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'.
KeepinItReal, I'm not saying my GPA will be important when I graduate. I'm sure I'll "see" whatever it is that you think I will. But right now, for us pre-nursing students, GPA IS important, and it's silly to say that since "we'll see" that it's not important later, it's not important now.
KeepinItReal, I'm not saying my GPA will be important when I graduate. I'm sure I'll "see" whatever it is that you think I will. But right now, for us pre-nursing students, GPA IS important, and it's silly to say that since "we'll see" that it's not important later, it's not important now.
I totally agree with you, I was in reference to bhanson who wrote:
"Generally people with better grades are more intelligent, harder working individuals with more to offer the world."
In clinicals you'll learn that the 4.0 top of the class students struggle as much as us common folk.
I totally agree with you, I was in reference to bhanson who wrote:
"Generally people with better grades are more intelligent, harder working individuals with more to offer the world."
In clinicals you'll learn that the 4.0 top of the class students struggle as much as us common folk.
Ah, gotcha. I have had people tell me to not worry about my GPA because it doesn't matter in the real word, so I'm a bit on guard. Yeah, it doesn't matter once I'm a nurse, but it matters so that I can have the chance to BECOME a nurse.
GPA is a reflection of how well you were able to learn material and recall it at a later date. Guess how important that is after you graduate? VERY. The actual number may not come up after you find a job (although it will help you find one) but the higher your GPA was in college the higher chance of you being better at your job is. The more you're able to recall from your studies the more effective (nurse in this case) employee you will be.
I'm not sure I agree with that line of thinking. I start nursing classes Spring 2011, and although I have a high GPA- I'm going in very humbled, knowing that it means diddly squat when you start nursing school. Yeah, my school used it as a criteria to get in, but lots of people with high GPAs flunk out of nursing school or find that they really struggle when they get to nursing school. You see that on the nursing student section all the time. That high GPA does not always translate to the critical thinking skills needed for nursing school.
My school has a waiting list and it's not really a matter of being "accepted." There is no application process, besides the general college application.
You do have to maintain a 2.5 to stay on the waitlist and stay in the program. That's it though.
CC's are very competitive. It seems that they all select students a little differently; the program I attend accepts applications in spring and fall for the following semester and they don't keep a list. They have a point system similar to what has been described earlier in the thread. They assign points and select based on GPA, number of co-req's completed (you also get more points if you have classes finished that aren't co-reqs) and TEAS test scores. Residency is also taken into account...people from outside of their district pretty much don't stand a chance. Where we took our pre- and co- reqs doesn't matter.
There are a large number of applications for a small number of spots (something like 200+ applications for 50 spots.) They discard unaccepted applications and begin fresh each spring and fall.
BSNs in my area tend to be easier to get into (aside from the U of I, which is a very good school.) There is another BSN school in the area that seems to take a lot of the students who flunk out of our CC program, so I think it's easier to be accepted there for sure.
HACC (harrisburg community college, pennsylvania) uses a clinical acceptance point system in which you can score a max of 100 pts with an ideal of 37 credits in pre-reqs. less costs points, and more is worth nothing extra. the AP 1&2 and Micro are weighted by grade point (an A is worth 4, while a C is worth 2 points, so a 6 point possible spread)) and acceptance scores are variable depending on which of 5 clinical programs you want, but a 92 is considered marginal. the three science courses must be taken in house or they will be transferred as a C.
a 92 can be had with straight B grades (3.0). most of the programs are accepting 94-95, which is straight B plus A in the 3 science courses. all 3 of the science courses must be C or better. passing grades in the gen ed courses are not weighted, and the GPA is weighted only in a doubling calculation that is worth 4-8 points (2.0-4.0 avg) so getting accepted with C in the science courses is difficult.
looks like i will be at 96-98 points by end of pre-reqs in december. then an application for clinicals starting in sept 2011. will be filling in the intervening semesters with credits at HACC that transfer to the penn state BSN program.
an ADN at HACC is advertised as a "two year associate degree", but is really a 78 credit process that takes a minimum of 3.5 years to complete if you are starting from zero. this only works if you 37 credit pre-req the first calendar year and don't need remedials as dictated by placement testing. most people do it full time in 4+ years. this as compared to a local private college which ADN's in 2 years those accepted with HS degree and AP 1&2, but does not transfer as well to BSN programs and costs twice as much for 62 credits.
HACC is an open admission college, but from what i have seen A&P 1&2 weed out 40% of the "pre-nursing students", point scores even more, and from what i have heard the clinicals eliminate 30-40% of those that enter. that leaves
HACC has a lot of non-traditional students. they make up the majority of those who will be going on and completing the process. as a 45 year old man with a past career in heavy industrial manufacturing quality assurance and a penchant for falling asleep in lecture i am an unlikely candidate, but have planned to hold on until i get the gold ring, which is FNP. count me in.
So will those who are enrolled in the CC Nursing Program also take Anatomy, Micro, Physiology courses, or is there a special program?
Yes, at my CC we take A&P 1 & 2, Human Growth & Developement, English, Statistics or College Algebra as pre-reqs. Then most (I have) take Microbiology, Nutrition, a humanities, and Sociology as co-reqs while waiting entry to the program.
Yes, at my CC we take A&P 1 & 2, Human Growth & Developement, English, Statistics or College Algebra as pre-reqs. Then most (I have) take Microbiology, Nutrition, a humanities, and Sociology as co-reqs while waiting entry to the program.
Thanks for your reply!
I'm confused though. This is for the ADN program that you're referring to, correct? I thought that the ADN was just two years, and already included those science classes (intertwined somehow). So for the ADN program you also need pre-reqs, too? So in essence, you'd be doing 4 years at a community college (2 years for all of the pre-reqs, and then another 2 years for the ADN program)? Or am I misunderstanding something?
chicagoing, ADN, RN
489 Posts
My question was directed at bhanson.