CA Student thinking of transfering out of state to BSN

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Hi everyone,

I am a CA pre-nursing student in the Bay Area preparing to transfer to a BSN program. I have just one semester of pre reqs left and I can't help but think that my chances are slim here in CA. Every single program looks to be either highly expensive or impacted.

I have family in Idaho and Tennessee who have offered me the chance to stay with them for free if I end up transfering to a school in their area. I most likely wouldn't end up residing in either state permanately because my husband, company and most of our family are here in the SF Area.

I have a few questions:

  • If I attend an out of state school and take the NCLEX there, how hard is it to come back to CA and obtain liscensure here?
  • Has anyone transfered out of their home state to do a BSN? How long did you stay and how difficult was the adjustment on top of increased work load?
  • Has anyone attended any BSN programs in Idaho or Tennessee? Thoughts?

I appreciate any info you all can provide! Thanks!

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Why not wait to see if you do get into a CA program? I personally couldn't leave since all my family and 2 kids are here, and I actually got into a program! So I guess I'm saying you never know, you could end being accepted to a program!!

As for moving. Based on what I've read (and others could chime in if I'm wrong) but you would likely have to stay out of CA until you have the experience to get a job here. The one benefit to going to school here is doing your capstone in hospitals. If you graduated school out of state and wanted a new grad position here you'd be competing with CA new grads that have been making connections in CA hospitals during their clinicals.

But...if you can go to school elsewhere and have the opportunity to gain experience as a nurse then move back to CA, it might be worth it!

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Thanks for the encouragement! I do have my eyes on a few private CA programs and I would quite honestly shell out the cash or take out the loan to stay closer to my family. What program did you happen to get into?

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I'm in USF's BSN program. It was the first program I could apply to and they said yes so I did too. I wish I could have seen if I was accepted to a state program, but I wasn't going to say no to a spot in a nursing program :)

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Thank you! How are you liking USF? I have my eye on them since I live very close! Any tips on applying over there?

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So far so good. 2/5 professors have been amazing, 2/5 very very good and 1 only so so (the newest teacher of them all the USF). I don't start clinicals until January. My only advice would be to finish absolutely every non nursing class before you transfer. The school is way too expensive

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Thanks! It is one of the programs I plan to apply to for Spring 2017. Taking Micro and Physio this fall at my CC out in the Tri Valley. I really hope USF accepts me! I hear good things!

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Good luck to you!! Be sure you have ALL classes done to save you some money. Especially philosophy, ethics and religion. Those three have to be taken at USF if they are not already done. You can take other classes at a CC if they approve it. Good luck!

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If money and loans aren't a huge issue you can always go to West Coast University here in Southern CA. it's pricey $$$$ though, but they would happily take your money, and since they're so pricey there's not much competition.

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I have friends that went out of state for school planning to come back when finished. Not one has wanted to move back to Calif yet after moving(excluding CRNA school student).

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Specializes in Emergency Room, CEN, TCRN.

I'm also from the bay area (San Jose). I know a lot of the ASN programs in the area I looked at were either first-come, first accepted as long as everything was complete (DeAnza) or a lottery based system (Evergreen). Not sure on the BSN programs -- you could always do a bridge program after the ASN. I moved out of state to Oregon to take a job with the VA and there was a single BSN program offered in my area through OHSU. I was lucky enough to get in, but it was all point based and from what I hear has like a 18% overall acceptance rate (program is offered on 5 campuses in OR).

I took prereqs with a guy who was planning on moving to Idaho for a BSN program. Said it was super non-competitive and he got accepted with a less than stellar GPA.

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