Los Angeles Community Colleges ADN Programs

Moved to CA nursing program forum

I got accepted into LA County College of nursing for Fall 3013 with 84 points. If you want to how many points you have, you can check this out on page 21: http://www.ladhs.org/wps/PA_1_QDN2DSD3005DD02DJ6VQC83085/DhsSite/CollegeOfNursing/pdf/StudentCatalog.pdf

Please look at the ACEN website, a majority of the schools you have posted are not accredited. For example, PCC is not accredited but has a good program. If you can, please look at the places where you want to work and look at the job requirements. For example: the Veterans Affairs will not hire nurses unless they are from an accredited program. I'm not trying to insult your intelligence, it's just that I am in the same situation. From what I have seen online, there are about 4 CCs near Pasadena (where i live) that are accredited. I plan to get my masters and work for the VA, so this accreditation has a big impact on where I will go. Either way, I wish you the best with your education :))

I'll be going to LAVCC to get info for winter term this month. Sorry, forgot to answer your main question.

i'm applying to CSULA.. you should look into the cal states because with the exception of a few gen ed requirements, i can actually apply sooner for their program than i can at the school i currently attend (smc). CSULB also has a BSN program, but i took the wrong chem class so i need to squeeze that in to apply. if i don't get accepted.. my backups are SMC and LA County or LBCC.

I understand. Please tell me the difference between accredited and approved because I'm receiving my information from the California board of registered nursing. My plan is to go for adn then bsn and ultimately master's so I'm wondering if that would even matter?

AshleySable,

The info from the state board you are receiving are for approved programs. You are correct there. That means the school meets the standard to have you sit for the NCLEX.

Accredited programs mean that the school has gone above and beyond the approval of the state board to offer more quality education.

In a nutshell, approved just meets the minimum standard, while accredited goes above the standard. You may be right, in that it will not matter to you. However, take into consideration where you want to work, and if they need you to come from an accredited program. I personally will chose an accredited program as I feel it will not limit me so much job wise. I would rather graduate from a program that goes above the standard rather than just meeting it. But that's me. Look into the schools admitting info and see if you need to come from an accredited program to get in. Some schools will ask for you to come from an accredited program with a ADN. it's better if you do... That way you don't repeat classes.

There are tons of threads on here about the subject. Unfortunately you have to search them all. You can also get on the ACEN and CCNE websites to read more about accreditation and what it means. I sincerely hope this helps you out a bit. I'm not trying to be discouraging and hope I don't come off that way.

Oh my. I know this is an older post, but I just couldn't allow myself to let the misinformation presented by the previous poster about accreditation vs approval continue to be propagated. Someone else might come along this thread and believe this misinformation too.

TheCommuter wrote an allnurses article last year that far more accurately explains the difference between the two found here: https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/difference-between-approval-753939.html

I hope the OP will see this clarification as it shows approval being far more important in choosing a school than accreditation, quite opposite of what the PP suggested, as approval determines whether you can even sit for licensure. Not to say accreditation isn't important, but it's more of a plus towards your future goals, whereas approval is a REQUIREMENT to get licensed.