Nursing out of high school?

U.S.A. California

Published

I am a junior in high school right now, so I am looking forward into college and trying to find a path. As of now I really would love to eventually become a CRNA; incidentally, I would like to find a quick way to get to that position assuming I have enough expirience under my belt and etc... I was just wondering how hard it would be for me, after graduating high school, to get into a nursing program at Cal State Fullerton the next year? I heard there is a long waiting list but I could not find more info past this. I have an extremely well rounded life right now and think I would be highly competetive but I am in the dark if me just graduating high school is even possible?

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

You have to complete certain prerequisites before you can even apply to a nursing program. Usually Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Chemistry, English, Sociology, etc.

From the looks of cal state fullerton's website they currently only offer an ADN to BSN pathway. So you would have to have an associate's degree in Nursing to even apply to the program. Unless they're changing that soon?

If you're positive CRNA is what you want to do, I would definitely just go straight for your Bachelors. You have to have a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing to even apply to a CRNA program and typically several years of ICU exerpience.

That being said, CSU, Fullerton is probably not your best option.

if you go here:

http://www.calstate.edu/majors/

It will show you a list of majors that will help you attain your goal. The CSU is the cheapest way to get your bachelors degree..then you can refer to the individual schools nursing website for specific information of the prerequisites required to apply.

CSU Bakersfield

CSU Channel Islands

CSU Chico

CSU East Bay

CSU Fresno

CSU Fullerton (?)

Humboldt State University

CSU Long Beach

CSU Los Angeles

CSU Northridge

CSU Sacramento

CSU San Bernardino

San Diego State University

San Francisco State University

San Jose State University

CSU San Marcos

Sonoma State University

CSU Stanislaus

You would want to go the nursing basic, prelicensure degree option.

Good luck!

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California nursing schools (both ASN and BSN) require that you complete a number of college-level prerequisites prior to applying to the nursing program. These prerequisites will take 1-2 years to complete (depending on which program you're applying to and how many classes you take per semester). So you wouldn't be able to enter a nursing program directly out of high school.

If you choose to take these prerequisites at a university instead of a community college, keep in mind that taking classes at the university does not assure you a spot in the nursing program after completing the prerequisites - you'll be competing for a spot against all the other applicants to the program. Many California programs are receiving about 10 times as many applicants as get accepted each semester.

I looked that the CSU Fullerton nursing website just now (http://nursing.fullerton.edu/), and it doesn't appear that they have a generic BSN program - you have to have an ASN (Associate's degree in Nursing) first. So CSU Fullerton doesn't sound like it meets your current post-high school goals. Cal State LA, Long Beach, Channel Islands, San Marcos, and UC Irvine are some universities in the area offering generic BSN programs, and many community colleges offer ASN programs.

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Would it also work if I went to a community college to get my associates degree (after first doing pre reqs) then transfer to a university to complete my BSN while also recieving expirence?

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

Yeah that would work. But if you plan to do your BSN no matter what I would just do the prerequisites at the community college and then transfer straight to the BSN.

The nursing program is two years long at the community college after the prereq's. BSN nursing courses are usually 2 1/2 to 3 years long. As far as timeliness, and your young age, you might want to consider going straight for the BSN.

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Okay thanks, and after looking at that website, it says that CSUF does have that program? It is a EL-BSN course founded on nursing.fullerton.edu/ is that it?

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Specializes in ER.

Interesting...it looks like you're right. CSUF now has an entry level BSN program. It must be new.

As far as what I did to get my BSN was I went to a community college (Saddleback) to take care of my prerequisites (Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Bio Chem) and I spent 5 semesters there even though I finished my prerequisites in 3 (I didn't know I wanted to do nursing in my first semester and then I was waiting to hear about my admission during my last semester). And from there I transferred to CSU Long Beach and was admitted into their Trimester Program which takes 2 years but it is full time during fall, spring AND summer. I found there were advantages and disadvantages to that but in the end (I just finished in December) I'm happy that I just got it out of the way. They also have a basic program that takes 3 years because you don't have school during the summer. Hope this info helps!

Good luck with everything!

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