i live in the Bay Area, and have decided that i want to change careers and go for a nursing degree. i'm 34 and wish i had done this 10 years ago, but 10 years from now i will still be kicking myself if i hadn't done it. i have a BA in English but need to take more pre-reqs before applying to nursing schools.
i went to the local CC to talk to a counselor and see what i need to apply for, and he practically rolled his eyes when i told him i wanted to go for a BSN. he said that all nursing schools here are extremely competitive because "everyone and their mother wants to be a nurse nowadays." he also said getting a job here is very competitive as well, since the pay is so high. i already knew all of this but his attitude was very discouraging.
i know i shouldn't let one person get me discouraged, but i'm worried about going to CC for years to do pre-reqs and then not being able to get into any schools. what would increase my chances of getting accepted? is it just about GPA or is there more i can do? do you just keep applying to schools until you get in? the whole situation is very intimidating but like i said i'll regret it if i don't do it. any suggestions?
Wow... you are almost in my same situation 3 years ago. Except I was a 33 year old stay at home mom who finally figured out what I wanted to be when I grew up :wink2:.
I had thought of becoming a nurse a couple of years earlier, but at that time had my first baby on the way and felt like it was just not the right time. A couple of years later I decided to jump in feet first with a preschooler and a newborn. I was intimidated too and worried if I would ever make it (my first couselor was not very encouraging either), but I decided to not think too much about it and just do my best, one semester at a time. I had never finished college when I was younger and by completing my pre-reqs I recieved A.A. and A.S. degrees which helped me to feel like I had finished a step in something that I had started years before. I did really well as a returning student too which was rewarding. I also got certified as a C.N.A. and an E.M.T.
I will be applying for my fourth semester this time around which is heart-breaking at times and I'm sure is not what you want to hear. My pre-req and science grades are great, however I have some poor grades from 15 years ago that are killing me now. That's really unfortunate though because I know I'd make a great nursing student! By the way, I don't believe overall GPA's should count as heavily. If someone had a few rough years in school early on, they should still have a chance to make a "come back" and thrive later. My story does not have the happy ending... YET. I would never regret going back to school to follow my dream because I know that one day it will all work out. If I never tried to follow this passion, I would have been left wondering... what if? Follow your heart and you can do anything!!! This is one of those instances where it is better to regret something you did than to regret something you did not do. Good luck to you future nurse :redbeathe
Dearheart, Please don't get discouraged, I have a degree in Comparative Literature from Ohio State University and even though it killed me to go to nursing school here in Ohio I did. I didn't do BSN, I only did Associates. Since I am from CA SAC area and I started off at UC Santa Cruz, let me tell you one thing. Only CA is competitive, but Ohio Ky and Indiana are not. It was easy to get in. My school guarantees admission if you have 30 units completed at university. It is called Springfield Regional School of Nursing. However, Wright State in Dayton, has accelerated 15 month program called Beacon in Dayton. CA is competitive, Oh only starts people out rn new grads at 22 per hour, I am currently looking at Bay Area (no one is hiring that' insane). You can do it. If you have a BA like me, take it from me. Quit competing in nursing school and go for a physician assistant license. Let me tell you everything in nursing school is taught at a cellular level, pathophysiology and all. Mind as well become a physician assistant. Higher pay. pm me if you need it.
Dont listen to someone who hates thier job. Im a Nursing student. I finished all my prereq. I applied to 3 places. Two of those three did it by lottery and 1 did it by point system based on grades. I got it to 2 out of the 3. The one I chose has a 95% pass rate on the NCLEX.
As far as a job, I already have recruiteres contacting me.
If this is what you want to do then keep moving on.
I will be 48 years old when I finish school and become eligible to take the NCLEX. I've worked in health care administration almost my entire life but came to nursing late in my career. I finished my pre-requisites in one year and got admitted to a BSN program during that same year. And I worked full-time for the county hospital while I did it. True, my kid is grown and married off so I don't have any distractions at home. But if I can do it so can you. Good luck!
chickapea
220 Posts
Wow... you are almost in my same situation 3 years ago. Except I was a 33 year old stay at home mom who finally figured out what I wanted to be when I grew up :wink2:.
I had thought of becoming a nurse a couple of years earlier, but at that time had my first baby on the way and felt like it was just not the right time. A couple of years later I decided to jump in feet first with a preschooler and a newborn. I was intimidated too and worried if I would ever make it (my first couselor was not very encouraging either), but I decided to not think too much about it and just do my best, one semester at a time. I had never finished college when I was younger and by completing my pre-reqs I recieved A.A. and A.S. degrees which helped me to feel like I had finished a step in something that I had started years before. I did really well as a returning student too which was rewarding. I also got certified as a C.N.A. and an E.M.T.
I will be applying for my fourth semester this time around which is heart-breaking at times and I'm sure is not what you want to hear. My pre-req and science grades are great, however I have some poor grades from 15 years ago that are killing me now. That's really unfortunate though because I know I'd make a great nursing student! By the way, I don't believe overall GPA's should count as heavily. If someone had a few rough years in school early on, they should still have a chance to make a "come back" and thrive later. My story does not have the happy ending... YET. I would never regret going back to school to follow my dream because I know that one day it will all work out. If I never tried to follow this passion, I would have been left wondering... what if? Follow your heart and you can do anything!!! This is one of those instances where it is better to regret something you did than to regret something you did not do. Good luck to you future nurse :redbeathe