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I am a 16 year old, Male, Junior in high school earning a 3.59 cumulative GPA. All input is welcome, one request though, please do not tell me I'm too young and shouldn't worry about it now.

As of right now these are my questions:

-First steps towards becoming an RN, then the steps that follow.

-Best colleges/universities to attend straight out of high school.

-Those colleges acceptance rates and how easily attainable a seat in their program is.

-Input on male nurses in the US Navy, ratios, looked down or up upon, etc.

More info on me:

I have participated in a Military Auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol for the past two years and plan on continuing until I move out. I am currently the Vice President of my schools student government. I have taken accelerated math programs for the past three years (Since 8th Grade) and plan on finishing with Algebra 3. If theres anything else about me that I can contribute that would be beneficial to the answers to my questions please let me know! Thank you!

Christopher.

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

Nope, definitely not too young! I wasted a semester of college not knowing what I wanted to major in (or rather I thought I knew, but didn't). First decide if you want an associate's or bachelor's in nursing. You cannot join the military as an RN unless you have a bachelor's at minimum. You'll be an officer. If you want to join right after high school you'll have to enlist and then work on your BSN from there.

BSN or ADN, you'll have to do prereq classes which are mostly basic college courses in gov't, math, English, and more sciences than the average bear. After you complete or are within about a semester of completing your prereqs, you apply to a nursing program either at a community college or university (you can take the prereqs at either but it's always cheaper at a CC!). They are VERY competitive so keep your GPA high! Then you graduate and are able to sit for the NCLEX which is what will make you a RN.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

You may be put off by the name of this university.. but I'm virtually positive this is a co-ed school, in spite of the name. Texas Woman's University in Denton, TX.

You go in as a nursing major and spend the first two years doing your undergrad work. You DO have to apply the upper level nursing school, however, they give priority to their own students so you'd have a leg up on the competition.

That is my suggestion.

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Specializes in PICU.

There are lots of good schools around the country. Any school that is good is going to be very hard to get into, so keep your grades up and consider volunteering at a local hospital. Be sure the ask any school you're interested in how many students they enroll and of those students how many actually graduate. If they say 80% or less, keep looking. You want a school that is committed to seeing you succeed and supporting you, not trying to make you quit. Also once you find a school, check the state's school forum to see what people who are students there have to say about it.

Also you can check out the "Men in Nursing" forum: Men in Nursing Forum - Nursing for Nurses

And the "Government and Military Nursing" forum: Government and Military Nursing - Nursing for Nurses

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Don't have any advice, but wanted to say I think it is GREAT that you are thinking about this at your age! I never went to college right out of high school and have regretted it ever since. Now, at 37, I am trying to go back to college with a family and a job and it is even harder now than it would have been then. Good for you!

Jenn

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