How competitive are CC's?

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1. I was always under the impression that for community colleges (to do the ADN), it was based on just a waiting list. However, I read that they do look at your GPA. Anything else that they consider? Also, how difficult is it to get accepted (without taking the waiting list aspect into consideration).

2. I also had another question:

If you decide to do the BSN, and want to become a nurse for a couple of years (to gain experience before becoming a NP), what's the process like to get accepted to a MSN school? Do you only have a certain number of years until you can apply to a MSN (after already completing the BSN). I personally think that it would be a better idea to become a nurse for some years, and then become a NP with all of the prior experience. However, I don't want to re-take classes before I can apply to MSN, just because it's 'too late'.

Thanks!

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Specializes in None.

At the CC I attend, GPA, HESI exam score, and where you took your pre-reqs (they take their own students first) are the 3 main criteria they look at. I haven't heard of anyone getting in with less than a 3.4 GPA, and around a 90% on the HESI.

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hmmm... I wonder how many colleges take thier "own" first... That would be great for those who do all thier schooling at the same place.

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Specializes in None.
hmmm... I wonder how many colleges take thier "own" first... That would be great for those who do all thier schooling at the same place.

My school is up front about it. They let you know that students who take their pre-reqs there, get picked first. It has caused a good bit of bitterness though b/c students who have applied with 3.8 GPAs and 90% and above on the HESI can't get in.

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Sprinkes: I'll try and answer question #2.

There are many different types of MSNs (as well as different types of NPs). At my University, we want people to have 1 year of fulltime RN experience for the Advanced Practice programs, but practice is not required for the non-CNS/NP specialty tracks. The competitiveness of the various programs vary by track. For example, this year we had 40 applicants for 10 spaces in our Family NP program, and 23 applicants for 12 spaces in our Psych CNS/NP program. Because of this competitive nature, all admitted FNP students had at least 3 years of practice.

My program only has 1 course requirement for BSN graduates -- stats within the past 5 years.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

CCs are very competitive and often harder to get into than four year programs simply because the cost tends to be lower and the ability to put one's education to work comes sooner, resulting in a higher number of applicants.

My program looks at GPA in pre-req's, overall GPA, PSB score, whether co-req's are completed, residency (with favor given to those who live in the county the school serves), whether the individual already has a degree (with favor given to those who do in the case of a tie) and other criteria that I am probably not remembering at this time.

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Specializes in none.

My community college is a little bit different than the others mentioned. We have a points system for the nursing program - half comes from your score on the NAT and half on the grades you got in your prereqs. You must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to apply. So me, for instance, who had a bad time my first go around in college, I couldn't get into the university here because my GPA is low, but right now I have enough points to (probably) get in when I apply for spring because I kicked butt on the NAT and have a B or better in all my prereq classes.

Still, it's very competitive. The points cutoff gets higher with every semester. When I first started back to school, it was 194, then 197, and the cut off for people accepted into this fall semester was 201.24.

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The CCs here are very competitive as well. While they list a minimum GPA of 2.5, that's a joke. No one gets in with under a 3.6, a good TEAS score and co-reqs completed. On the plus side, you won't graduate with massive debt and will be able to join the workforce more quickly. My plan is to complete my BSN through Old Dominion while I'm working, and hopefully my employer will pay something towards the continuing education.

Check your CC's accredidation carefully. The one closest to me (Virginia Western) is NOT nationally accredited so moving on to a BSN would be tricky, if not impossible. They are state board approved only and many come out of the program only to find they're not eligible to even apply to BSN programs.

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I think it depends on the College really. I am applying to two different schools. One school is requires a minimum GPA, and NLN score-and if you meet the minimum then you go on a wait list until you get chosen for a semester. The other school, goes by GPA, AND HESI score. At the moment the second school accepted 40 students in the fall with a GPA of 3.61 and a 94 on the HESI--Very competative school! I would research your area schools, and not just ask them the reuirements, but also what is the average GPA/HESI score of applicants accepted each term! Good Luck!

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I'm in at a CC and it is more competetive than the the other two 4 year bsn schools in my area. Mostly because it has a huge flow of apps given the low price and shortness to complete the program. Most people that don't get into my cc program go to a 4 year institute w/out a problem. However the CC requires 65 or above on each net section, and a 3.0 gpa, although it is known that nobody over a 3.5 is admitted.

As for the second question, I personally want to get my adn, work for a few years and then go into an msn program. I think it varies by school, there are 2 schools in my area that have an acc. RN to MSN program that only takes 2 years.

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My community college is a little bit different than the others mentioned. We have a points system for the nursing program - half comes from your score on the NAT and half on the grades you got in your prereqs. You must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to apply. So me, for instance, who had a bad time my first go around in college, I couldn't get into the university here because my GPA is low, but right now I have enough points to (probably) get in when I apply for spring because I kicked butt on the NAT and have a B or better in all my prereq classes.

Still, it's very competitive. The points cutoff gets higher with every semester. When I first started back to school, it was 194, then 197, and the cut off for people accepted into this fall semester was 201.24.

That is similar to how my CC's program works. 4 points are awarded for every A received in science prereqs, 3 points for every A received in non-science prereqs, a perfect score on the TEAS counts as 20 points, for a grand total of 53 possible points. The head of the nursing department said that last year, over 300 people applied for the program, which only has 72 slots. The last applicant to make the cutoff had 46.9 points. Not a lot of breathing room there! She said that every year, the window between the cutoff and the highest possible points gets smaller and smaller.

I have a chart on my refrigerator with all my prereqs listed and the maximum points I can earn in each one, along with a blank space for me to enter the points I earned. It's great motivation to have it staring me in the face all the time....and very rewarding to be able to fill in the blanks when grades come in and I received the max points for that class. :D

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Specializes in Infusion.

Depends... My comm college is not as competitive as the ones in the Portland, OR metro area but then again, those CCs are teamed up with OHSU and the students can get their ADN in 2 years (after being accepted with all the pre-reqs), then another year for their BSN. We have a points system based on grades in pre-req classes and an essay. Actually, I was shocked that fewer people applied this year than last. Maybe because it appeared like they had raised the standard ?? I know plenty of people that applied for more $$$$ BSN programs because they "knew" they wouldn't be accepted with their grades.

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