Community College or University...that is the question

Soon2benurse25 · Apr 21, 2011

The same situation is going on where I'm from (Dallas). There aren't many ADN nurses being hired, and many are still looking for jobs months after graduation. So, I would say that if the situation is similar where you're from, go ahead and do the BSN program because you have a better chance of getting a job after graduation. However, if you know that ADN's have as good a chance as BSN's of getting hired, definitely go the ADN route!! It's sooo much cheaper and once you're employed you can do an ADN-BSN or ADN-MSN bridge program that your job might pay for!

jessig24 · Apr 21, 2011

Well I have decided that I will continue with the CC route, but I am going to take any classes required for my ADN that do not transfer to the university for full credit at the university. I'm not sure what the employment situation out here is. I'm in Colorado. I plan to work Hospice and part of my ADN requirement is to get a CNA. So I am going to apply as a PRN CNA for home health and hospice and hopefully once I get my degree someone I have worked with will want to hire me! I will continue to work towards my BSN in the meantime taking any classes that I can at the CC. I don't qualify for grants so I have to pay it all back...so CC is the better route for me! Thank you all so much for your input!

Highschoolfuturenurs · Apr 21, 2011

Good luck with everything! :)

jessig24 · Apr 21, 2011

Thanks! :)

soxgirl2008 · Apr 22, 2011

Sounds like a good plan! Mine is similar, I'm currently at a university taking all my pre-reqs but I'll start clinicals at my local tech college (the university's nursing program is way too competitive for me) Once I graduate with my ADN I'll only have to take 4 more classes to have my BSN, and they're all theory/research classes that I can take online, and no loans for me! I could have gone to a private BSN program but I would have been 60,000 dollars in debt, and in my area of the country they don't care at all whether you have BSN or ADN, and I'll have my BSN within a year after I graduate anyway.

jamiemd · Apr 27, 2011

I am basically in the same boat...finishing MicroBio right now and then just need Physio in the fall to apply to the program at my CC. I know quite a few nurses (friends and family) who all say that hospitals are definitely choosing BSN grads over ADN's from CC's, HOWEVER, the CC programs are still a great option is you intent on continuing your education to a BSN after the program. You may not have a guaranteed job once you're an RN, but you definitely opening up more options for yourself! :)

My tentative plan is to finish my last pre-req for the CC program, apply, and hope that I get in. IF I don't get it, I was going to start taking the additional pre-reqs required by the university (BSN) programs. My CC has an application deadline twice a year (no wait list), so I will keep trying on that while continuously taking the steps towards BSN program entrance requirements.

This is the best plan that I could come up with since I'm limited financially, and I feel pretty confident about it :) Hopefully my input helped!

Good luck!

CeilingCat, ASN, RN · Apr 27, 2011

It really depends on what schools are in your area, your budget, your personal goals, etc.

I did the community college to RN route. I am graduating now and will be working under my RN license as soon as I pass boards. The plus of doing it this way is that many employers still offer at least partial tuition reimbursement. So when I do the RN-to-BSN bridge, it won't cost me much.

The college credits at the community college level are also 1/3rd of what the same classes at university level costs - at least in my area. So if I get the first two years done locally, I am not stuck with a big loan that is only going to keep growing as interest accrues. The total cost for my nursing school including books, pre-requisite classes, lab fees, and other expenses is under $10k for my ENTIRE education.

But if you don't have a community college in your area it might not work. Or some community colleges have pretty good programs which means getting on a waiting list, which may not work for you.

I'd also say look at all the schools carefully and talk to graduates. There are some SUCKY nursing schools out there. They keep their NCLEX pass rates high because they fail out more than half the carefully-selected students who start the program. In other words, it's that they're only letting the self-motivated able-to-self-teach type students make it through to get to the Boards. There's no point in starting at a really bad nursing school just to have to repeat a year or quite entirely.

kt77 · Apr 27, 2011

I'm graduating from a CC AD program in a couple of weeks. Pro's of a CC program- I'm graduating without owing a dime, very reasonably priced. Con's- I didn't realize a lot of hospitals are not accepting RN's with an AD, they either require or strongly prefer bachelor's degree. Look into the hospitals that you would like to work at and see if they accept AD's.

texashyles · Apr 27, 2011

If you like spending more money and want the added prestige of graduating from a big name university, go ahead! I went to junior college for my AS, then A&M for my BSN. It is not going to affect your pay scale either way. I am definitely going to encourage my 5 kids to go to junior college first, then university.

malaysmith · Apr 27, 2011

In this economy jobs are tough to come by. Many hospitals have a preference for BSN, RN (it affects their Magnet status). You may become an RN faster at a CC but without your BSN will you even get a job? Externships will help. Does the CC have connections to help you get one? Where are clinicals held with each program? Again will these clinicals give you the networking opportunities to get a job when you graduate. Assuming your employer doesn't pay all of your continuing education, is it more costly to go to CC and have to go back for your BSN or just going for the BSN immediately? More questions than answers. You really need to make lists of pros and cons and a flowsheet of courses that need to be taken to complete your goal

European · Apr 28, 2011

Yes, yes and yes go for BSN. CC are lame I went for one and

I regret it, waste of time in the long run since you will

Need your BSN anyway. Also you will not have to worry about

Transfer issues.

Go for a BSN

JEP2011 · Apr 28, 2011

I think it's great that you have finished your pre-reqs at a community college! I am just finishing my BSN from a university in a few days! I would recommend that you go for the BSN, it will be easier to get into a nursing program right away with all of the pre-reqs done and you have saved a lot of money this way! The four years really do go by quickly! You might only have three years of actual nursing school since you have pre-requisites done!!

Good luck!!!