Getting a RN after a four year degree

[ladyraider]

Hi,

I am trying to make a decision about college choices and getting a nursing degree. I live in Georgia and have been accepted into several Universites that have 2 plus two 2 programs.

The program I am currently most interested in is Ole Miss where I would spend 2 years in Oxford and then apply to the Medical School in Jackson, MS.

I have been told that it is difficult to get accepted if you are not from within state and would most likely need to apply to schools in Georgia for the second 2 years.

I am thinking about an alternative which would be to attend 4 years at Ole Miss and get a BS degree and then continue my education to get an RN.

I wanted to know if there are any 1 year programs to get an RN after the BS or if I would need to attend a 2 year program.

I also am interested in getting the advice of other nurses who completed 2 plus 2 programs about not having the opportunity to spend 4 years in one place and having to leave the friendships you made in the first two years of college.

[WhatToDo]

Hey there. I'm not sure, but it sounds like you are starting in college for the first time. If I'd had it to do all over again, I would have started with getting and ADN and then go on to a 2-year program for BSN. That way you can work as a nurse and make a nurse's salary but still be in school. Some hospitals even help pay for tuition. There are also a lot of options for RN's to get into graduate programs as well, like RN - MSN. These programs are usually 3 years long, so you could get 3 degrees in five years and maximize your profit.

If you decide to get a BS degree in something, there are one-year (or thereabouts) programs that you can do to get a BSN. This may work to.

As far as making friends, all I have to say is that it is a lot easier to make friends when you are in college than afterwards. When I went to graduate school, almot all of my friends from undergrad moved away and went to different schools. We all keep in touch, and none of us have had a hard time making new friends in college. College is a great time to move around and enjoy your freedom before you get tied down with a job, husband or children. Take advantage while you can.

[Denverchick1983]

Hi Ladyraider,

To answer one of your questions- there are a lot of programs that are geared towards students who already have a bachelor degree- they are called accelerated RN programs. They usually last anywhere from 1 year- 18 months. There are some lists online, or if you search for "accelerated nursing programs" on a search engine I am sure you can pull up a lot of schools that have these programs.