Nursing Alternate & BS

[taylor2010]

I recently found out I am an alternate for my adn program for this coming fall. I was told I am in the middle of 10 alternates. They chose 30 for the class. The school is a private school & quite expensive so what are the odds of getting in?? I still have to attend the orientation and registration too..If I do not get in can I go ahead and take classes towards a bs.. I already have all my pre classes for the adn program.. If I can what classes would be a good option to start out with?? I just dont want to waste time if I don't get in.. I want to still go to school even if I don't get in :)

[Moogie]

It may be less expensive----and less time-consuming---for you in the long run to get your BSN from a state school. If you are, say, number 5 on the list of alternatives and the school only admits 30 students, you could get in this year or you could be waitlisted for another semester or even another year. Things do change and, even though you are an alternate for this year's program, you could get in but if you don't, start looking NOW at BSN programs in your area and find out what their prerequisites are.

I would be very hesitant to just take the advice of the school that has put you on the alternate list regarding prerequisites for your BSN. Each program is different and one school might have prerequisites that another school doesn't. Also make sure that the credits will transfer in from the school you're attending now to a BSN program. You may find that you have already completed many prerequisites for a BSN program----or you may find that the credits don't transfer for some reason.

Start looking now for another option; if you do get into the original school and don't end up on a waitlist, great! But since you are an alternate and the school has very few open spots, look around for another program.

One thing a lot of people don't understand about an associate's degree is that, while most associate's degrees can be completed within two academic years of full-time study, it takes most people more than two years to get an associate's degree in nursing because of prerequisites and waitlisting. I figure that if someone is going to invest much more than two or even three years in an AD program, why not go for the bachelor's and save time and money?

Good luck to you; I hope this turns out well for you.

[iteachob, MSN, RN]

Our school (an expensive, private one) typically goes into the alternate list pretty quickly. This happens because students will apply to more than one school, and when accepted to both....choose the cheaper one. People start to decline positions about the time of the acceptance deadline. If that hasn't passed yet, I'd recommend hanging in there (at least a little while longer).

[ExPharmaGirl, BSN, RN]

Make sure your school is accredited and all of your credits will transfer. Apply to different programs while you are on the waitlist. If your ultimate goal is to get a BSN, then in the future you can apply those units toward that. Agree with the above poster though...many students apply to multiple programs and decline spots, so alternates are given spots fairly quickly.