How long did it take you to get into a program?

an2on, BSN, RN · Sep 7, 2011

There is no waitlist at the college where I am. If you apply and don't get accepted then you'd have to apply all over again the next semester. The first semester I applied I was rejected because I didn't meet the TEAS requirement. So when I applied again I was accepted after I took the TEAS over.

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Sep 7, 2011

I was accepted without a wait list. My school selected 6 highschool students and gave us a seat in the nursing program as long as we completed our prereqs and kept up our GPA.

JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN · Sep 8, 2011

No waitlists in my state just high standards and a 90 day residency requirement. My school is on a point system. I was accepted the first time around. Those who apply and don't get accepted get extra points for next year - not sure what happens if they don't get in the next time. There is a short list of applicants that are on an alternate list to take the place of students who turn down their spot.

willowita, ADN, RN · Sep 8, 2011

Interesting. Some of the schools I'm applying to have waitlists, others are on a point system and then you get dumped into a lottery. One of my friends applied to something like 14 schools and only got into 1. So I'm going to do the same. I was just curious about what people did with their time if they didn't get into a program the first time around.

JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN · Sep 8, 2011

You know, a lot of people I know who didn't get in the first time just got jobs as CNAs or just kept doing what they were doing. Working as a CNA can get you a lot of face recognition when it comes time to get a RN job, if you are a good one : )

soraji · Sep 8, 2011

I applied to 3 nursing schools for 2nd BSN programs (I already had a Bachelors in another field when I applied).

School 1: Applied in August one year before desired entry date. Was tentatively accepted (pending final grade in a class) less than a month later. I enrolled this fall.

School 2: Applied in August one year before desired entry date. Was accepted a few months later (during the winter). I declined their offer due to price (school was significantly more expensive than school #1)

School 3: Applied in August one year before desired entry date. Didn't hear back for 12 months (!!!) from these guys cause they're so disorganized! They ignored my emails/calls for months! Needless to say I had already enrolled in school #1 when I got their decline letter, but I couldn't care less since they were lacking professionalism! I would have never enrolled based on how poor their communication was.

I wasn't waitlisted for any colleges I applied to. 2 acceptances, 1 deny.

CrimsonAlchemist · Sep 9, 2011

I got in on my first try.

That being said, my school has a yearly wait list. You complete all the prereqs and take the NLN-PAX and apply for the program. Acceptance is based mostly on PAX scores. if there is a tie, they look at GPA. If you meet all the requirements, but 30 people met them better than you, you get wait listed. If someone drops out, a person from the wait list is accepted.

If you don't get accepted, I think you just try again next year.

Certifiable, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2011

Applied to one university, was accepted.

allnurses Guide · Sep 9, 2011

Applied to one school, accepted on first application. Those who meet the basic minimum requirements but don't make the grade get wait listed according to where they fall in the scoring system. Usually the top three to four who got waitlisted get in.

geneva007 · Sep 9, 2011

Some schools that do have waiting lists can take a semester or 4. I had a choice between a 4 year BSN program with a really long wait-list. Another choice was 3 colleges a 2 year degree with a wait-list and finally a college that had no wait-list but is 105 miles from my house. I chose the last option.

I was mentally prepared to go to school, had my personal life with my family situated so I could do school full time so I chose the farthest path. I have found the drive isn't so bad with other people to carpool with. We have discussed the benefits of going to a school without a wait-list and I'm happy with my choice.

Good luck to you!

willowita, ADN, RN · Sep 9, 2011

Wow, I'm surprised so many of you guys got started on your first application try. That's awesome. I live in Los Angeles so there is a lot of competition and can understand why there are crazy wait lists. I know there are schools that are speedier but they have much higher tuition. I might just have to bite that bullet.

Geneva007, a 105 mile commute blows my mind. I actually went nuts at my job because my commute was 30 miles in L.A. traffic and had to move closer to work to keep my sanity. I can't imagine going 100+ miles for school. But you gotta do what you gotta do, right? It's not a bad idea to go further if it means no waiting. I may have to looking further out in my area since it's so competitive where I am.