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Discussion

nursing school help please?! :)

Hey guys! I'm a second semester freshman at SUNY Cortland as a psychology major, and i decided at the end of last semester that I want to become a nurse! (and later, nurse practitioner, but I'll concentrate on that when the time comes.)

Unfortunately, finding a nursing school with a good BS program is a LOT more difficult than I thought it was going to be.

First off, I like my school. I like the atmosphere of a mid-sized school, with many fun opportunities on the weekends. I like going out and having fun. (Trust me - I spend enough time in the library during the week that I can have my fun time on the weekends... but only if I don't have massive amounts of work to do! I am very hardworking.) That being said, I'll probably finish out my sophomore year here so that way I can still spend time here, but I can also finish the rest of my GEs that I need to actually apply to a nursing program. (assuming that it's a two year program/ I'll be able to finish it in two years.)

I thought about getting a bachelor's degree and then going back for an accelerated program but honestly, I really don't enjoy schoolwork, and I would like to be done with it ASAP. Also, I'm trying to minimize my loans as much as possible because like for many people, I'm having a rough time paying for college.

That leads to my next point. I need a school that's economically friendly. (LOL.) Well, you know what I mean. I'm a New York resident (Long Island, to be exact :p), so either a SUNY school or a private school that gives rather generous scholarships. My parents don't really have the resources to pay for an expensive school and the last thing I need is to be paying loans for the rest of my life.

Also, I only got a 3.48 last semester. It's pretty decent, but I've heard that nursing schools are pretty competitive, and I know there are many other people who have higher GPAs than I do. Will that completely diminish my chances of getting into a nursing school? I'm also trying to at least match that GPA this semester, so hopefully I succeed with that!

So here's my big question: which nursing schools do you guys recommend? I'm having such a rough time finding a school that's a good match, so any help or insight would be really, really appreciated!

Also, any tips for actually getting into nursing school? I know my GPA isn't absolutely stellar, but is there anything else I could do in order to increase my chances of getting into a good school?

Thanks SO much! :)

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    I don't know about schools in NY but I'm sure Google can help you out there.

    Have you started any of the pre-reqs for a nursing program?

    Common courses are:

    Anatomy & Physiology (1 & 2)

    Microbiology

    Human Development

    Statistics

    Other frequent ones are:

    Chemistry or Biochemistry

    Ethics

    Some schools may require other classes as well. Also some schools may require you to complete a certain amount of pre-reqs before you can apply. So you might want to take summer classes if you are low on these pre-reqs in order to apply for a program next year around this time.

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    • Author

    Yeah, I've spent countless hours on sites such as google, collegeboard, collegeview, and collegeprowler :/ haha it's been a frustrating search!

    And yes, I am totally behind on the prereqs. I started my freshman year as a Speech Pathology major, so I had all social science classes under my belt, and not one math or science. This semester I'm taking stats, so that's a start. I have every intention of taking at least two courses this summer to get myself started, because I know I am totally behind.

    As for schools, they don't have to necessarily be in New York (I was looking in Maryland, for instance, because I have family down there) but I know I definitely won't be attending a school such as UConn or Penn State because of the high cost. Thanks for the help!

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    My advice would be to apply to private schools as well. It has been a few years (ahem) since I entered undergrad but I started out at a private school. They provided me with a bunch of grants and scholarships and I didn't have to pay out of my own pocket to go to the school. Private schools can often have funding from private funding although with the economy, not sure how well they are doing these days.

    So I'd definitely apply to state schools in New York and various private schools.

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    My cousin was a college senior studying History when he decided to change his major to nursing. While it meant he had to be in school longer, he earned the BSN and has had a great career. He now oversees the life flight helicopters at Mayo Clinic.

    Every school has different requrement, so go online and look up any community, public or private college in your area and see if they have nursing programs. Once you get the list narrowed down you can meet with an academic advisor and get info on financial aid opportunities.

    GPA is important, and most schools look closely at the grades you earn in the prereq classes like Chemistry, A&P, Microbiology, etc. Getting practical experience by volunteering at a hospital may help too.

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    Hello,

    There are scholarships and grants just for nursing students. I know of three really good nursing schools which are all private schools and being that you have taken psy classes, I know many of your pre reqs are completed. The first school on my list would be LIU, they have the least pre reqs. They also have an accelerated program. The second school on my list would be Touro College, the academic advisors there are really helpful and they will let you know upfront what scholarships you're eligible to receive. Adelephi is last on my list because they require a ton of pre reqs. You can Google any of these schools to get their website to check out. As for your GPA, I know people who got into the nursing program with the bare minimum that school required. If you do really well on your entrance exam, and your interview, you really shouldn't have a problem.

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    Go on Board of Nursing for NY...There will be a list of all the accredited nurisng programs from associates to master's. NYS Nursing

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    I'm applying or well have applied to schools as well and just wanted to say although your gpa is very good lot of schools want gpa 3.5 and up! (i believe having a good admission essay and healthcare experience may help)

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