Need advice. Graduate and apply to ABSN or switch and apply to BSN?

[Mary_adams]

Hello!

I am currently a transfer student at the University of Florida.

Background info: I received my A.A. from EFSC and was previously pre-dental. Last spring was my first semester here at UF and I did not do well and ended up withdrawing from 2 class, to make a long story short I switched from pre-dental to pre-nursing. It is the summer semester right now and I am taking A&P 2 and statistics at the local community college.

My original plan was to finish my degree here in Family, youth, and community sciences (after this summer I need 44 more credits to graduate from UF) and then apply to ABSN programs. I am not terribly happy here at the University of Florida and living in Gainesville really sucks. I just feel like Gainesville and UF is so overrated. It didn't even cross my mind to switch to try to switch into a traditional BSN program. I have A's in all the nursing pre-reqs so far, and also A's in chem 2, bio 2, calculus. My overall GPA is a 3.55.

So.. since I hate living here, I was thinking of moving back home at the end of July and taking the last pre-req I would need, which is microbiology, then I would also take the TEAS apply to transfer into a BSN program. I would pretty much apply to every one in Florida.

Should I stick it out here and finish my degree and go the ABSN route or try the BSN way? My concerns are I don't have too much EC activities. I currently volunteer at the local hospital in Gainesville and by the end of this summer I will only have maybe around 50 hours. If I stayed at UF I would be able to get a lot more volunteer hours. Another concern of mine is letters of recommendation, if I leave now will I be able to build the relationships needed to acquire the letters? There is one professor at the community college back home who I would take for micro and I know I could get one from him.

Sorry this post is so long, I am an impulsive decision maker and I am just looking for as much advice, thoughts, and insight as possible. =]

[RunBabyRN]

If you still need 44 credits to graduate, it would be a HUGE waste of time to obtain a degree you won't use only to do an accelerated BSN program. It would also be a SLOWER route than doing a traditional BSN program.

Do the best you can to get As in your remaining classes, because every GPA boost is helpful. Extracurriculars are important only to some schools. You'd be wise to apply to as many schools as you would consider attending. I applied to 10. No letters of recommendation required by any of them. Take a look at the applications from the nursing programs. They may not require what you think. Also, find out the average or minimum GPA of those accepted (because this obviously is higher than the GPA required to apply). Blow to TEAS out of the water, and that will help a ton.

[Mary_adams]

Actually I will leave UF with 54 credits. I'm taking 10 credits over this summer and they can be transferred to UF credit if i stay at UF. So now I won't feel like I've wasted as much money lol!

RunBabyRun- Thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it! No letters of reccomendation is good =] I guess that is only for ABSN programs.

If anyone else has any thoughts, please feel free to share =]