LaGuardia student, LPN advice needed

kevin RN · Nov 8, 2008

Hello,
I'm currently majoring in nursing at LaGuardia Community College. It is my first semester and I am aware that it is highly competitive. I am getting an A in all of my classes, but I may be getting an A minus in my A and P class. And you guys will likely know what that means...:uhoh21:
Anyway, I am applying for candidacy in the spring just for kicks. IF I get into the program, great. If I don't, I am taking some precautions right now. I will take the NLN to apply to nursing schools for next fall (Beth Israel is my first choice). I'm also considering doing the LPN program at LAGCC so that if I do become an LPN, I will at least have a skill and I can start working to pay off my loans little by little. I will still pursue RN.
What do you guys think, should I apply for the LPN or would I save time and money going straight for the RN?

As a LPN who has just graduated from RN school, i would encourage you to go straight for your RN, the only reason i went for the LPN first is because of the competitiveness of geting into a RN program. Since your grades are great just go ahead and apply for the RN. Nothing is wrong with being a LPN, trust me i've learn alot, but this should be your second option!!!!

twinmommaRN08 · Nov 8, 2008

I agree with the poster above me, one A- should not stop you from getting into the program. I graduated from the RN program in the spring and I had an A- in both A&Ps (I took the second one with fundamentals and it was difficult).

Plain Vanilla · Nov 8, 2008

Wow, thank you guys very much! I agree, I'm sure there is nothing wrong with being an LPN. If anything, I will get some great experience. In that case, I will just go straight for the RN and worry about school loans later.

RN08FutureCNM, did you graduate from LaGCC's program? I went to a nursing seminar just a few days ago as they scared the poop out of me saying that if students got an A- in the first A and P class, they would most likely not get into the the program. It will be of some relief that an A- is still okay...I am still pushing to just get a regular A though.

twinmommaRN08 · Nov 14, 2008

Hey Plain Vanilla,

Sorry it took so long for me to respond, I haven't been back to this side of the forums in a while. To answer your question, yes I am a spring '08 graduate of LaGcc; the program is tough but doable. I got into the program with an A- in A&P 1, but each semester the GPA requirement for acceptance into the program changes because it all depends on the GPAs of the other candidates applying.

Hope that makes sense and is some help to you.

HonestLPN518 · Mar 31, 2009

HI Plain Vanilla,

Since you are attending Laguardia and I'm actually going to be going to that school soon. I want to know about the prerequired courses you have to take to get into the program. Also what GPA do you need to get into the program. Can you tell me please. I'm so clueless. I finished up my BA in sociology now Im changing and going into nursing to be an LPN. Can you tell me.. and how many credits you need to complete the program?

THanks!

Plain Vanilla · Apr 1, 2009

Hello Honest,

Since you are attending Laguardia and I'm actually going to be going to that school soon. I want to know about the prerequired courses you have to take to get into the program. Also what GPA do you need to get into the program. Can you tell me please. I'm so clueless. I finished up my BA in sociology now Im changing and going into nursing to be an LPN. Can you tell me.. and how many credits you need to complete the program?

As far as I know, LPNs need three key courses that they need to do well in. They are human biology I, English 101, and Psychology 101. Since you have a bachelors, they will probably take into consideration the grades you recieved in those classes before. But, you could probably take them over again to get As in them if you really want to in case you didn't get As in them before. I'm not sure how it works, but I've heard about people taking classes like those over again because they got a C in for example English 101. You would have to ask an advisor about that.

For the human biology, that one is going to be a killer. They cram a lot of information in the lecture and you have memorize the various names of the bones and muscles in your body for the lab. And not just the bone, they want you memorize the names of certain nooks and crannies. I ended up getting a B in that class, but if you get a B and you're applying for LPN you should be fine. A lot of people I know actually switched their majors to LPN because they got a B in that very class.

And for GPA requirement, I believe that they want 3.6. When you start taking the classes, they'll want you to take the class called "Medical Dosages" and make sure to get an A in it. The class itself was pretty easy (think: fractions, converting things from miligrams to grams...vice versa, and memorizing abbreviations) so you should have no problem and I'm sure you will find it a piece of cake.

The whole program itself seems to take about a year or a little more than a year to finish; 48 credits. In fact if you do the three key courses, you can apply for LPN candidacy that same semester. Just be sure to apply early though. So that when you finish that semester, the school will send you a letter saying whether or not you can go on and take the actual courses for the next semester.

Hope it helps!

HonestLPN518 · Apr 1, 2009

Thanks for the advice. I just emailed the department and they told me that you need a 3.44 GPA. But I am glad that you replied to the post because that will help me. I'm actually late for the candidancy. KAren of the LPN department told me the deadline was MARch 31st which was yesterday Darn!! Are you in the program already? How do you get into the program if its so competitive and so many people trying to get in?

Thanks!

Plain Vanilla · Apr 1, 2009

Hello Honest,

Are you in the program already? How do you get into the program if its so competitive and so many people trying to get in?

I myself am not in the RN program (hopefully yet). Pretty much the best way to get into the program is to have a good GPA. If they set their LPN standards to 3.4 GPA, try to get a 3.6 or higher. What I'm trying to do is get A's in my current four credit classes so my GPA will "sky rocket".

I've heard that what also makes you a good candidate is if you have completed all or most of the prerequisites that you need to take before all the nursing courses. A lot of my friends ended up dropping out of human biology I or got C's in them and are now looking at other schools to do nursing or taking that class again this semester. Needless to say, that will raise my chances and you'll probably see the same thing happening if they make you take those classes (especially in the fall semester). And if they do make you take classes like human biology I, you'll notice that most of the people in there are nursing majors. When I came back this semester to take human biology II, I noticed a lot of those people have gone. And the same ones I do see are applying to places like NYU. It's been making me wonder if there really are a lot of people trying get in this semester because it seems like there are drastically less people trying than last semester.

If your GPA is really good you should try RN candidacy, although finishing the program will take longer.

HonestLPN518 · Apr 1, 2009

wow that is crazy. Well right now I'm just aiming for the LPN program haven't really thought about RN yet because I know how long it will take. Yea I'm pretty sure the Biology 1 is hard that's why people are getting C's in them. I myself am really bad in biology but hopefully I do good in that course I wouldn't have to deal too much materials in biology. Oh and for Biology II it doesn't count towards the GPA to get into the program it is only ENg 101, ssy 101, math 106, and SCB203. I actually took Eng 110 in another school not sure if that covers eng 101. I actually got an A in that course. SSY 101 i took that but did really bad like a C-.. took it during my freshman year so it explains it. I would have to retake that course again. I know Math 106 don't sound too difficult. All I'm worrying about is the Biology and Psychology course. I hope I can get A's in them once i start taking them.

Oh do you have any idea if the summer semester offer the Math 106 I want to take it, but not sure if I can.

do you have any suggestions on which professor I should choose for these classes to get one that can somewhat help me do good in the classes?

Thanks and once again... you are definitely a big help!! honestly!

Plain Vanilla · Apr 2, 2009

Oh do you have any idea if the summer semester offer the Math 106 I want to take it, but not sure if I can.
do you have any suggestions on which professor I should choose for these classes to get one that can somewhat help me do good in the classes?

I just checked the website to take microbiology over the summer and they do offer the MAT106 summer course. There are not a lot of seats filled yet.

If you take Psychology 101, I recommend Dr. ***** ******. I bought the book, only to not use it at all the entire semester. Instead I payed attention in class, wrote everything he wrote on the board into my notes, studied those notes and got an A. If you must use the book, borrow it from the library. They have the books there where you can take them out for two hours at a time while in the library. He is also very helpful and will explain anything you are unsure of in plain English.

As for biology, unfortunately I have not heard about any specific lecture teacher being good. In fact, most of that class seems to be teaching yourself the things from the books and slides they show in class. It seems that all the lecture teachers read off of the slides and that is about it. Avoid Dr. * ******* if you can. I had him last semester and a lot of people found his quizzes difficult. He is very "from the book". He also doesn't have office hours, probably because he is an M.D.

If you know who you are going to get for the lab, get Dr. ****** ************. He gives a list of all the names of the bones and muscles you need to know for the practicals. As for his written tests, just write everything he writes on the board (or whatever he talks about if he doesn't write anything) because that's all he bases his written tests on.

I had Mr. * **** ******* for English and I found him to be a very lenient guy. As long as you do the essay, he will let you revise it again. He even said that if anyone needs help revising their essays, they can go to see him during his office hours and he will look over what you have and tell you what you have to improve. He seems like the kind of guy that as long as he sees you really making that effort, he will give you an A. But since you already took English 101, they'll probably just count that instead.

As for the math, I don't know. The work is easy enough, so I don't think picking a professor will be too much of an issue.

HonestLPN518 · Apr 2, 2009

wow you are so very helpful. Thank you so much. I am definitely going to take your advice. I mean is there a need to take Biology II b/c i was told that's the pre-req but it doesn't count towards your GPA. Do you have any idea? hmm.. and another thing you mentioned before and I forgot to ask you how about the candidancy. Lets say I take my pre-req courses in the Fall and spring but they're doing the candidancy spring semester. Can I still apply and get in the program even though I'm not fully completing the pre-req courses?

Just thought they would have to see your completed GPA of all the courses.

Also one last quest for today, Do you happen to know the deadline for registering for summer classes? I really want to go to summer school and get a head start instead of waiting for the fall. Just planning on taking both the psy 101 and the math 106.

REally thanks a whole bunch!