Is it wise to start taking courses for BSN while in ADN program?

[Shookclays]

This year I have finished all but two of my non nursing courses for my associates degree. I start clinicals(fundamentals) in January and that's only 6 credit hrs but to get full FA(which I need), I will have to take an 11-12 credit hour load. The two courses I have left are booked for next semester but since I will immediately go back for my BSN at UTA, I want to know if it's wise to take courses that will transfer.

[Shookclays, ASN, BSN, CNA, RN]

If you have to take extra classes anyway, absolutely choose ones that you will get credit for later on, as long as you don't think the extra work load will be too much all at once. If it seems overwhelming, maybe a less intensive "extra" course will be better while you complete your ADN.

If you complete these BSN classes early, will you then have to take additional credit hours to meet the minimum FA requirements during that program?

I plan on paying out of pocket for the BSN program.

Edit: I also have looked at many RN-BSN curriculums. I am now taking my 6 credit clinical(fundamentals) along with American Lit and Intro to Nutrition. I won't have this problem with the rest of the program because they all have adequate credit hours.

Thank you all so much for answering

[johsonmichelle]

I plan on paying out of pocket for the BSN program.

Edit: I also have looked at many RN-BSN curriculums. I am now taking my 6 credit clinical(fundamentals) along with American Lit and Intro to Nutrition. I won't have this problem with the rest of the program because they all have adequate credit hours.

Thank you all so much for answering

I took most of my bsn classes before I started nursing school. I will be starting the rn - bsn next year. You could take your prerequisite during the winter and summer break. Start looking at rn - bsn programs now and know their prerequisites. Also some acute care setting are requiring a bachelors degree , and you may have a better chance if you already enrolled in a rn - bsn program .

[SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP]

I did as many BSN courses in advance as I could while getting my ADN. It meant having no time off between semesters, but it was worth it in the end. I took Stats, Nutrition, Organic Chemistry, an upper level history course, and an upper level Sociology course. I was able to transfer in quite a few credits so when I finished my BSN, I only had 3 semesters left to finish it, which were all nursing courses. I technically could have finished back in October, but my capstone course had to be taken alone, so I ended up being a December grad.

If you can handle the extra load of classes, then do what you need to do!

[pmabraham, BSN, RN]

If you feel comfortable, do so. I took a number of BSN related courses on my journey through my associates program; it does make everything harder, but it is doable if you can be disciplined in your planning, implementing, and execution.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I was in the same boat. All my gen eds were finished and only had my nursing classes. They weren't enough credits for FA. I knew I was going right back for my BSN (which as at the same college I was already attending). You were not allowed to take any of the RN to BSN nursing classes until you were an RN BUT you could take any/all of the gen ed classes needed for the BSN class. So I did that. I added as many gen ed classes to my RN classes that i knew I could handle and went from there.

However, I only did that knowing I was going to the same school and that I would be accepted into the RN to BSN course.

[imenid37]

Take the easy ones if you can. I know a lot of community college programs do concurrent enrollment with the RN-BSN programs at nearby universities with the big push for the BSN underway. Best of luck to you!

[AngelKissed857, BSN, RN]

What about taking them over the summer so you can fully concentrate on nursing? I'm in a concurrent BSN program that runs the summer between first and second year, summer after graduation, and then a year after that. Needed classes for it, and found them as online classes at a community college that offers the quarterly system and intercessions. Got my Ethnic Studies, Intermediate Algebra and Stats all done that way, with only a little overlap into my nursing program semesters. Was able to do it that way, maintain my GPA, and concentrate on nursing. Going into final semester!