How to get into Nursing School

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Sep 23, 2014

All nursing schools have pre-reqs before you are admitted into their nursing program. The classes that are required for each nursing school is unique, but all require Microbiology and Anatomy and Physiology. You need to look on the SIU website for specifics.

Most other majors (teaching), you are admitted into their program beginning of freshman year.

Once you know what pre-reqs are required for the SIU, you can either take those classes at SIU or a community college and have the credits transferred to SIU when you apply.

If you take your pre-reqs at SIU, you will most likely be classified as Pre-nursing or nursing- non designated. Once you finish the classes, apply to the nursing program, and accepted then you are switched to Nursing Major. The tuition is paid to the school regardless if you are pre-nursing or nursing major.

ConfusedSoul94 · Sep 24, 2014

Don 1984 has it right. My advisor also told me to look at other schools' nursing programs as you're not promised a seat (unless you were admitted into such a program that did promise you one) and you need to be prepared with other options. The best thing to do is do as best you can in all your classes, especially pre-reqs for nursing. Look around at other schools you may want to do nursing at (Maybe ISU, Urbana, UIC, etc if you want to stay in Illinois) and see what classes they require and try to take those.

dorkypanda · Sep 24, 2014

You don't have to take the prereqs at that specific school , you technically could take it at a cc for a lower price. take a good look at the school you want to go to and others in your area. BSN programs may be competitive so have backup schools just in case one doesn't work out. try to complete your prereqs well the first time around. some nursing programs give extra points to their own pre nursing students or students who attended the said school so really check out the requirements, points , and other details.

Herrington · Sep 25, 2014

1. That's usually how it works. 2 years of pre-reqs, then you go onto 2 years of nursing school proper. Some places just incorporate the whole thing as 4 years. But where I'm at, it's the first way I mentioned. But yes, once you're done or nearing completion of your pre-reqs, you will follow application protocol for the school you want to go to.

2. Pre-reqs for nursing programs have some classes that are typically specific to their own and different than other professions. For your example, a teacher likely would not need to take Anatomy & Physiology (unless perhaps they wanted to become a health/sports teacher). There are classes that pretty much everyone will have to take like composition, history, etc. (general education classes).

3. I'd look at your nursing school's requirements to find out. There's typically (aside from the general ed. stuff I mentioned previously) 1 to 2 chemistry classes, a (micro)biology course, and 1 to 2 Anatomy & Physiology classes. These will probably have a lab attached to them, but the nursing school itself may not actually need them (for where I'm going, the chemistry classes do not need a lab with them).

4. No idea. I don't know of a school that looks at ACT scores, unless you're looking at a school to do your pre-reqs at, in which case, I still don't know. You'd have to go talk to them/look it up.

5. If SUIE considers nursing school to be 4 years, then you probably just pay it all there. If it's a 2 year program, then you'll probably be taking your pre-reqs "separately" (e.g. at a community college, or there, but not within the nursing school), and will also be paying separate tuitions.

I guess the bottom line is to just go to the school and talk to someone about these questions. They'd know better than anyone here (unless there's someone here to has done exactly what you plan to do). Hope it helps.