Best way to get in to a nursing school

[aamommy]

Hello, I am a Canadian wanting to attend a BSN Nursing school in Michigan. It is quite different in Canada. You can apply directly out of high school. I've been out of high school for 13 years and I took a year of University courses nearly 6 years ago. I guess my question is what is the best route to apply? I know you have to do some prerequisite courses prior to applying but I don't know how long that will take. Should I go through a college associates degree program first? All the different info on the web is so overwhelming. Can anyone shed some light on this for me please?

[RN BSN 2009]

An associates degree would be the faster route to start working, but the BSN would be great in the long run. Many hospitals like DMC are making BSN the preferred. It's really going to depend on how much you want to invest into your education. You can also always go the RN to BSN route. Are you in Windsor?

[aamommy]

Thanks for the advise. I'm actually here in Michigan. How long are the BSN programs here? I was looking into U of M Flint but I'm not sure if it was a 3 or 4 year program. Do you know how long it usually takes to take all the prerequisite courses that you need even before you apply?

[RNpatterson]

I would suggest looking into both associates and BSN programs. It's really difficult to get into associates programs right now; the one at our school is 2-3 years and then two years after that for the program. Look into schools in your area - community colleges and universities and their websites will list their requirements. The programs usually require that you take a year of classes and then you can apply to the BSN programs or get put on a waitlist for associates. If you think you might want to go on to grad school, I would focus on the BSN. Are you looking into schools in the southeast? Like Detroit and Ann Arbor areas?

[jazznjac]

I am just about to begin 'finishing up' my prereqs for the ADN program at OCC. They require 11 prerequisites (I have 7 to complete from my previous degree). MCC requires 7 or 9 prereqs. Either way, I think most programs will have about a year (if you have to start from scratch) of prereqs. If you have the time, you may consider applying for an accelerated program if you meet the requirements (most are for people with a degree already). I am choosing the associate's route, planning to eventually get my masters once I begin working as an RN. It is highly competetive to get into the ADN programs, so I'd suggest applying to several different schools. Good luck! :-)

[RNpatterson]

I just realized part of my post doesn't make any sense. oops. :) I meant to say my school has a 2-3 year waitlist and then 2 years to finish.