Asking for insight, await BSN admission or go for RN first?

[brunosabray]

Hello all,

Here's a little background concerning where I currently stand. I am currently a pre-nursing student at California State University, Fresno. I have completed all of my pre-requisites except for A&P II which I will be completing this fall. I have received a B in Microbiology and A&P I, and I have an A in the rest of the pre reqs. I have the AP credit for English and Stats, but I am going to be taking them again this fall in order to boost my pre req GPA. I have also finished all of my lower and upper division GEs, as well as Fresno State's additional nursing requirements. Assuming that I receive an A in Eng, Stats, and A&P II, I will be sitting at an overall 3.71 pre req GPA and a 3.5 science pre req GPA. I have yet to take the TEAS, but I plan to do so later this fall.

Outside of academics, I had worked as a medical attendant in a family home for severely disabled children for 5 months for 32 hours a week (hence, my C in CFS and my B in Micro) and an administrative assistant for a dentist (a small personal company owned by none other than my mother) for a little less than 2 years. I've also been volunteering at my church nursery caring for children 0-3 once a month for 6 years now. Overall, there was never a time that I wasn't unemployed since I was a senior in high school, so all of my classes were taken by working.

My ultimate goal is to graduate debt-free, so school choices are limited to what I can afford to pay without taking loans (which I have done thus far). I currently live with my family in Fresno, so naturally, I will be applying to Fresno City's Lottery RN program and Fresno State's traditional nursing program fall cycle. I have seen the threads on this site for both colleges, and it seems that I am at a disadvantage GPA-wise for admissions. Also, Fresno City puts everyone in a pool for fall/spring so you are not guaranteed your desired term if you are accepted. I have family in San Jose and San Francisco so I've also been looking at schools there.

These are the colleges I have been considering so far:

RN: College of the Sequoias, Fresno City College, City College of San Francisco, Evergreen College

BSN: CSU Fresno, CSU Fullerton, CSU San Francisco, National University (Fresno, cohort is only 9)

My main question is: in the case that I am not accepted into Fresno State's BSN program. Should I wait another semester and apply for the spring cycle (FS students only) or should I get myself into an RN program first, start working, and then do an RN-BSN program? Waiting until the spring would mean that I would spend 1 year waiting (because I'm finished with everything). I do plan to get certified for phlebotomy starting January so I can work in the meantime, but I'd rather not prolong my education and be stuck living with my parents even longer.

Also, any affordable nursing college recommendations would be much appreciated.

[Carpelibrum]

No do not wait you are at a disadvantage for CSU’s in Southern California. What if you wait a year and still don’t get in? I would apply everywhere and do a BSN that’s concurrent at one of those CSU’s.