Hi everyone. I recently decided after 2 years at Rutgers University that i wanted to go for Nursing. Unfortunately i just found out some bad news that will delay me from starting the program. I spoke with a Nursing Recruiter today and found out i missed the college-to-college transfer so that i couldn't start until the following fall. I asked what courses i could take in the mean time and they said. Anatomy Physiology, Microbiology, Chemistry of Life (Organic Biochemistry), Statistics, and English Writing course II. So this is about 18 credits..and keep in mind some of these science courses are already filled up and would be difficult to get into and not to mention that i already have 56 credits. I have made an appointment with the dean to see if they could make an exception although i'll have to wait and see.
So i was trying to rethink my options. I could go to another University such as Columbia University or University of Washington, but i would have to wait most likely until Spring to get admitted. But then theres the problem that if i start taking these courses will they transfer or will i end up taking them all over again. Also i have to research how they accept students for their nursing school.
Then i thought about the idea about going to my county college and getting an LPN..the courseload seems like it would almost be starting from scartch although. But it seems like if i get my LPN then i could go to BSN in 1 year if i'm a full time student. But i need some suggestions about how this works.
Has anyone been in my shoes or know what is a good idea?
Well after the first 2 semester i could but then the following fall i would have a few pre-reqs to finish until i could take some more. One of which is only offered in the fall and a few offered only in the spring. So it would be pretty much wasting my time.
Woulnd't it be possible if i got my AAS for RN to just go directly to do my BSN and just do school full time instead of working?
If you want to pursue the AAS program because you'll complete it faster, then it's important that you find out exactly what their admission requirements are - exactly which courses they want as pre-reqs, and whether or not you need to have these completed before applying. Wait lists are common -- depending on your school's admissions criteria and practices it's quite possible that you might not be admitted until spring 2007, fall 2007 ... etc. This was why I questioned whether or not it might be just as well to stay at Rutgers, since completing a BSN seems important to you.
To complete your AAS and then your BSN without working ... hmmm... I hadn't considered that scenario. You'll want to check out the RN-BSN programs you're considering and possibly pose that question to them. Also check into your state's licensure requirements -- if you take NCLEX and get licensed as an RN, but don't work for a period of time, it's possible you'd have to take a refresher course in order to actually work, or you might find that employers will need to be convinced that you've kept up your skills. Another thing to keep in mind -- hospitals and other large employers very often offer some type of tuition assistance benefits -- finishing your BSN while working could cut down significantly on 2 years' worth of tuition payments out of pocket, or 2 years worth of student loans.
You need answers to lots of specifcs that I can't answer -- but I hope this helps to give you some things to think about. Good luck to you. :)
Altra, BSN, RN
6,255 Posts
If you want to pursue the AAS program because you'll complete it faster, then it's important that you find out exactly what their admission requirements are - exactly which courses they want as pre-reqs, and whether or not you need to have these completed before applying. Wait lists are common -- depending on your school's admissions criteria and practices it's quite possible that you might not be admitted until spring 2007, fall 2007 ... etc. This was why I questioned whether or not it might be just as well to stay at Rutgers, since completing a BSN seems important to you.
To complete your AAS and then your BSN without working ... hmmm... I hadn't considered that scenario. You'll want to check out the RN-BSN programs you're considering and possibly pose that question to them. Also check into your state's licensure requirements -- if you take NCLEX and get licensed as an RN, but don't work for a period of time, it's possible you'd have to take a refresher course in order to actually work, or you might find that employers will need to be convinced that you've kept up your skills. Another thing to keep in mind -- hospitals and other large employers very often offer some type of tuition assistance benefits -- finishing your BSN while working could cut down significantly on 2 years' worth of tuition payments out of pocket, or 2 years worth of student loans.
You need answers to lots of specifcs that I can't answer -- but I hope this helps to give you some things to think about. Good luck to you. :)