Does leaving CA for a BSN make it harder to get a job?

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Hi everybody,

I really appreciate any insight you might have. I'm trying to decide which is better in the long term: try to study in California and fight the uphill battle of prerequisites and aBSN waitlists, saturated job market, etc., OR go to a different state, get an aBSN and 1-2 years' experience as a nurse, and then try to come back to California.

My concern about leaving CA and trying to come back is that CA hospitals might not see my degree as optimized for the environment and policies there. I feel like I'm in a half-decent situation: I have a 4.0 GPA from previous BA and Masters, feel confident I'll get 4.0 in my prereqs, don't have any debt right now, and can move anywhere. So given all that, and that I plan to log volunteer hours while doing my prereqs, I'm wondering if I'll be competitive enough to get in an aBSN program without waiting?

This waiting list and lottery system is new to me - I'm originally from South Carolina (but can't go back there, nope, nope nope nope). I guess general questions that might help others, too, are:

1. If any schools in your area accept students by the points system, how "competitive" is enough to be accepted? ex. 3.7 GPA and 100 hours' volunteer experience, 4.0 and be the Second Coming...?

2. Do the nursing programs around you accept online prerequisites generally without a hitch, so long as you show the lab component and syllabi?

3. How helpful are local classes and clinicals to networking, in this job market? Do you know nurses that have landed a CA job from other states? If you did that, what were the challenges?

4. Do you know any small towns or suburbs that are less saturated - even needy :o - of nursing students?

Thank you SO much for any insight. I'm kind of angsty because I actually have to make my way back to California - roadtrip! Was living there, *love* it there, but have left for a few months to take care of my suddenly sick dad in Carolina (he's okay now). So, I have to find another apartment and job and fight that battle, on top of starting nursing. If there's some Magic Unicorn compact with say...Chicago, or Nashville, or Austin, where California hospitals just love love love those nurse grads, I want to know :)

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

I can't tell you about whether leaving will be a major setback as I came to CA as an experienced RN. One advantage that I could see in staying here for nursing school is that because you are doing clinicals here, it gives you a chance to network and make your face known to employers. You can also get a job as a CNA/tech while in school, which would make you an internal candidate for positions.

I will say that our new grad unemployment rate is ridiculously high, and this includes home-grown as well as out-of-state new grads. And being an internal candidate is no longer a lock for getting new grad job--just ask the ones at my job that were turned down for our new grad residency.

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I graduated in Texas and moved to California after gaining a few years of experience. One thing I can say is that it's nice to pay off Texas loans on California wages.

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As Meriwhen stated, your only disadvantage is at the local level if you were to attend school in California, locals have clinical networking and reputation. But really, even if you were in California your applications would be across the state. If you aren't tied down by family or whatever, but only stick to one area you will likely not pick up a job within your first year. Just be sure you do more than the minimum expected wherever you go.

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Don't California Community Colleges and State Universities offer one of the lowest Tuition & Fees in the entire United States? Why would a California resident look at schools outside of their State? Certainly, a Community College ADN degree cost in CA amounts to less than $2K - $3K. I'm I missing something here?

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SoniaReb, the public community college tuition does seem miraculously low, yes. The flip-side of that is that schools have long waiting lists and lottery systems to deal with having far too many students applying for the spots. I'd consider leaving California and paying more in tuition if it meant not having to wait a year to get into a program and/or not flailing trying to find a job, now with student debt, for 1-2 years. I want the experience as soon as I can get it and I'm interested in travel nursing, so moving around doesn't bother me. Eventually though, I'll want to settle; and California's nurses union and patient limit policies, plus just the politics and city vibe, plus the ocean, are all very appealing to me in 15-20 years' time. I'm trying to guess too much with a long-game, but I don't wanna get "stuck" in a place where it's hard to be myself. Grew up in South Carolina; done with that.

Pangea, awesome to hear you made it in from Texas! ^.^ I'm definitely getting my prereqs in California, but Austin and Houston are on my list of possible aBSN programs to go for. Do you recommend where you graduated and worked, if you don't mind my asking?

Thanks guys! :)

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Don't California Community Colleges and State Universities offer one of the lowest Tuition & Fees in the entire United States? Why would a California resident look at schools outside of their State? Certainly, a Community College ADN degree cost in CA amounts to less than $2K - $3K. I'm I missing something here?

I'm originally from CA. Although the tuition is low, the nursing major is so impacted that many people are not accepted on the first application, or the second, or the third. When 1,000+ candidates are applying for 120 available nursing school slots, the vast majority of people will be rejected even if they are qualified.

On the other hand, you can apply to a nursing program at a podunk state university or obscure junior college in the Midwest or rural Southeast and be admitted instantly with a 2.75 grade point average and no waiting list or lottery.

In states such as Kansas and Oklahoma that start new grads off at less than $20 hourly, people aren't actually beating the doors down to get into nursing.

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I'm not from California but I just moved here. I have a BSN, 2 years of experience, and I am certified in my specialty. I had several job offers and even negotiated my rate. A couple years of experience go a long way! Good luck

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Specializes in TELE, CVU, ICU.

Consider the EL-MSN program at California State University Fullerton. They accept only students with degrees in other fields (like you) and there will not be a huge wait list. The EL-MSN students I knew in both my BSN & MSN cohorts got in immediately after applying. You will graduate with a Masters degree in whatever you choose to specialize in. If you already have a Masters why go backward?

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