Can I get my BSN any faster?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi! I am currently deciding on colleges to get my nursing degree. I am graduating high school soon, and will start in the fall. I have the option of either attending a community college to get my ADN and then work while getting my bsn. Now, I think that may be kinda stressful, so I am leaning toward going to a university to get my BSN right away. I have been accepted already to the two universities I've applied to and a part GPA scholarship to one. My eventual goal is to become a PEdiatric Nurse Practitioner, but with all this talk about all the programs going to Doctorate for nurse practitioners, I want to get my undergraduate degree as soon as possible! Ya know what I mean!=) lol So, basically I'm wondering if I go to a 4 year university to get my BSN, are there any ways I can get it done faster? Like, can I take summer classes or something?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Sometimes yes ... sometimes no. It depends on the particular school. Some schools have their classes scheduled in such as way that you have to stay "on track" the whole way through. For example, you have to take Class #1 first and then Class #2, etc. in the proper order, one at a time. Others are not organized in that way.

Check with the particular school that you will be attending. If it's going to be possible to shave any time off of the 4 years, it's more likely to be done in the first half of the program. So speak with your school right away. You might be able to take a summer class or two ... then register for an extra class in the fall ... etc. and get a little bit ahead. You also might be able to "test out" of some of the general education courses that are usually required in the freshman year. But you'll need to act now to arrange for any such possibility.

I'm not saying your school will have such opportunities to "fast track" through their program ... but maybe. If you want to try it, investigate with your school now.

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You need to look at the university websites and see what classes are required for a BSN at each school and then figure out the order they have to be taken and when you can take them. If you check the schools class schedules many go back a year or two so you can get an idea of when the classes are offered (for example - some smaller schools only offer a certain class in the fall or some are offered fall, spring, and others may be offered fall, spring, summer). All that is very school specific.

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Thank you both! I really appreciate it!

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You're 18 - what's the hurry? lol

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You could look in to schools that have accelerated BSN programs.

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Specializes in Transgender Medicine.

All of the first 2 years of classes are just general ed classes like English, psychology, biology, etc. You could take more than the usual 4 classes per semester and also do 2 or so classes in the summer, and then you'd be able to start the "actual" nursing part of the program earlier. Let's say if you start college in fall of 2011 and took 5 classes per semester for fall '11 and spring 2012. Then you take 2 classes during the summer 2012. Then, you could take whatever prerequisite classes remained that next fall 2012 semester, which would probably be about 4-6 classes. So, you'd have taken a total of 16-18 courses in 4 semesters. You could start the actual nursing portion the very next semester in the spring of 2013. That would put you ahead of the game by 2 whole semesters. Most others who started at the same time as you but took the more traditional route would have to wait to start the nursing portion during the fall of 2013. It wouldn't be too bad, especially if you could take a couple of those courses online. Definitely doable if you're serious about it. There's really no other way to get through any faster, though. Generally, the only part of your bachelor's degree that you can speed up will be the first 2 years of general ed classes. Good luck!

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Since you're brand new to college you probably can't get your degree any faster. The problem with nursing is that there are usually several classes that follow something like take Class A before you can take Class B so you can then take Class C. There are also a mix of classes that you'll need to take before you can (or should) ever take your nursing classes.

I got my first degree in three years by going in the summers. Now I'm back for a second degree and it's killing me that they don't offer more than four courses in nursing that I need each semester and also that there won't be any summer classes. I'm ready to be done with this.

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

God the impatience of youth, how I miss it! Just call your schools and ask them. Maybe if you bury yourself in study you can get done a little sooner. DNPs are not a done deal yet. I have seen recommendations that the ANA back off and change their tune. They might do that. I would just say, full steam ahead Grasshopper and I'm sure you'll get to where you want.

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You're 18 - what's the hurry? lol

You answered your own question!:smokin:

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Thank you all for your advice! I truly appreciate it!

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"You're 18 - what's the hurry? lol"

"You answered your own question! "

FOR REAL!!!! I'm curious to see this same thread continued 3 years from now. lol

OP, get the ADN and take it from there. TRUST ME, there's NO RUSH!

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