*HELP* leaving my 4 year to attend a 2 year?

[Mikayla9990]

So, I have been attending University at Buffalo for pre-nursing. I completed anatomy and physiology 1 and 2 (got a C in both but I know I can do soooo much better now), psychology, statistics, sociology, English, medical ethics, etc. (A's in those classes). But, I have come to the realization that I probably won't get into that nursing program due to its very high competitiveness.

Therefore, I made a quick spur decision to leave the school and move back home in NYC. My mom who is a nurse told me that I should apply to community colleges and try to get into their programs but I don't know if that is the best decision. Are they easier to get into? Should I go for private schools (but very expensive), transfer to 4 year? I truly don't know what to do and I am stuck.

Any suggestions? School recommendations? Every comment is appreciated!

[caliotter3]

In most places it is a question of which program will accept you. Establish a criteria and then start applying. One criteria I used was physical proximity to my home. After all, you have to get to class and you have to get to the assigned clinical placements. Just start applying, one at a time or however you want to do it. Then it becomes a matter of choosing the better program to fit your needs, unless of course, you are only accepted at one program. Then, the obvious conclusion calls the shots. Best wishes.

[Shan, RN]

I would like to warn you that community colleges are notorious for being every bit as competitive (more so, in some cases) as universities when it comes to nursing programs. No matter how you slice it, there are hundreds of applicants and only so many available spots. My two-year program averages almost 500 applicants and only accepts about 170. The level of competition really depends on where you live and what kind of schools are around you.

That being said, programs have varied admissions criteria, so take that into account and be thorough when researching. Decide if you need a traditional four-year BSN program or if a two-year ADN followed by an RN-BSN bridge would work for you.

Good luck to you!

[Nursevibes, LPN]

I was in a very similar situation. I too am from NYC and went to UB. UB is extremely competitive and the CUNYs in NYC are just as competitive, if not more because it’s cheaper than private schools. I think if your grades are at leastttt a 3.4, you’ll definitely be able to get into UB or CUNY nursing. If it’s a little lower but you have a lot of volunteer work or work experience in the medical field, you may be able to get in with a 3.2-3.3. Anything lower than that, your chances are slim to none.

For me, I spent a year doing prerequisites and did terrible. 3 Cs, 2 Bs, 1 A. Instead of me spending ANOTHER year taking those prerequisites again, I decided to spend that year to become an LPN...and then go to an LPN-RN/BSN bridge program in NYC. There’s a lot less competition if you go that route here.