Have I lost all chances at getting into nursing school?

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Dec 31, 2014

Can you relocate? What do you do for a living now?

bob bib · Dec 31, 2014

I cannot afford to relocate as I live with family now. I work as a cashier at the moment. I applied numerous times to local hospitals for various positions (clerical, administrative, transporter etc) but have never heard back.

DoGoodThenGo · Dec 31, 2014

Most all CUNY programs will base acceptances upon the strength of the applicant pool. Hunter-Bellevue has had a surplus of applicants with >3.5 or even pure 4.0 GPA for some time now. Considering they are only taking 100 or 50 (forget the number) for their generic undergrad RN/BSN program, a "B" GPA though wonderful may not cut it.

Can understand you not wishing to go deep into debt for a private nursing school, but neither can nor should you spend too much time cooling your jets at Hunter once you've completed all the pre-reqs but have not been accepted.

Sadly CUNY is woefully lacking in undergraduate BSN programs. Besides Hunter all you have is Lehman and the quasi hybrid Queens Community College runs with Hunter Bellevue.

If relocating for a BSN program is not possible you may have to get creative. That is go for your ADN at a CUNY school; graduate and pass the boards then at once enroll in a RN-BSN program. CUNY has more bridge programs it seems than undergraduate BSN and while it isn't perfect at least you will be a RN and can work while finishing your degree.

Oh and before anyone starts yes, the market atm for ADN grads isn't great, but who can say what things will be when the OP graduates. Also again it seems her goal is to become a RN with a BSN, not just stop at the former. For the time some have sat sitting at Hunter being a bridesmaid but never a bride they could have gone elsewhere and been done.

A&Ox6, MSN, RN · Dec 31, 2014

Another idea might be finding a private school that has scholarships or grants that will allow you to attend. Also, I noticed that you say that you really want to work in a hospital. I would ike to point out that while nobody can predict the future, currently even RNs with a BSN, volunteer experience, valedictorian, student involvement... can still have difficulty finding hospital jobs in NYC. Many are working in other environments or have relocated. There are some who have not found a job at all. I am not saying what wil happen, but just try to be realistic.

bob bib · Jan 1, 2015

Thank you everyone for your advice,

This is really depressing, I didn't know the job market was this bad for nurses in NY, but, honestly, I am confident that if I can get into nursing school, I'll be able to succeed. It's just that my biggest obstacle is getting there. An ADN is an associates degree in nursing, right? Doesn't that still require to go to nursing school? A bit confused there.

DoGoodThenGo · Jan 1, 2015

Thank you everyone for your advice,
This is really depressing, I didn't know the job market was this bad for nurses in NY, but, honestly, I am confident that if I can get into nursing school, I'll be able to succeed. It's just that my biggest obstacle is getting there. An ADN is an associates degree in nursing, right? Doesn't that still require to go to nursing school? A bit confused there.

There are three pathways to becoming a graduate nurse and qualifying for the NCLEX; Diploma, Associate Degree and Bachelor of Science. Here in NYS the only two that really matter is ADN (two and one half years to three years), and BSN (four years). There is only one diploma program left in the entire state and is somewhere upstate. Personally if you think NYC hospitals don't like ADN grads don't fancy your chances being a diploma graduate. But leave us move on.

Hunter-Bellevue has always been the crÃ¨me de la crÃ¨me of the CUNY nursing system. As such except for perhaps a few periods when no one wanted to go into nursing there has always been more applicants than open slots for incoming classes.

Thing with CUNY is that their programs by and large provide good to excellent nursing education at a reasonable cost. Hence everyone and their mother is trying for those schools for a simple reason; it really does not matter that much where you get a nursing degree. Long as you pass the boards and can demonstrate clinical competence. Yes, some schools have a better reputation than others, but if accepted to Hunter-Bellevue and say NYU I'd take the former unless the latter offered a full scholarship and or financial aid covered much of the cost.

The other fly in the ointment is that NYC hospital systems are by and large hiring only new grads with BSN degrees. It used to be possible to come out of a ADN program, find work (providing you passed the boards) and then take a bridge program. While you do hear of local ADN grads who are enrolled in RN-BSN programs being hired, they are probably far and few between.

Standard advice today for anyone wanting to enter the profession is to go directly for the BSN and get it over with; especially if you are young, say a direct from high school to college student. If this is not possible for any number of reasons then go for the ADN, however finding work in hospital at least in NYC may be nearly impossible. Which is why I suggested if going that route at once enroll in a RN to BSN program. That way potential employers will see you are working towards a BSN and that can make a difference.

Sadly yes, things aren't what they once were in terms of the healthcare field and the nursing profession. Days of graduating in June and having a job by July are pretty much over for now. Nursing has become like any other college degree, that is finding a job after graduation is not a given but requires extensive work.

If you are like me and a person of faith then you know a door isn't closed without a window being opened somewhere. If you cannot go straight ahead to a planned nursing career then you'll have to go around, under or over any obstacles. It may take longer but long as you reach the prize that is all that matters in my book.

Getting back to my suggestion about ADN programs. CUNY schools vary but with some ADN programs 3.0 or above is stands a good to excellent chance of admission. You'll have to research each program to see what their pre-nursing requirements are and what is needed for getting into the program.

Remember also many programs base admissions upon a ratio including standardized testing such as the NLN. If your GPA is on the low side you still can knock things out of the ball park by busting a move on such exams.

RescueNinjaKy · Jan 1, 2015

A possible choice you can go with is to apply to city text in Brooklyn. It is an asn program and you can get your rn license then either transfer into their rn to bsn program or go to another school for rn to bsn.

I am not sure whether a 3.0 will be good enough to get in. When I went there I had a 4.0. And do not for one second think that it's going to be easy there because boy is it tough. The bright side is that city tech has one of the highest nclex passing rate in nyc, in fact it's higher than hunters.

Another choice you can go with is to go to bmcc for your asn, then transfer to Hunter or city tech or other schools for rn to bsn. Bmcc might have a more lax admission and a way nicer campus than city tech but it does have a lower passing rate.

Regardless of which choice you do, you should definitely go for bsn. New York market is so oversaturated that it's really competitive.

bob bib · Jan 2, 2015

Wouldn't it be possible to finish my pre-reqs at Hunter and then apply to BMCC for the BSN? Or do I need the RN before BSN? This is sooo confusing.

I'm gonna try to pull my GPA up this coming semester, I'm only take one class, organic chem and the professor is suppose to be really good! (The ones I had this semester had the worst reviews on ratemyprofessor).

Thank u again for all the comments.

RescueNinjaKy · Jan 2, 2015

Bmcc doesn't have a bsn program. My advice was to try to get your asn at bmcc then take the nclex. After that you can do a rn to bsn at hunter provided you do well at bmcc.

Also you should note that Some schools will not accept anyone applying directly to their nursing program and will deny you. They usually will require you to be enrolled in their school and take at least one class before allowing you acceptance into their nursing program. So that is something to consider before completing all your prereqs

DoGoodThenGo · Jan 2, 2015

Wouldn't it be possible to finish my pre-reqs at Hunter and then apply to BMCC for the BSN? Or do I need the RN before BSN? This is sooo confusing.
I'm gonna try to pull my GPA up this coming semester, I'm only take one class, organic chem and the professor is suppose to be really good! (The ones I had this semester had the worst reviews on ratemyprofessor).
Thank u again for all the comments.

Sorry, we are throwing way to many terms at you at once.

As mentioned there are three ways to qualify to sit for the NCLEX boards and get your RN license, that is graduating from a diploma, ADN/AAS or BSN program.

The first two are most always undergraduate degrees/programs. That is you enter regardless of prior college work and complete the program. You may receive credit for previous credits such as general education for instance.

For the BSN there are several different paths;

RN to BSN - These are for licensed RNs or at least graduate nurses (those that have completed a diploma or ADN program but not yet received their license), who have a two or three year diploma or degree and wish to obtain a four year Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.

Accelerated or Second Degree BSN - These are programs for those who already have a four year degree in another major besides nursing. Because such students already have a Bachelor's degree much of the general education credits are transferred and they receive a second BS degree in nursing after completing the program. Here you will take mostly the sciences, math and other pre-req and core courses required for a BSN along with nursing classes. If you have completed any or all of the pre-reqs such as AP, Micro, etc... then you pretty much have only the nursing component to worry about.

BSN/MSN/AP - These are *very* academically challenging programs for those who either do not have a college degree or have a four year degree in another major besides nursing. Unlike the RN to BSN, or Second Degree BSN programs the focus here is to obtain a post graduate/advanced practice degree (Master of Science in Nursing or Doctorate in Nursing). Somewhere along the way you will have enough credits and be awarded a BSN as well but these are not undergraduate programs. That is you cannot stop there and leave with only that degree. Columbia University School of Nursing offers such a program.

In answer to your last query, yes; you can take pre-requisites at Hunter and transfer to another CUNY, SUNY or private nursing program. The problem with CUNY is you cannot make such applications to multiple schools. That is you must apply to say BMCC, get into that college, then apply for the nursing program provided you meet their criteria.

Private schools are another matter. Students have left Hunter and gone to NYU, PACE, Beth Israel, etc... You can obviously apply to as many private schools as you want. Each will evaluate your transcripts and determine if you meet the criteria for entry.

Of all the NYC BSN programs IIRC NYU takes the largest incoming classes (combined undergraduate and second degree BSN) totaled 442 last year, and 396 passed the NCLEX. This gives NYU a nearly 90% pass rate (89.6% to be exact), not to shabby IMHO.

bob bib · Jan 2, 2015

Wow, that's a lot to process thanks.

I am technically in the "second degree" program at Hunter that's where I'm taking all my science classes BUT the actual nursing part is extremely hard to get into and I think I've ruined my chances with my two B's this semester. NYU would be awesome but I can't afford the tuition. Next semester I'm taking A&P 1, so I can pull up my GPA but even with that, from what I heard from other students at Hunter, unless you have straight A's, you can't get into the nursing component of the program.

What a shame.

I guess my plan right now is to finish all of these science courses at Hunter the best that I can, and apply to transfer to BMCC and go on from there...