Best Route to BSN

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Hi I am in LA valley area and have heard of so many different routes to take for nursing, however I do not know which one to choose!

Right now, I am finishing up prereqs at Moorpark CC. This semester with anatomy and physio and next semester micro, but I will probably also take pharmacology and another class so I can be full time student. (I am not working right now and want to get the most out of my financial aid).

So I looked into National University for their generic entry to BSN as an "accelerated program", I would be able to attempt to get into the April 2018 cohort, with dead line Oct 2017. During the wait time, I was thinking of becoming a CNA to get more experience. Probably would end up spending 55k? I remember at the forum the counselor told me it was 45k for the program, then there were other expenses also, so adding about 10k to be on the safe side. I've looked into West Coast and not fond of their 98K tuition even after prereqs.

I have a family friend who suggested becoming an LVN case manager who could help me get a job if I decided to do so. I don't know too much about this yet, I haven't gotten the chance to talk to them in detail yet. But from there I can find an LVN to BSN program which would not cost as much as ABSN, but take more time. With this, I would spend time working as an LVN, but I heard it is really hard to also do the BSN program at the same time. I am still unfamiliar with the time and cost it takes to become an LVN.

And another choice is to do RN at a community college, then BSN at maybe CSUN or another university. With this I would probably apply to all of community colleges in my area. However, I heard the wait time is long, but it is also probably one of the cheaper routes.. I think.

I do come from a low income family and get max financial aid. I have a GPA 3.5, kinda messed up my first year of college by taking too many classes and I have been on track with the prereqs now, so most likely gonna get A's in them, I really enjoy my classes.

So basically I want to get a BSN as soon as possible. I don't plan on stopping at BSN, but that is my goal right now. I want to know which option would be the best learning experience, so I can get a good foundation relative to time and money.

Thank you!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Moved to the Pre-Nursing Student forum for more replies.

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Specializes in Prior military RN/current ICU RN..

First off..stay calm. You are talking about stuff past BSN and just overload with all kinds of stuff. Just one step at a time. First the "I want to get a BSN as soon as possible". Ok...forget that for a minute. First off make sure you are taking the proper pre reqs and GETTING THE GRADES. You won't be doing any nursing school if you mess up your pre reqs. One step at a time and stay calm. 55K paid back with interest is closer to 80K. You are talking payments of 7-900 dollars a month for years. Look around at different programs. Think about cost and what you can afford. The worst thing I see people do is all of the sudden they want to be a nurse "right now". You will get there, but do it smart.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

What is best for you has to do with your own personal circumstances. I am quite happy for anyone who is able to jump straight to their BSN, which was my original goal.

As it is, I started prereqs, then became a CNA for almost a year then went to LVN/PN school, worked for about a year, attended the remaining prereqs, was accepted to an LVN/PN-RN program, and graduated a few months ago. I'm now working as an RN-ADN.

Next stop for me is BSN! And possibly more: MSN, FNP? Who knows?! í ½í¸‚

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Do you already have a bachelor's degree? If not, an ABSN is not an option. Please heed PP's advice re: incurring student loan debt. It's a terrible burden that cannot be discharged via bankruptcy. Private loans are the absolute worst. In many states, defaulting on any student loans will mean you cannot renew your nursing license. Don't trap yourself & mortgage your future.

OTOH, if you utilize Federal student loans, there are some options that can provide some relief such as income-based repayment & loan forgiveness after 10 years of regular payments if you work in a Public Service job.

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I am in anatomy and physio right now, A's in both so far, but a low A in physio. Micro is the last prereq I need and I will probably take pharmacology and another filler class to be a full time student at my cc next semester. From there I am not sure where to go..

What I was thinking was becoming a CNA and working while on the waiting list and save up to pay for school.

I figured that generic to BSN is out of the picture, had a long discussion with my dad about that.

How did you get your BSN?

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