I am around age 30. I did my secondary school and 4 year post secondary education in health field outside north america. Finished my post secondary education in 2011. I would like to become RN. My gpa in post secondary education is around 3. Which will be fastest way to become an RN? Which way will be easiest to get admission? I am willing to study anywhere in Canada where it is easy to get admission and where the program won't be so tough
Option 1 = Doing LPN/RPN and then do bridging through Athabasca etc? Do I need to take pre health courses or HOEA, etc to get admission into LPN/RPN program in canada?
Option 2 = Or go directly to BScN 4 years? Since I have post secondary education, is it easy to get admission to BScN? Or do I need to take some courses as my gpa is only around 3
Any feedback will be helpful. I am willing to work very hard. Currently working in Alberta
Addition to what I have said .. you also need to be careful on what courses you want to get a credit transfer because lets say you applied down the states like myself in the future. I ended up asking my overseas school to have my other OTR to be sent to the credentialling institution.
By the way, in Alberta when you say RPN it is Registered Psychiatric Nurse and LPN is Licensed Practical Nurse.
PS. By the way, Dishes - passed the NCLEX on 76 :) Thanks
You are wrong. The UofA does evaluate the GPA for mature students. They have many, many applicants for each seat and can chose the best of the crop of applicants.
Yes, they do in the masters program for mature students. I never said they dont screen students, they still do. I will not going to say my GPA is super rocket high and submarine bottom low but I got into the program without getting any pre requisite courses. Also, Trying1 has a GPA of 3 in his/her degree. Master Program requires a 3 GPA, so why would you need a higher GPA of 3 to get into the BSN ... doesn't make any sense requiring a more than GPA 3 when the masters program itself only requires 3. Why everyone needs to put colors on how high and low our GPAs? Its funny that we are so stucked up with this GPA thing.
*He/she is a mature student with a degree of BS with a GPA of 3 = so why he/she cant be admitted? I am being realistic and stating a fact based on my own experience not based from what I have heard or read.
No offense but I really hate giving out opinion in a forum because there will always be someone trying to tell you "you are wrong" lol. Seriously, I experienced it, I was there. I got in and out of the program.
Trying1 ... why dont you just apply both on the PN and the BSN programs, if you get admitted on both then you can decide which one will benefit you most. Pick your university you want to go to...pay for the University/College admission fee and after that you will give your OTR for re evaluation or PLAR they called and you will need to pay them maybe like $75 or more and they will let you know what courses will be transferred.
Thanks, Dishes .... I cant reply back to you on the private message. Do you happen to know if theres a forum relating on how to apply a job in the states? whether through an agency or through their health authority. Just sent me a link if you can pls. Thanks in advance.
If ability to get into a program was not a consideration and you were only left with the financial consideration, it would be financially better to go the PN route, graduate, gain experience working as a PN and look for employment in provinces that offer some tuition assistance to help offset the costs of a PN to BSN education.
I totally agree on this, you also need to be wise and practical on how you will sustain your living expenses and needs. Some students find it difficult to go back full time and BSN requires a lot of work than the PN program in some extent . I do know one student from my program who went to take BSN but during the middle of the program she decided she wants to do the PN program and ended up being an LPN. I don't know the whole story how she got her courses got transferred to the PN program. All I know was she started as a BSN student and become an LPN in the end.
Thank you for the reply. I did WES which converts foreign marks to canadian gpa system.
How do I know if they will exempt me from taking pre-health courses? Since I did not go to school here, I am not able to go to any school advisor for assistance on which courses I should take or not do. Will you all be able to let me know if there is advisor that I can pay them and they can check my international courses and let me know which courses I should be taking to get into RPN or RN program? Thats the part I am confused about.
Once I learn that these are the courses I need to take and the gpa needed, then I will be able to decide if I should aim for RN or RPN program. I understand that RPN and RN programs are competitive.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and for your advices.
You need to apply to the school first before you can avail their PLAR process. I inquired to Grant Mac Ewan University before on a different degree program and they do have a separate PLAR prior for you to complete their pre requisite. Different universities do different things, and it's always frustrating at first because it seemed you always end up with someone who doesn't really know how to assist you on your inquiry. But once you get admitted either in the university or college or a program, things change as it seemed everyone will try to help you and know what you need.
I hope I was able to give you enough information on your inquiry. I have joined this forum before because I wanted to find some answers on my precious inquiry. I am not a big fan of giving opinions in forums but Dishes asked me to share what I personally know and what I have done in my previous experience.
PS. Don't even send your credentials with IQAS, it's a waste of time for me. But maybe for some people coming from other countries like british colonized countries might be useful.
Trying1 ... why dont you just apply both on the PN and the BSN programs, if you get admitted on both then you can decide which one will benefit you most.
Thank you so much BlackBee and Dishes, I will try to apply for both PN and BSN program. Will see what responses I get. Hopefully, if they reject, they will at least let me know why they rejected. So, that I can improve on those courses before applying again. I think only by applying for admission, I would know if I need to more courses or not. Still trying to learn canadian admission system and requirements. Also, which university did you attend for BSN program? And, did you work in between studies?
You are wrong. The UofA does evaluate the GPA for mature students. They have many, many applicants for each seat and can chose the best of the crop of applicants.
Thank you Fiona59. I will try to apply for both PN and BSN and hopefully they will let me know what courses I need to retake or improve on. So, that I can start the process
You need to apply to the school first before you can avail their PLAR process. I inquired to Grant Mac Ewan University before on a different degree program and they do have a separate PLAR prior for you to complete their pre requisite. Different universities do different things, and it's always frustrating at first because it seemed you always end up with someone who doesn't really know how to assist you on your inquiry. But once you get admitted either in the university or college or a program, things change as it seemed everyone will try to help you and know what you need.
Thank you BlackBee. That's the problem. Not sure how to do the process. There is no standard process for internationally educated. Some need WES, some ask for IQAS, and some do their own evaluations. And it is hard for me to get documents from my international universities to send it to canadian universities. I will slowly try to do all and will apply for admissions. Hopefully I will get into a program where I will be successful
BlackBee
97 Posts
Addition to what I have said .. you also need to be careful on what courses you want to get a credit transfer because lets say you applied down the states like myself in the future. I ended up asking my overseas school to have my other OTR to be sent to the credentialling institution.
By the way, in Alberta when you say RPN it is Registered Psychiatric Nurse and LPN is Licensed Practical Nurse.
PS. By the way, Dishes - passed the NCLEX on 76 :) Thanks