No clue how to start, please advise.

Nature_walker, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2016

Hi,

Great plan on getting the pre-reqs at CC! If the CC has a info session for their nursing program I'd attend it if I were you. You'll be able to ask the school questions about what is needed to get a degree with them in nursing. For me, I'm on in my second year about to graduate with my ADN. Yes it took two years after the pre reqs were completed and accepted to nursing school to get to this point. The pre-reqs might be able to do in a year or less. I did mine one at a time so I could focus on each class and get a high GPA so I could be competitive to get into the program of my choice. I would also call the school to see if they can answer some of your questions about what classes you will need as your pre-reqs. Hope this helps and good luck! :)

Maevish, ASN, RN · Apr 15, 2016

Hello! I'm 37, currently a stay at home mom of 6 kids. The last few years I've been thinking about fulfilling my 2nd dream of becoming a nurse, now that I'm done having kids. I have never been to college. No idea how to even start. This is a plan I came up with, tell me if its doable, or I really don't know what I'm talking about!
Get my prerequisites at a cc (here's a dumb question lol, are prerequisites the same as general Ed?) and sign up for a nursing program at same cc or a university (from what I read here, it's good to apply to as many as I can, just as long as it's certified). The nursing program may or may not have a waiting list, if so, I plan on getting cna certified and work until I can get into a nursing program. Now if my math isn't too rusty it could take me up 6 years? That's if I become a full time student, am able to get all the classes to fulfill the prerequisites.....and the waiting list is 2 years. Is that right? And probably longer if I need to take beginning classes like math and English, because it's been SOOO long since I've been in school....
one thing I don't understand, on the cc website it says you can complete ADN in 2 years, IS THAT AFTER you complete all the prerequisites?
Wow this mountain seems to be getting higher and higher lol. Anyway some of your knowledge would be greatly appreciated!!

Yeah, unless you have an accelerated course, it takes 2 years after your pre-reqs. Back when I was in school though, I was allowed to take anatomy and micro during my first year of nursing, but even that school doesn't allow that anymore, so double check on that.

Community colleges are where it's at for general ed/pre-reqs (general ed isn't the same because those are the classes everyone, even non-nursing majors, have to take. Nursing pre-reqs are added on).

Good for you! I've finally convinced my mom to study for her LVN (even though she tells me she's "too old" all the time) because it's a dream of hers since before I was born. Lots of people in the classes are older than 40 and are in the same boat, so don't let that be a factor! :geek:

The waitlist thing is another story. If you apply to schools who accept based on GPA (and you've gotten very good grades), then you may have somewhat of a better shot, but usually there is a sort of waitlist or lottery system. I got lucky though and who knows? You could be lucky too. However, some people do LVN-RN because when you move to the RN courses, you're jumping in in the middle of the year/program and people have either been dropped or quit by that point.

Good luck and best wishes!

xo

cecile9155, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2016

I'm 37 and just got my RN license in January. It took 2 years to get my ADN after starting the program. You might want to do some research about if RN jobs in your area require a BSN or not. Where I am many jobs don't but that isn't true everywhere.