Nursing school schools with short waiting lists

Nursing Students General Students

Published

Hi, I'm new to this forum and I aplogize if I am revisiting something that has been covered.....but I am wondering if someone can give me suggestions of nursing schools with short waiting lists.

I am a pre-nursing student right now. I have taken most of the common pre-reqs as well as many classes required for a BSN. I have a 4.0 on required courses so GPA is not an issue. I have recently applied to a local program, however, and did not get in. (due to a low score on 2 portions of the PSB pre-entrance exam, which I can't take the exam again for 12 months). I have the convenience of being able to locate pretty much anywhere in the U.S. due to the flexibility of my husbands job, so location is not really an issue either. Does anyone know of a good nursing program, Associates or Bachelors, that does not have impossible admission requirements and is preferrably econimically priced?

I'm planning to apply to as many places as possible for next year so that I can start SOMEWHERE by August. Thanks so much for any information that anyone can offer!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana has no waiting list. They will accept any qualified student which pretty much means anyone with a 2.5 overall GPA. The bummer is that they are slow as Christmas about admitting you, so if interested, get started now. Also, you'd have to live in Indiana for a year before qualifying for in state tuition. Good luck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I was in your shoes last year. Impossibly long wait list where I lived (Alaska). I had no choice but to relocate and searched high and low, all over the US. Scarey! Wait lists everywhere, except a few private colleges that wanted 20 grand a year. Finally found a great school with no wait list and very reasonable tuition. Maria College in Albany, NY. I took the entrance exam April 18th and began the program in May.

They have an LPN and RN program and are in the process of BSN certification. The cohesion of their program is very unusual (and the way of the future, one would hope). It's a 1 + 1 + 2 option. You can (1) begin in May as an LPN student, get your LPN certification the following August then transfer directly into the second year of the RN program (+1). This allows you to work part-time as an LPN, earning money and nursing experience while completing your RN. If you then want to go on for your BSN, just add two more years. It sounds like you have some general education requirments taken care of already, so your ahead of the game.

The LPN program is a weekend schedule (all day Saturday and Sunday) leaving you M-F to study, work, & live. Much more appealing to me than an hour or hour and a half class here there and everywhere throughout the week.

The school is small so all the administrative details are a breeze to negotiate, you aren't waiting on line, or being put on hold, or getting lost in the shuffle. The faculty I've had have all been great. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Relocating was rough, but I just couldn't put up with the crazy wait. I'll have my RN completed before the University of Alaska would have let me take my first nursing course. And I've been pleasantly surprised by Albany, a very livable town.

Private Message me if you want more details. Good luck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Here's the generalized rule of thumb: the most expensive nursing schools tend to have the shortest waiting lists. It's all about the economic laws of supply and demand.

The waiting lists at community colleges and regional state universities are long because of the reasonably-priced tuitions. Therefore, everyone wants to attend these nursing programs due to the cheap tuitions. If these community colleges and regional state universities don't have waiting lists, they surely have ridiculous lottery-style admissions.

Maric College in San Diego, California has a very expensive RN program with no waiting lists or prerequisites.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I don't know about the main campus, but I didn't find Purdue University North Central hard to get into. I think they went largely on grades, there was no entrance exam (well so far anyway), and the program is quite good I believe. Added bonus.... we don't actually bathe each other in lab, we just bathe the mannequins ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Anyone know about Michigan Schools? I was planning on applying to MSU and no one told me there was a big wait.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Niagara County Community College Between Buffalo & Niagara Falls NY. No wait list, high Nclex pass rate, low tuition.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks everyone for your responses. I had heard that New York had some programs that were fairly easy to get into. It sounds like that may truely be the case.

I guess that makes since that the economical programs will have larger numbers trying to get in. Just wondering if there are some smaller community colleges that have not been over satuarated yet.

Wow, Alaskalala, that must have been quite a move to make. That sounds like a great program structure. I wonder if there are any other out there like it. It sounds ideal.

ThRn2b, do you think if my husband transferred his job there and we were tax payers we could qualify for residency any sooner or are they really strict about that? That's the thing I'm worried about the most if we move...having to pay out of state tuition.

Ontheroad, I hadn't even thought about having to bath classmates in Lab, thanks for the wake up call.

Thanks everyone, I will check all these schools out online and see what I can find out.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

Apply to a school that goes by rank.Then you will not get throw in the hat with the people who just "got by" and you will get picked because of the hard work you did in pre-reqs. Almost exactly the same amount of people applied to the BSN program and the ASN program in my area (around 150) and I got into the BSN because they go by rank (over all GPA, pre-req GPA, TEAS score, foreign language, past medical experience, local residency) and I was 72 on the waiting list for the ASN program which is a lotto...no one has dropped out of my program yet...but I know last year three people quit by mid-term at the ASN program...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro.
ThRn2b, do you think if my husband transferred his job there and we were tax payers we could qualify for residency any sooner or are they really strict about that? That's the thing I'm worried about the most if we move...having to pay out of state tuition.

From my experience, unless your husband is military, you will need to live in whatever state you choose for a full year before receiving in state tuition. Some states (Ohio is the only one I know) will allow you to receive in-state tuition if you are half-time status or lower, as long as you register to vote, register your car and driver's license, and prove you are making enough money to support yourself off of that state's employment.

But if you plan to go to school full time, you will almost certainly need to wait. You can check the states' Board of Regeants websites for residency rules for state schools to learn more.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg so far.
Here's the generalized rule of thumb: the most expensive nursing schools tend to have the shortest waiting lists. It's all about the economic laws of supply and demand.

The waiting lists at community colleges and regional state universities are long because of the reasonably-priced tuitions. Therefore, everyone wants to attend these nursing programs due to the cheap tuitions. If these community colleges and regional state universities don't have waiting lists, they surely have ridiculous lottery-style admissions.

Maric College in San Diego, California has a very expensive RN program with no waiting lists or prerequisites.

My community college had no waiting list, and admissions were on a points system. Points are given for co-requisites already taken, credits earned, GPA, NLN Pre-admission scores, and health care experience. You do get a couple extra points if you are a county resident, but if you have a lot of points elsewhere it shouldn't matter.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Roane state in Harriman or oak ridge Tennesse is my school right now. Its anout $1500 a semester. Associates degree 2 years and the best program that i know of in tennessee. just minimum requirements and a 2.75GPA. Its competative but with a 4.0 you will have no problems. Just a thought!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment