Decided to VN first

Hi guys!

So I have been in school for almost three years trying to get my prerequisites finished for the R.N program. My Gpa is 3.7 across the boards as well as being inducted into an honorary society. I really only have three more classes to go before I am completely finished with my ADN prerequisites with all of my transfer credits finished. However, I am getting really cold feet about the RN program, seeing how competitive it really is. I live in Southern Cali and I dont even have any medical experience with the exception of being a volunteer in hospice, helping terminally ill patients cope with the transition they are facing. It's really tough to do this, but I absolutely love being in and around the medical field and helping the best way I can. It's been so tough with so many life-changing situations trying to affect my schooling. I even faced a cancer scare one semester and was going through biopsy. I am also 40.

I actually broke down in tears tonight with stress ( because I am so competitive) because I realized on the points system, most ADN programs support and really favor some sort of certification or work experience. I also have four W's on my transcripts which two were dumb and when I didnt know that a W counted against you, and 1 C in math and 2 B's while the rest are A's. I feel like that will hold me back from getting accepted into an ADN program.

I decided to pull the reigns back a little on my goals and go for my VN first, to help gain that experience and preparedness for the ADN program. And it's a shorter program with immediate openings since everyone is trying to go for ADN, which will allow me to get into a medical workforce much faster for the experience. Being in the medical field has been a dream of mine since I was 12 years of age. My plan is to Bridge at Citrus, Norco or Riverside. And maybe Chaffey since thats where I am currently in school..

I guess my question is, is for those who have done the LVN program and bridged over to RN, how was the transition? And are the chances of getting into the RN program more favorable for a VN than someone who didn't? Any advice you can offer me before getting into the VN program? Or advice about bridging over to the RN program? And do you think being a VN made the ADN program more tolerable and not as difficult? I just feel better about going through the ladder route tbh but wanted some insight.