How did you decide which school (s) to take prerequisites for?

gere7404, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2016

I took mine at the local community college because it was closer and cheaper than at the university.

My program gave preference points to people who took prereqs at the university, but I got in my first application cycle without them.

ItsThatJenGirl, CNA · Nov 19, 2016

I chose a community college to save money and because it's 5 minutes away from my house.

SDboyy · Nov 23, 2016

You need to do an honest assessment of the programs you are interested in, as well as the likelihood of getting accepted based upon your current performance. Then you build your pre-tax around those schools. If you can, and if the schools have them, you should also attend a program introduction info session. Most school's requirements are very similar, with only a class or two variation. It is worth taking the extra class if the program really is what you want!

crazydoglady89 · Nov 23, 2016

My options were limited by the fact that I already work more than FT and needed online pre reqs. I could only take so much online. This pretty much eliminated my ability to take Chemistry as a pre req, but I COULD take biology. I narrowed it down to a few in state, ABSN programs based off that. Luckily, the ABSN program in my city lines up with these classes I could take, so I'm hoping for the best.

I would take the pre reqs that would allow you to apply to the MOST programs. Nursing is so competitive that you really should be applying to multiple schools. If you find you don't get in this round, maybe you could use the semester(s) in between to take another pre req or two so that you can expand your application options.

verene, MSN · Nov 23, 2016

I made a list of every program in my local area, and in any other areas I would consider moving to. I then went through all the material I could find on each program online. Some I dropped off my list right away because of poor pass rates, or school philosophies I didn't think I'd be able to mesh with.

After that I made an excel spread sheet with every school and the pre-reqs for their program. I wrote out all potential pre-reqs (and converted them to the course codes equivalents used by my community college) and put a check if it was required by that school. I used colors to highlight if the pre-req was completed, in progress, or not done. This allowed me to see at glance which pre-reqs were universally required and which were required by only one or two schools. I put my energies into completing the most commonly required pre-reqs. I applied to programs where I had completed all pre-reqs or where I only had one or two left to complete so that if I was offered admission I knew I could complete the requirements before program start.

Username invalid, RN · Nov 29, 2016

I made a list of every program in my local area, and in any other areas I would consider moving to. I then went through all the material I could find on each program online. Some I dropped off my list right away because of poor pass rates, or school philosophies I didn't think I'd be able to mesh with.
After that I made an excel spread sheet with every school and the pre-reqs for their program. I wrote out all potential pre-reqs (and converted them to the course codes equivalents used by my community college) and put a check if it was required by that school. I used colors to highlight if the pre-req was completed, in progress, or not done. This allowed me to see at glance which pre-reqs were universally required and which were required by only one or two schools. I put my energies into completing the most commonly required pre-reqs. I applied to programs where I had completed all pre-reqs or where I only had one or two left to complete so that if I was offered admission I knew I could complete the requirements before program start.

This is SO awesome.