for you. Applying to 20 schools seems like a waste of time and money.

nay2vp · Oct 2, 2013

I don't know what your financial situation is, but I was able to have my application fees waved when I applied to Fresno and Stanislaus. Have you looked into that?

emde · Oct 2, 2013

What I am taking in consideration are: commute and school passing rates in the license testing. I have two options. My first opt, which I already applied to last week, has a 100% passing rate and is 15 min away from home. My second option has 88% passing rate and is 50 min away from me. It really depends of what do you think is important for you. I'm in GA.