As or aa degree and why?

U.S.A. Florida

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HELLO EVERYONE I AM NEW TO THIS WEBSITE I READ A FEW POST HERE AND THERE BUT THIS ACTUALLY MY FIRST POST. THIS WEBSITE IS VERY INFORMATIVE SO I FIGURED WHY NOT ASK YOU GUYS. WHICH DEGREE DO YOU HAVE AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO GO THAT ROUTE.ME PERSONALLY I STARTED OFF DOING MY AS BUT I WAS THINKING THAT EVENTUALLY I WANT MY BACHELORS AND I WOULDNT BE ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT MY AA, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND I WAS DOING MY AS BECAUSE I HAVE A 3YR OLD DAUGHTER AND I AM THINKING ABOUT HER WHEN I CHANGED TO THE AS B/C I CAN GET INTO THE FIELD QUICKER.SO WHAT WAS IT THAT BASED YOUR DECISION AND WHY. I AM CONSTANTLY BACK IN FORTH TO THE ADVISORS CHANGING BACK FROM THE AS TO THE AA DEGREE.NOW I HAVE IT SET ON MY AS DEGREE BUT I AM STILL REGISTERING FOR MY AA CLASSES, I GUESS IM CONFUSE.ANY ADVICE IS HELPFUL.:idea:

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I already had my classes done. There were enough science classes to meet the AS requirement so I got that degree. Frankly, I don't see the difference counting for anything.

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An AS gets you in the field as an RN. An AA gets you into a bachelor's program. However, if you have an ASN you can still enter into a bachelor's program as long as you have all the pre-reqs done.

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Is the asn the lpn license?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, ER, Peds ER-CPEN.

ASN gets you the RN after you pass NCLEX-RN, LPN is usually around a 1yr program and is a certificate program with credits you can apply towards a degree later on

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Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.

I'm not sure what you're asking. Maybe I'm missing something here. AS means associate of science and AA means associate of arts. Neglible difference in degree except that the science degree generally has more science/math credits and the arts degree has more humanities credits. Either one will "get you into" a bachelor's program, provided you have the right mix of credits for the program you wish to pursue. Neither an AA or an AS (generic) qualifies you as a nurse, you must enter a nursing program that awards a nursing degree/diploma. I've never seen an associate of arts program for nursing, considering that nursing is very heavy on the science and math.

A program that offers an associate's degree in nursing will provide the graduate with the ability to sit the NCLEX-RN (in most states) and become licensed as a Registered Nurse. A licensed nurse with an associate's degree in nursing can enter a BSN-completion program and graduate with a Bachelor's Degree. Another licensing exam is not required.

In most states, an LP/VN is a graduate of a vocational-technical school of study with a certificate awarded upon graduation which provides the graduate with the ability to sit the NCLEX-PN to be licensed as a Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse.

As for me, my original nursing program was an Associate of Science and I did a BSN completion program immediately afterwards, as that was all that was offered in my area at the time. I was also a single mother with a young child at home.

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OK WHAT I MEAN BY THIS IS I ATTEND BROWARD COLLEGE AND I WAS TOLD IF YOU GET YOUR AA ASOCIATES IN ARTS YOU CAN APPLY TO THE RN-BSN PROGRAM AND IF YOU HAVE YOUR AS DEGREE YOU CAN GET INTO THE RN PROGRAM BUT IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR THE BSN PROGRAM YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE YOUR REMAINING CLASSES FINISHED FOR THE AA DEGREE(SUCHAS MATH, ENGLISH,HUMANITIES,SPCH,COMPUTERS ETC). FOR INSTANCE WHEN I WENT TO VISIT MY ADVISOR I WANTED TO CHANGE FROM THE AA DEGREE TO THE AS DEGREE(THINKING THAT OK LET ME JUST TRY TO GET IN THE MEDICAL FIELD FASTER AND ONCE IM SETTLE I CAN COME BACK TO FINISH MY AA AND POSSIBLE OBTAIN A BACHELORS.) AND THE ADVISOR WAS SAYING THAT I WOULDNT BE ABLE TO GET A BACHELORS DEGREE UNLESS I FINISH THE REST OF THE CLASSES FOR THE AA. SHE SAID ONLY WITH THE AS I CAN APPLY TO WORK AS JUST AN RN NOT A RN WITH MY BACHELORS. SO MY QUESTION TO EVERYONE WAS WHAT ROUTE DID YOU TAKE AND WHY? MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT I FINISH MY AS AND I KNOW I WANT MY BACHELORS WILL I HAVE TO BACK TRACK AND COMPLETE THE REST OF THE CLASSES IN ORDER TO DO THE RN-BSN PROGRAM? (ISNT THERE A DIFFERENCE IN PAY FROM NURSES WHO HAVE COMPLETED THE RN PROGRAM FROM THE ONES WHO HAVE COMPLETED THE RN-BSN PROGRAM?)I AM THINKING THAT IT WILL BE LESS WORK IF I JUST COMPLETE MY AA THEN APPLY TO THE RN-BSN PROGRAM AS OPPOSE TO THE RN PROGRAM HOPEFULLY I DIDNT CONFUSE ANYONE IN MORE THAN I HAVE CONFUSED MYSELF :uhoh3:

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OK KateRN1 MAYBE I HAVE SOMETHING MIXED UP ARE YOU SAYING THAT I CAN COMPLETED MY AS DEGREE WHICH INCLUDES THE PRE REQS AND AFTER I FINISH TAKE MY STATE BOARD AND I CAN APPLY FOR THE RN-BSN PROGRAM IS THAT ANOTHER TWO YEARS?

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i'm not sure what you're asking. maybe i'm missing something here. as means associate of science and aa means associate of arts. neglible difference in degree except that the science degree generally has more science/math credits and the arts degree has more humanities credits. either one will "get you into" a bachelor's program, provided you have the right mix of credits for the program you wish to pursue. neither an aa or an as (generic) qualifies you as a nurse, you must enter a nursing program that awards a nursing degree/diploma. i've never seen an associate of arts program for nursing, considering that nursing is very heavy on the science and math.

actually, broward college offers both. their aa program is designed for students to matriculate into a state university bsn program. it's just a regular aa degree which includes the pre-reqs required by fl's universities. with the asn, you can sit for the nclex and then, complete an rn-bsn program.

ok what i mean by this is i attend broward college and i was told if you get your aa asociates in arts you can apply to the rn-bsn program rn-bsn programs are for students who are rns with an asn and wish to get their bsn. you can't do an rn-bsn program with an aa. you have to go into a generic bsn program. and if you have your as degree you can get into the rn program but in order to apply for the bsn program you will have to have your remaining classes finished for the aa degree(suchas math, english,humanities,spch,computers etc). if you get the asn, you have to also complete nutrition, college algebra, statistics, enc 1102, etc. these courses are not required for bc's asn.

for instance when i went to visit my advisor i wanted to change from the aa degree to the as degree(thinking that ok let me just try to get in the medical field faster and once im settle i can come back to finish my aa and possible obtain a bachelors.) and the advisor was saying that i wouldnt be able to get a bachelors degree unless i finish the rest of the classes for the aa.

if you want, you can complete only the courses required for the asn, get a job, then, do the others.

she said only with the as i can apply to work as just an rn not a rn with my bachelors. so my question to everyone was what route did you take and why? my main concern is that i finish my as and i know i want my bachelors will i have to back track and complete the rest of the classes in order to do the rn-bsn program? (isnt there a difference in pay from nurses who have completed the rn program from the ones who have completed the rn-bsn program?)i am thinking that it will be less work if i just complete my aa then apply to the rn-bsn program as oppose to the rn program hopefully i didnt confuse anyone in more than i have confused myself :uhoh3:

ok katern1 maybe i have something mixed up are you saying that i can completed my as degree which includes the pre reqs and after i finish take my state board and i can apply for the rn-bsn program is that another two years?

you can meet with a nursing tutor at lrc in the north campus library or speak with someone in the program at bc or meet with an associate dean. the advisors there don't know a great deal about the nursing program!

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Thanks that help a lot i have a year left before i finish my aa degree.

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Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.

I quickly browsed the school's website, although nursing is listed under the Associate of Arts, they do not offer an "AA" (associate of arts) but rather an ASN (associate of science in nursing). (When I clicked the link for nursing under AA, it took me to a degree requirements page that had no nursing courses, this cannot be a terminal degree that leads to a nursing license as it is listed. It looks like this option is for those who are completing their gen ed requirements with intent to apply to another school for a generic BSN.) As for terminal degrees, they offer two options for nursing, a "generic" program for those who have not had previous nursing education and an LPN->RN program for licensed practical nurses who wish to bridge into an RN program. Neither requires an AA or AS degree in another field. You do not need to complete a generic (gen ed) AA degree before applying to the nursing program.

From their catalog: http://www.broward.edu/images/ProgramSheets/21271.pdf

As far as I can tell, here's what you need to do: register for the general education courses (see page three of the above pdf from the catalog). Once you have completed those courses satisfactorily, you can apply for the nursing program. However, there is no guarantee of acceptance to the nursing program even upon completion of those general education requirements. Your best bet is to make an appointment to speak with an advisor in the school of nursing. Please see someone in the nursing program before your advisor wastes too much of your hard-earned money.

Regarding needing an "AA" degree to get into a BSN program: hogwash. You need to be a licensed RN to enter a BSN program. That's it. You can be a diploma nurse, or with an ASN, or with an AaSN. I still haven't seen an Associate of ARTS degree for nursing, although Google tells me that the University of Charleston (SC) offers one (no information on their website about it, though).

Another reason to make BSN the required education for entry-level practice. It'll make figuring out which courses to take that much easier.

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it looks like this option is for those who are completing their gen ed requirements with intent to apply to another school for a generic bsn.) as stated in the previous post by leavingteacher4rn their aa program is designed for students to matriculate into a state university bsn program. it's just a regular aa degree which includes the pre-reqs required by fl's universities. the bsn program is not offered at broward college. i'm not sure where in florida you are from but plenty os students are familiar with this option. i am aware that you dont have to have an aa degree in order to apply for the nursing progrm it is intended for transfer to a university. an as degree does not have all the maths,computers,speech, etc an aa degree does. broward college offers both under the as degree they have the requirements and under aa they have additional classes you can take to earn a degree for your aa and at the top it has the following universities that accept it the aa and is offering the bachelors program generic that is. the link you provided is for the as you need to scroll back to the top of the page select aa and view the requirements. here let me help a link

http://www.broward.edu/ext/programprintaanew.jsp?programcode=1039

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