There is just an amazing wealth of knowledge & valuable viewpoints that I find on this forum, so I was hoping to pick your brain for a minute on your thoughts about how best to get into nursing, if and when I am denied entry into a Masters Entry Program in Nursing. Here's my dealio:
I graduated in 2001 with a BA in Social Science. I recently decided on nursing, and am SO excited to begin. I will be applying to a MEPN program (also called Direct Entry Masters Program in Nursing - takes 3 years total to have my Masters and be a Nurse Practitioner) in San Diego to begin Summer 2005. However, this program is VERY competitive and I'm realistic at my odds of being denied. So here's my question - if I am denied, which pathway do you think is best (keeping in mind my urgency to be a nurse). In case this piece of information makes a difference in your thoughts - my goal is to be a nurse practitioner. So, if denied entry for Summer 2005 into MEPN, do you think I should:
A. Be patient, take more classes beyond the prerequisties (Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry - anything to prove my ability in handling the difficulty in these type of classes), volunteer/shadow, etc., - whatever I can do to strengthen my chances of acceptance for Summer 2006.
B. Begin a traditional second bachelors degree to get my BSN (this option also takes three years, but I will only have a second bachelors upon graduation). Fortunately I am likely to get accepted into this program, despite the fact that it's impacted. Longer road, but I would still eventually be an NP.
C. Get on the waitlist to a two-year ADN program (can only apply once prerequisites are done). This option doesn't make any sense to me given the waitlist and the type of degree that I would obtain upon graduation (keeping the NP goal in mind), but I'm open to your thoughts for anything that I haven't considered.
Many, many thanks in advance. I'm just preparing myself with options if I am denied to my first pathway to nursing!
