Lpn school now or prerequisite courses??

[sam1984]

Hi all,

I have been browsing these forums for quite some time now since I am making a career change into nursing. I need some advise because I am confused as to what steps would be better for me to take as I pursue my career.

Ok, I live in North NJ and am interested in getting my BSN. I already have another nonnursing related degree and will be seeking an accelerated BSN program. I currently do not have any science prerequisites such as chemistry, anthropolgy, biology, microbiology and others. I know that I will have to get them before I apply to a program. Now here's my dilemma. I currently live at home and my parents don't mind supporting me for a bit as I pursue this degree. (my goal is to become a NP or PA)

However, I want to be able to get into the workforce as soon as possible. I have two options so far:

Option1:

Spend 1 year taking prerequisites (work as CHHA or CNA)

Go to LPN school (don't work)

Apply for A- BSN

or

Option 2:

Go to LPN school (don't work)

Spend 1 yr taking prerequisites (work as lpn)

Apply for A-BSN

Option 2 will allow me to work as an lpn while I do my prerequisites and support myself, my only fear is that reading this forum has me discouraged since so many LPN aren't able to secure jobs, the other downside of option 2 is burnout and finances (20000 to go to eastwick college for LPN program). i am leaning towards option 2 but My parents recommend option 1. What do you guys think is most realistic?

oh and anyone knows if credits for Eastwick Hohokus schools are transferable?

Thank you all.

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

My thought is to do the prerequisites, skip the LPN, and apply for a bunch of ABSN programs. If you have a decent academic background then getting into an ABSN program (or Masters Entry program) shouldn't be too hard. If you get your LPN first, not only will you have to unlearn some things in order to succeed in the ABSN program, but you won't have time to work in most ABSN programs, as they ride their students hard to kick them out in as short a time as possible.

As for transferring credit - if a school has a regional accreditation, then its general curriculum courses should be transferable, including nursing prereqs. If it's a potential problem, call up the main (not nursing) offices of the schools you're applying to and directly ask them if the courses you want will transfer from x school.

[Guest405338]

Taking the pre-reqs, skipping the LPN and going straight for the aBSN (as the above poster suggested) seems to make the most sense.

[sam1984]

well, thank you to you both. I guess I will get my prereqs then. It's funny how some schools only list a few prereqs like Mircobio, A&P as if you can just walk in a college, take them in a few semesters and leave. They don't tell you that these prereqs have their own prereqs.

[Guest405338]

Yeah =/ You will definitely have to spend a decent amount of time taking the pre-reqs, but if you try, you can probably get them done in the next year or two. Then at least you don't need the GREs for aBSN programs (unless you apply to combined BSN/MSN programs)

[SingDanceRunLife]

I also think you should do the prereqs.

Look for schools with the least...at my school, the only prereqs are A&P (no bio or chem prereqs for that), soc, psych, and English...and this is only for the program I'm in. If you just do the college of nursing, the only prereqs are high school ones!