This thread is not to deter anyone who is already in their specified nursing school, but to broaden the horizons for the anybody who is thinking of pursuing a nursing degree. I have just graduated with my ASN and as most know the competition for a Bachelor degree isn't too "stiff" anymore, considering most just get their BSN through an online program or even continue on at the same school as their ASN. This thread is to allow the people who are pursuing their nursing dream to relax, and take some advice from someone who has gone through the program.
If you were anything like me, you probably ended up pulling your hair out, just from the application process alone. Let me give you a little background about myself, I had attended private school my whole life, and graduated with my associates degree before pursuing a nursing degree. I had decided to go back to school a year or two after finishing my first degree (Yes, I know i am crazy) When I had realized that the nursing application was different than the other applications, i knew then, the competition was going to be extremely difficult. It isn't a secret that nursing degrees are in popular demand, but are they? Or is school just too difficult to get into. I was completely appalled by the nursing application process to just GET INTO the program. For those who are reading this, who are thinking about getting into or applying to nursing school, if you don't take anything from this article, take this... Get REAL good with taking difficult tests. In order to even be looked at or considered into the nursing program, you need to pass your TEAS v or some are required to take the HESI. I highly recommend getting the specific study guides for these exams, because they are not cheap tests to take, and the competition to get into school is becoming more difficult by the day.
After taking this exam if you pass, you then apply to the nursing program, and send out your transcripts from high school and any classes in college that you have taken that could be possibly be transferred into your intended major. But, just be aware that this too, is a "money grab" because college credits are only good for a number of years. I work alongside RN's now who have been nurses longer then I have been alive and in order for them to go on to get their bachelors degree (Before 2020) they have to retake science courses for their ASN! These women, whose experience should speak great volumes does not speak at all! Even the Community College system requires ASN nurses to retake classes from their first degree. I find this very sad and degrading to any RN because they too, have earned their title. Now, getting back on topic, once you send out your transcripts colleges review them, which they do very specifically. Most colleges have a college grading requirement, which will tell you what you need for a letter grade to get into nursing school, for my school it was an 85 or better for science classes and a 75 or better in all non science courses. Most colleges and Universities, tend to stay around this given area.
As for recommendation letters, I was required to have two, and it had to be from a superior of yours, whether work or school related, no family is allowed. I worked at a hospital for years before applying to nursing school, so getting recommendation letters was not to difficult. But, working at a hospital didn't do me much good anyway, so if you think working in a hospital will make or break their decision, think again. Most schools don't even take that into consideration, or at least ones on the East Coast didn't. Even though I had met all the requirements with flying colors, I still did not get in my first year applying. I only had one prerequisite class left to take, which I was going to take over the summer but this was not acceptable, because they required all my prerequisites to be done before applying. (Notice how I said they wanted their prerequisites done before the first nursing semester, but yet, this still did not matter because at the time i had applied, It looked like my application was incomplete over one prerequisite that I was in the process of completing over the summer.) Make sure you specify to your college when you are taking your last couple of classes so they can take this into consideration. most colleges want you to complete all of them before going into your first semester of nursing school, but like I said COMMUNICATE. The college wont communicate with you it is your responsible to communicate with them. You are just their money maker, and if you keep this in the back of your mind, you will be less apt to be played by the college system.
The good news is, once you are in, you're in. No one can take that from you but, the application process, is less than easy. Like I stated before, this thread is not to deter anyone or change anyone's mind. It is to shed light on this situation, we need to empower each other, and stick together. I wanted to write this kind of thread because I wish I had someone telling me what I am telling you, now. Nursing is not intended to be an easy major, but the nursing shortage gimmick, is a joke! It is the application process that should be reconsidered because that is what deters anyone before they actually get into school. More colleges need to be aware of their application process, and then maybe we wouldn't have such a nursing shortage!
I just had to get my transcripts from high school and colleges that I had attended. They transferred credits from 1987-90 from a state university without issues. I had scored high enough on the ACT in 1986 that I didn't need to take any pre-tests. This was for a community college in KY.
Actually the TEAS is pretty difficult. It's been a while since I've taken it, but I remember it having anatomy, physiology, etc. The average score is like 67%…just saying...
Just to add some additional perspectives, I've taken both the TEAS V and the HESI A2 for two different schools. I only took each once. The school didn't charge for the HESI, and I paid $60 to take the TEAS. I took them about 2 weeks apart and found them of similar difficulty (high school level).
The application process wasn't all that difficult. It consisted of an online form, and a list of things to turn in.
As someone graduating in the next two weeks, I feel like it was definitely worth it.
Specializes in home health 5yrs/ambulatory surgery 15yr.
help I want out!! 20 years as a Diploma RN, unemployed in anew state and seems I am not going to get work here. So many young MSN and BSN positions. My resume on every head hunter sight. Work as a staffing Agency nurse for 6 months. Never again it about killed me I was treated rudely by lazy unethical young nurses the age of my children. You see I was a divorcee with two children who went to school and graduated on my 38th birthday. I am 2 years post dx of colon rectal cancer and after 6 months off work when I returned I realized I am tired and get no respect for my experience and hard work and seems I cant compete for jobs I have done because of no degree. My savings are exhausted from medical bills and the thought of school is appealing but the debt is not at 58 yrs old. I need a good wage any suggestions for this old gal??? please speak up
help I want out!! 20 years as a Diploma RN, unemployed in anew state and seems I am not going to get work here. So many young MSN and BSN positions. My resume on every head hunter sight. Work as a staffing Agency nurse for 6 months. Never again it about killed me I was treated rudely by lazy unethical young nurses the age of my children. You see I was a divorcee with two children who went to school and graduated on my 38th birthday. I am 2 years post dx of colon rectal cancer and after 6 months off work when I returned I realized I am tired and get no respect for my experience and hard work and seems I cant compete for jobs I have done because of no degree. My savings are exhausted from medical bills and the thought of school is appealing but the debt is not at 58 yrs old. I need a good wage any suggestions for this old gal??? please speak up
Are you applying only to hospital jobs, or have you also tried LTC, LTAC, rehab, corrections, etc? What about private duty or home care?
It's pretty obvious that entrance exams and application processes are different from one school to another. Way back in the 90's, I took an entrance exam for the ASN program at one school and it was harder than I thought. I just missed getting in because of vocabulary, of all things, by a couple of percentile. LOL It wasn't meant to be. Then, when I tried applying to another school a few years later, it was easy...no entrance exam at all. I took A&P I and II in 2000 and not sure if that would be satisfactory for applying for a BSN program today, but I don't plan on it, so I'm good.
help I want out!! 20 years as a Diploma RN, unemployed in anew state and seems I am not going to get work here. So many young MSN and BSN positions. My resume on every head hunter sight. Work as a staffing Agency nurse for 6 months. Never again it about killed me I was treated rudely by lazy unethical young nurses the age of my children. You see I was a divorcee with two children who went to school and graduated on my 38th birthday. I am 2 years post dx of colon rectal cancer and after 6 months off work when I returned I realized I am tired...
All of it will probably be tiring, but I think private duty (in the home) would be your best bet. One patient. Slower pace most of the time.
For me, the biggest shocker was just how many pre reqs I had to take: in total, a year's worth, even as a full time student. I graduated high school five years ago, and so many of my science courses did not transfer. The formal nursing application process was really just tedious in my opinion, though my college only considers GPA and an interview for entrance. I'll find out July 1st if I've made it into the program.
I personally don't have a problem with how selective nursing schools are. My school only accepts 40 students, and knowing this really helped me to focus on being the best student I could possibly be. The way I see it, if I were in a hospital, I would want the best and most driven nurses working on me.
After reading some of these posts, I am thankful I became a nurse 36 years ago. I did not have to go through what you all are now. ASN to BSN, no way, just because I would have to repeat the sciences. I disagree with the statement that science has change that dramatically that I have to repeat the basics. They never change, but that's here nor there. A BSN in my opinion after all these years will not make me any better of a nurse than I am now, and I am a good nurse. The ASN has given me the basics to go on in another direction, that of Psychology working with kids in school. And NO more Science. Good luck to you all just starting out. If you are coming into the nursing professional to give compassionate care, etc, great, but if you are coming into the profession for the $$$, you will be sadly unhappy, yet another topic.
It looks as though OP joined and created an account JUST to share her experience. I predict s/he won't be back to counter every valid argument made against the multiple claims made in that bit of hokum....
The TEAS is given twice a year; they use the highest score and flush the lower one. Being a previous college graduate (RT/R), I did this right: I paid for two tests, they were 40 bucks apiece, and scheduled the dates. The minimum gap was 90 days. I studied a TEAS book some, but pretty much did my best without doing anything very focused. After the test I had my score and postmortem, so I knew what subjects to attack. I scored 12 more points on the second one, way over the percentile I needed to be accepted.
Someone mentioned prereques. I've been told some topnotch universities require those of us with 200 level A&P and Micro to take their 400 level classes to be eligible to continue there (I'm talking to you, UAB). So, my accredited (ACEN & CC E) CC NURSING PROGRAM credits are accepted by the university, but the science classes, available to anyone, are not. I think they require Gross Anatomy, too. My school has a GA lab, but it didn't when I did my sciences for X-Ray school. When I continue toward my career goals, I'll have to do bones, muscles, and bugs again, sigh.
I disagree with the statement that science has change that dramatically that I have to repeat the basics. They never change, but that's here nor there.
If you were responding to my comment on the first page of the thread, if you look more carefully, you'll see that I didn't say science changes -- I said our understanding of the hard sciences is constantly changing.
incognitoinKY
10 Posts
I just had to get my transcripts from high school and colleges that I had attended. They transferred credits from 1987-90 from a state university without issues. I had scored high enough on the ACT in 1986 that I didn't need to take any pre-tests. This was for a community college in KY.