How difficult is BSN?

FutureNurseInfo · Mar 26, 2017

To start off, you still have a few years before you graduate from high school. A lot can happen in that time: you may happen to like nursing more, or, you may start hating it. However, if nursing is something you truly desire doing, you can take up some common pre-requisite courses like anatomy and physiology, chemistry, psychology to name a few. The first thing to do is to research schools that offer BSN programs and speak to an admissions' rep.

As far as how hard BSN is, nobody can tell for sure. I can tell though it is not high school, and as a student you will have to rely on your own strengths, time management and study habits. No teacher, like in high school, will run after you begging you to complete an assignment, or provide a make-up. College in general is very serious and you will have little room to mess up. Not to scare you, but it is true.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Mar 26, 2017

OP: Deep breath. Your GPA stands in stark contrast to " I'm not very talented in science and math"

Don't sell yourself short. You possess the ability and focus to work hard. If you still want to pursue nursing when the time comes- you have everything in your academic orificenal that you need.

PS: Enjoy high school!

Editorial Team / Moderator · Mar 26, 2017

Kaitlyn, you sound like a responsible student who knows how to work hard to attain goals. So what if you have to work a little harder? We can't excel at everything. :) Your GPA is stellar. I think your goals are realistic.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Mar 26, 2017

Working hard is all it takes. You will do fine as you already have that skill.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 26, 2017

Is the BSN program difficult? If you ask five different people this question, it is likely that you will receive five different answers.

A student's perception of the program's degree of difficulty depends on his/her intellectual horsepower, learning style and previous schooling. Some think the program is the most difficult feat they have tackled. Others think it is not hard at all.

We are not equal in our abilities. Some people are academically gifted and others are not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. The majority of people have average intellect and could graduate from a BSN program with enough motivation and diligence.

Unfortunately, half of all adults in the US have deficiencies in basic reading, writing and math skills, so I conjecture that those whose basic skills are lackluster may struggle in BSN programs. We need basic math skills to perform dosage calculations. We need proficiency in reading comprehension to read and understand the concepts in our textbooks.

In other words, difficulty is subjective. Some students insist it is difficult and others do not. Good luck to you!

Kaitlyn.w · Mar 27, 2017

Thank you all so much :) I'm starting to feel better about this.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Mar 27, 2017

Why do you feel a 4.23/3.9 GPA is running into a dead end?

You have excellent academic skills. However, they ARE only one of the requirements for acceptance to nursing school.

You are very young. I hope you will get a mentor that will guide you and help you understand that.. you have what it takes.

Best wishes.

DarkDiva · Mar 27, 2017

This is just my personal opinion but the fact that you have to work hard for those grades will you stand you in good stead. You have perseverance and work ethic, it doesn't just come to you. Nursing school is hard, but so is Nursing. One of my fellow students was extremely good at tests and consistently got A's on them but they were also self-entitled and thought all the rules should be bent to accommodate them. They eventually got kicked out of the program because they didn't take responsibility for keeping track of what classes they needed to graduate. Grades aren't everything.

cocoa_puff · Mar 28, 2017

I have a 4.23/3.9 GPA

I've never seen a GPA written that way. Is the 4.23 from AP classes and the 3.9 from the regular classes? Sorry to be off topic, just curious.

Kaitlyn, you sound very determined, hard working, and smart. Even if math and science don't come naturally, you are obviously doing very well in them. I don't think you will have a problem with the academic aspect of getting a BSN when you get to college. I'd recommend shadowing a nurse (in a variety of specialties - med-surg, emergency department, telemetry...) to see what you think of the career. You could also volunteer during the summer in the hospital. Also research other healthcare careers....Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Radiology Technician, Diagnostic Sonography, Physicians Assistant, and Medical Laboratory Technologist, it may be that there is a better career out there than nursing for you! Best of luck!

bgxyrnf, MSN, RN · Mar 29, 2017

The primary requisite for success in nursing school is the one which you appear to have already mastered... hard work.

The aggregate subject matter is not particular complex nor challenging, there's simply a lot of it and the pace can be unrelenting and unforgiving.

The glimpse of yourself that you've provided indicates to me that you have what you'll need to get into and out of a nursing program.

markasaurous · Mar 23, 2018

Hey so I am a Senior and I assume now you are a Jr. Anyway if you still want advice I can give you a bit.

TAKE COLLEGE CREDIT CLASSES WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL. I read that you aren't "gifted" in science or math, when what it probably is, is that you just need to keep practicing! And you said you work really hard which is great! I am taking a courses in a local community college for college credit and I advise you at least take some AP courses and get some college credit so you can

1. Get done with college sooner.

2. Have less to worry about at college (less course load)

3. Starting at a community college really helps adjust to what college will truly be like.

4. Increase your fighting chance since you will already have some courses done.

Cheers!