How do I select a college?

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I'm still trying to set my path on one school. So far my plan is, finish high school (I graduate in 2018), go to community and then a four year college, but I don't want to go outside of California. I know there's plenty of four year colleges in California, but if I want my bachelors in nursing, where am I supposed to go? Which school is right for me? I am still new to this whole thing. I know that I have a goal, to be an RN, and I want nothing more than to achieve that, but will a 3.8 GPA, 2 years of hospital volunteer work and a whole lot of determination get me, especially if that's all I have under my belt right now? What else do I need? After speaking with many high school counselors, it's clear they have no exact idea on how to help me get on the RN path. If anyone has any advice or personal experiences that could help me find my way, I would very much appreciate it!

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Specializes in Rehab, Ortho-Spine, Med-Surg, & Psych.

Hello Amberjones,

First... congratulations on being so proactive with your college plans. :up:

Second... "How do I select a college?" :down: I recommend starting by searching accredited nursing schools. You may use the ACEN website to see which institutions in California are accredited by them. Search ACEN Accredited Nursing Programs Then do some research on your spare time about their programs, admission criteria, financial aid (grants, loans), etc. Once you narrow them down to 2 or 3, plan on visiting their campus (with a friend)... see if you can spot nursing students and ask them questions about the program. Ask several people, so you can get a sense of an overall feeling about the place and the challenges they are facing (but you still have plenty of time for this).

Third... GPA of 3.8 and 2 years of hospital volunteer work are great for your student profile! Keep it up! :) Please maintain records of all of your volunteer activities, so when it comes time to apply for nursing school you don't forget anything. Remember to include anything from school, church, or community activities as well, if any.

Once you graduate from high school, you may want to consider becoming a CNA and work part-time while in college. This will get you in the hospital as an employee, you will get exposed to more processes & procedures, and will also give you an edge over graduate nurses w/o experience.

CNA Requirements in California | How to become a CNA in CA

Hope this helps you! :headphone:

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Thank you SO much!

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I looked around my town (moving isn't an option), looked at tuition costs, requirements and NCLEX pass rates.

Good luck!

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