Nursing Programs in Southern California?

1. Help me! I just moved to southern california and am in riverside community college and have one more semester of prereq's to complete before i can apply to the RN program. I heard that they only accept a few applicants each semester and a lot of people apply. This is my sixth semester of college and all classes that I have taken go toward the RN program. I just dont want to apply and not get in and keep having to apply each semester hoping to get in. I have been working as a CNA and a surgical tech for the past seven years and want to get on with my life as an RN.
   So does anyone have any suggestions on how to get in quicker or better my chances of getting in? Or any other RN programs that I can apply to to give me a better chance of getting in asap?

   •  
2. 

   About bellino01

   Joined: Oct '05; Posts: 1

   7 Comments

   Topic Closed
3. 
   Oct 12, '05

   I'm up here in Los Angeles county, but there are a number of JC's in the county. I'm sure there are in Riverside also. If you're closer to Orange county you might look at that area. There's a JC up in Hemet or San Jacinto, I think. San Bernardino should have a program as well. California State University at San Bernardino has an RN program, but it may only be a BSN completion program. The California college system has a web page. You should be able to find it by searching for "California colleges". It lists all the JCs, Cal. States and University of California colleges with links to their web sites. If you don't know your area very well yet, sit with a map to find out where these different schools are. Sometimes it's easier to work from the area codes of their phone numbers. I'm sure there's other JCs around you. As a resident of California you can go to any nursing school in their system. We had people coming down to Palm Desert where I did my ADN from places like Placentia and El Centro because my school had no waiting list at the time.
   
   Do you guys register by Web Star? Our Web Star has links to one of the California State Colleges on it. I never checked Web Star or my college's web site to see if it had any links to other California colleges, but you should try.
4. 
   Oct 13, '05

   Actually, I would go to the BORN website. This has the most complete listing of nursing schools, both BSN and ADN, with links to the school websites and their pre-req requirements.
   
   http://www.rn.ca.gov/schools/rnprgms.htm
   
   If memory serves, there are at least six nursing schools within one hour drive of Riverside. There's San Bernardino CC, Chafee in Rancho Cucamonga, Cal State's BSN program ... and I forget the others that are closer to Orange County .... but I would apply to as many schools as possible where you meet the pre-req requirements.
   
   The reason is ... even if you're accepted to one school that's far away, if you finish your first semester there, it's easier to transfer to a school that's closer once you have one semester done, because so many people flunk out the first semester. From what I understand, It's a lot easier to transfer than get into first semester.
   
   There are two people in my class who did just that. They applied to a bunch of schools and went into the first program that took them, commuting for the first semester so they could get started. Then they transferred to the school closest to home.
   
   Hope this helps.
   
   

   Last edit by Sheri257 on Oct 13, '05
5. 
   Oct 13, '05

   Not in Cali, but many of us can relate as the exact same situation in happening across the country. Lots of qualified applicants with too little spots.
   
   Okay, you have gotten great advise so far...the only thing I can suggest differently is (if you can) apply to the private colleges as well. These usually have shorter to none waiting lists (at a higher tuition of course). This has been my only option and thus far am waiting to get an answer as to whether I got in or not.
   
   If you can, don't just apply to that one school. Apply to as many as you can withing a reasonable radius. Hopefully you will be very lucky and get to choose what school you want to attend.
   
   Find out what the requirements are for your school. Find out what was the cut-off GPA and whether they use a point scale or lottery system. Is there an entrance exam? If so, what score are they looking for?
   
   Best wishes to you.
6. 
   Oct 13, '05

   Thanks for the advice guys. I should have mentioned I'm looking for BSN programs though. (the 2 I mentioned in particular)
7. 
   Oct 29, '05

   There is no trick to getting into a state program quicker here in Cali as the govt all but eliminated the "grade based" entry. I got into an ADN program quick because of grades but now everyone who applies to a state school in cali who has the required classes and gpa (2.0 to 2.5 depending on the school) gets dumped into the same waiting list. To get in faster, you want to apply to as many schools as possible and don't limit yourself to just BSN programs. You can get the hospital you end up working at to pay for your BSN program after you get your ADN once you are working. I am in riverside county (Actually La Quinta, Palm Desert area) and go to College of the Desert.
8. 
   Oct 30, '05

   Quote from Alpha13

   Thanks for the advice guys. I should have mentioned I'm looking for BSN programs though. (the 2 I mentioned in particular)

   You're options are going to be severely limited with BSN programs. 70 percent of the programs are ADN while only 30 percent are BSN. So, you're in for an even longer wait if you go that route.
   
   
9. 
   Oct 30, '05

   Quote from lizz

   You're options are going to be severely limited with BSN programs. 70 percent of the programs are ADN while only 30 percent are BSN. So, you're in for an even longer wait if you go that route.

   This is just one of the reasons I went back east to get my BSN. I started working on a BSN at Cal State San Bernardino. There were a lot of college requirements outside the actual nursing program that I had to start working on. I had the same situation at the eastern university I went to. You just don't get enough liberal arts requirements completed at the junior college level, so be aware that you have that to look forward to. Also, I wanted to go to a different area of the country--thought it would be a good stimulus and provide me with other views of how nursing is approached. I also had family back east. If I had stayed in California I would have had to commute 50 miles one way to the state university at San Bernardino. And, it was a completion program meaning you have to have an RN license to get in. Toward the eastern parts of the country you can get into BSN programs without having to be an RN first. The only school I know of where you can do that around your neck of the woods is Loma Linda University ($$$). Last I heard their's was a 5 year program and students could take the state board exam after a certain number of classes (and earning an ASN) and before they completed their BSN.

Must Read Topics