Deciding between minor or certificate! HELP!

[alexjspearma]

Hi all,

New to the site and I am hoping to get some opinions on this: I am a pre nursing student at a private school. I have all my pre-req's done except for 4 classes (2 chem and 2 math that have to be taken one after the other, so a total of a year more of school just for 4 classes, its a nightmare). In order to keep my scholarships and financial aid intact and at maximum capacity, I need to add classes to the 2 classes I already have to take to total 12 credits a semester. My academic advisor suggested I pick a minor or a certificate to complete while I am finishing these 4 classes. The certificate options at my school are forensic nursing or transcultural nursing and the minor could be anything, but she recommended psychology.

My question is which is worth it to pursue? I am leaning toward the certificate route because I feel like minors are obsolete, but maybe that isn't true in the nursing world. Are certificates worth it in the long run/will they help qualify me for more jobs when the time comes? Do minors give you any advantage either? I already have my CNA certification so I know how these types of classes work but maybe its different for these type of certifications...HELP! Any and all advice appreciated! Thank you :)

[mrsboots87]

Are you going into a BSN or ADN program. If its an ADN, why don't you take some of the pre reqs for a BSN pathway program in case you go back for your BSN later. And if it is a BSN program you are in, then I don't think it really matters if you take minor classes or certs. Maybe if the cert classes are in a field you are interested in, then take them because it will look nice on the resume when applying for that job, but if the classes don't pertain to what area of nursing you want to be in, then it doesn't matter which way you go.

[HammockBound]

I dont believe mine ever helped me...Maybe it will in the world of nursing...but mine is in women's studies. I only had to take one or two additional class.

[priorities2]

Some schools only have minors, some only have certificates, some have both. Employers will not know the difference. Do whatever interests you. If you're dead set on choosing something practical, maybe a language (Spanish?), or something relatively easy that won't take your time away from studying chem and math. Certainly the title "minor" vs. "certificate" doesn't matter.