How to find/research nursing schools

[iwong]

Hey all,

I've just started to research nursing schools and am looking to go out of state because I am in Cali and my GPA isn't great. Now that I've started looking out of state, there are so many options and I'm getting overwhelmed. What do you guys look for in nursing schools to narrow down the infinite amount of choices I have??

I was looking into ADN programs, and some consider in-district students first before even looking at out of district students. Are these worth going for? Are all ADN programs like this?

I will be applying for fall 2024, but I will have some pre-requisites that I'm taking in Spring 2024, will I still be able to apply?

Thanks!

[rougewitch]

Pick a state or a particular school you're interested in and read their requirements. Preferably away from the west coast, I hear the entire west coast is highly competitive. Many out of state schools allow pre-reqs to be in progress as long as it's completed before the first day of the nursing program. Some don't allow you to take prereqs in the Summer and you'd have to finish it by Spring, it depends on the school. California is unique that you have to finish prerequisites before applying and this is because of the high number of applications they get. So yes, you will still be able to apply.

You should know there are going to be schools that won't match with your prereqs. For example, some schools ask for General Chemistry, even though majority of CA nursing programs don't need that at all, only an intro or fundamentals course, and others ask for General Biology or Principles of Biology, which again CA programs don't need because A&P and Microbiology already fulfill the Biology prerequisite. Others want College Algebra instead of Statistics, and in certain cases, will not waive the requirement for you if you took stats. Know which schools wouldn't take your credits, and this will narrow your options down.

Not all ADN programs are like that, though a lot of them will give you extra points for taking prereqs there. This shouldn't discourage you from applying anyway, students have left CA for an out of state school with not so stellar stats. Speaking of stats, what are your stats? If your grades in the science prereqs are low, it would be best to retake them.