Just a discussion...getting into Nursing Program

Hi everyone...I was just thinking about this..and would like to share and see what any if you guys have to say....

Well this is my first semester of college..ever, and so far I love it! My weakest subject is math, but I'm working on that with a tutor and MANY hours per week in the math lab.

I've been reading on here, and it seems to be that everyones goal is to get a 4.0 to be accepted. I live in So Cal, and I KNOW that it's very competetive here...especially for the ADN programs at CC.

I was talking to this girl in my math class today that's also a nursing major. I asked her what her GPA was, and she said 2.9! That hardly seems acceptable to me! Or am I being too critical??

I don't know what my GPA is...but I do know that I'll be working hard!

So anyway....her plan is to get LVN certification at another school, get a job at a hospital, and have them pay for the bridge over for BSN.

Well is it that easy??? She seems to think she has it all figured out??

So now I'm thinking....should I shoot for my LVN cause it might be "easier", and go from there?? Or work my butt off..which is what I've been doing....and see what happens??

My school doesn't have a wait list...you're either in or not....

So what do you guys think from experience?? Plus..I'm not sure whether to get my Associates or Bach??? Hmm....

Thanks in advance!

Hi Sammy,

My best advise to you, is to research all the programs that are near to you (or that you would consider going to). Your very fortunate to live in Socal ( I do too). There are a few different options, I am attending a CC that takes almost strictly on GPA this spring they will take 24 students, 20 on GPA (pretty much need that 4.0), and 4 other students on lottery. However that is just one CC, there is another a bit south of me that has a wait list, you can apply your last semester in progress and just wait your time out, they also let you take a couple nursing type classes while you wait. There are BSN programs near by that use a point system, so much for experience, Tests, GPA etc...

I picked my school because I am an older returning student I was looking for the fastes track to RN I could find, for me earning a 4.0 seemed the best attainable goal, plus my school is near where I need to be because of my children. Most schools here have orientation workshops, you can attend they usually have them once a month, go to several and ask lots of questions.

The lvn-rn route is a great option by the way, I nearly did it, I was suposed to apply start last January but changed my mind and thought to barrall on through to the ADN, I was just joking with my husband this morning that I could be finishing now and ready to work, we need the money so the thought of 2 more years without pay is daunting to us, hopefully we can make it. I applied in September and hoping to start in January.

You can't bridge from LVN to BSN. You have to bridge to RN first

Hi everyone...I was just thinking about this..and would like to share and see what any if you guys have to say....

Well this is my first semester of college..ever, and so far I love it! My weakest subject is math, but I'm working on that with a tutor and MANY hours per week in the math lab.

I've been reading on here, and it seems to be that everyones goal is to get a 4.0 to be accepted. I live in So Cal, and I KNOW that it's very competetive here...especially for the ADN programs at CC.

I was talking to this girl in my math class today that's also a nursing major. I asked her what her GPA was, and she said 2.9! That hardly seems acceptable to me! Or am I being too critical??

I don't know what my GPA is...but I do know that I'll be working hard!

So anyway....her plan is to get LVN certification at another school, get a job at a hospital, and have them pay for the bridge over for BSN.

Well is it that easy??? She seems to think she has it all figured out??

So now I'm thinking....should I shoot for my LVN cause it might be "easier", and go from there?? Or work my butt off..which is what I've been doing....and see what happens??

My school doesn't have a wait list...you're either in or not....

So what do you guys think from experience?? Plus..I'm not sure whether to get my Associates or Bach??? Hmm....

Thanks in advance!

Hi Sammygirll,

I live in SoCal too. Last Monday I finally applied to the Nursing Program at my community college, El Camino in Torrance :balloons:. Most community colleges around here have a wait list and they don't really go with GPA. I was rather disappointed when I found out but the minimum GPA you need in order to apply is 2.5, so as you can see it's not very high. I checked almost all community colleges in the Los Angeles area and they are all the same (wait list + point system). You don't need to be competitve, you just need to be patient and sooner or later you will get in.

If you want to apply to a university for a BSN then yes your GPA is very important and in order to be competitive you need a very high one.

I hope it helps.

You can't bridge from LVN to BSN. You have to bridge to RN first

This is not true there are LVN or LPN to BSN programs.

I live in LA/San Fernando Valley and will be applying to several community colleges out here - LA Valley College, Pasadena CC, Glendale CC, and Pierce. All have similar pre-reqs AND require an entrance exam. From my understanding, they all accept on lottery but you must make the cut point which is mostly based on GPA and entrance test results. Yikes! I am an older student returning for a 2nd degree and have a small child at home. I am seriously considering an LVN program so I can get into nursing sooner. Once an LVN and working, I can take night classes (like I am doing now) to fulfill the rest of my pre-reqs then apply for LVN to RN brige at all of the colleges I mentioned here. I am almost 36 and want to be a nurse sooner than later!

Good luck on your decision!

Long Beach City College only looks at GPA. And the lowest I've heard for last semester they took was 2.6. But in my opinion, the anatomy class here is pretty hard (consider most of my classmates barely passed the last midterm) and I don't think I can get 4.0 at all (last time I went to school I was a straight A student...). All these nursing pre-req classes are GPA killers...

I would suggest you to do RN instead of LVN. My friend's neighbor works at hospital management position. She said the LVN got paid half of what RN would get. So why save one year to get paid half of what an RN gets? If you ever consider getting a bachelor degree, you will need to have RN ADN anyway.

Also, have you explored other majors yet? I mean you are so young. Should think about other options too.

Well, first I'd caution you against relying on anecdotal statements. I hear many "stories" from folks who think they've got it all figured out how to "work" the system. I haven't been able to validate much of the information, though.

So, as advised above, check the facts yourself.

Also, be aware that the California legislature is considering the curtailing or elimination of the lottery system and mandating competitive admissions.

Also, be aware that the California legislature is considering the curtailing or elimination of the lottery system and mandating competitive admissions.

Although if this happens it won't apply to me as I'm not trying to gain entrance into an ADN program, I would be very happy if they did change the requirement. I think lottery systems are so silly and frankly, punish people who do well and earn that 4.0 GPA.

Long Beach City College only looks at GPA. And the lowest I've heard for last semester they took was 2.6. But in my opinion, the anatomy class here is pretty hard (consider most of my classmates barely passed the last midterm) and I don't think I can get 4.0 at all (last time I went to school I was a straight A student...). All these nursing pre-req classes are GPA killers...

I would suggest you to do RN instead of LVN. My friend's neighbor works at hospital management position. She said the LVN got paid half of what RN would get. So why save one year to get paid half of what an RN gets? If you ever consider getting a bachelor degree, you will need to have RN ADN anyway.

Also, have you explored other majors yet? I mean you are so young. Should think about other options too.

I'm taking my pre-reqs right now at Long Beach City College...do you go there now?? I would love to meet some fellow nursing majors....

...I would be very happy if they did change the requirement. I think lottery systems are so silly and frankly, punish people who do well and earn that 4.0 GPA.

Agreed!

Do you have all the facts? I have a 2.99. I also have a four year degree in another area. I took a lot of chemistry, physics and biology classes. I'm pretty proud of that gpa. It got me into nursing school. I'm going back for a new career. I'm also doing better than most of my peers and find it pretty easy. GPA isn,t everything.