Extracurriculars for Accelerated BSN programs

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Hello!

I am currently a freshman in college studying economics but I am really interested in applying to an accelerated BSN program after college! I'm looking into programs at Upenn, Duke, JHU, UCLA, and NYU right now and I was wondering what kind of extra curricular activities look favorably for nursing schools?

Also, is it more difficult to get in right after graduating college?

Thanks for taking the time to reply/ read this post!

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If you are a freshman, why not just go directly for your BSN? You can transfer into a school. It'd be a lot cheaper plus it'd take a lot less time.

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I was considering that but due to family issues I have to stay close to home and there aren't nearby schools that offer BSNs. :(

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What about a ADN at a community college?

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There are nearly 300 different Accelerated BSN or Entry-level MSN programs in the US for those with undergraduate degrees in non-nursing areas. Each school will answer this question differently. I am the Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid at one of these schools, so I can respond based on what our own faculty prefer.

Academic performance is the most important factor in admissions. This includes the cumulative GPA from your undergraduate degree as well as any graduate degrees completed. We also look at the individual grades received in the particular prerequisite courses to the program.

Our faculty also applicants to have had some direct, hands-on experience in healthcare. This can come from being an EMT, a CNA, or delivering care to a member of your own family. They also have looked highly on those who have worked with the underserved (Peace Corps, Americorps, mission service, working with non-profits or NGOs domestically or overseas, etc). Accelerated nursing programs and masters-entry programs are rigorous, so our faculty look to see if an applicant has dipped more than a toe in the water of healthcare already. Others applicants have experienced nursing as patients (cancer treatments, transplants, multiple surgeries). There is no typical experience.

Because our faculty value this experience or exposure to healthcare and nursing, most of our entering class is is a year or more away from their undergraduate degree graduation date. We have new BA/BS grads in each entering cohort, but they are a minority. Again, this is the perception from one of 300 schools.

Good luck.

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I agree that if a BSN is not possible right now, get an ASN and begin working. If nursing is your goal, you're going to waste a lot of time and money getting a degree in another field.

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