Please share your experiences! And what type of program should I apply/aim for?

[hmpark]

Technically I won't be applying to any schools until summer of 2010 and then doing the bulk of my applications in Fall 2010.

But I'm honestly clueless on what type of programs I should be aiming for; there are several types of nursing programs and I don't know if perhaps I am aiming too high (I was originally thinking of going for an ABSN or a type of masters).

Here are my stats:

I graduated with a BA in Political Science from UC San Diego but my GPA is pretty dang pathetic: 2.67.

I messed up quite a bit my freshman and sophomore year.

My prerequisites so far are:

Anatomy: A

Physiology: B

Micro: A

General Chem: B

Nutrition: A

Psych: A

Anthro/Soc: A

Stats: B

I'm taking the following Spring 2010: Ochem, Biochem and speech.

I also plan on taking the GRE's in the summer.

With these stats, what type of programs do you think I should apply for? I have considered the following:

- An AA at a local cc (cheapest yes, but the waitlist is incredibly long, anywhere from 3-5 years)

- A second bachelor's degree (fastest, I think. Most programs I've been looking into are 12 to 15 months long)

- An entry level master's

Ideally, I'd like to go for a master's program, partly because of my extremely typical Asian mom and partly because some of my nursing friends advised me to just go for the higher degree since I already have a BA.

However, I don't think my grades really cut it and I really have NO idea what the acceptance statistics are like for masters programs...or ABSN programs for that matter. I don't want to apply and have no chance and waste money on the applications (whyyyyy are they so expensive???).

Please, any input would be EXTREMELY helpful! I have a spreadsheet of literally over 70 programs and I don't think I can apply to them ALL, haha.

If you are applying or have applied or have gotten accepted, please share your experiences! I am so clueless and am a bit at a loss as to what I should be doing as I near finishing my prereqs.

THANK YOU SO MUCH in advance!!:redpinkhe

[frnzy]

Have you looked at traditional BSN programs? I've been looking at some in my state that would take about the same amount of time as an ADN program, but I'd have the BSN at the end instead of an Associates. (They're more expensive, though.) I, too, already have a Bachelors, and it seems like a step back for me to get an Associates. So I am going for the BSN programs, but also applying to the local ADN program just in case I can't get into a BSN or ABSN program.

[guiltysins]

I'd say the accelerated bachelor's would probably be the best idea and even try to look at some accelerated BSN/MSN degrees. These can usually be completed in about 3 years. Some schools don't look at your entire gpa and just consider your nursing pre-reqs so it would depend on the indivisual school. Where do you live?

[hmpark]

@frnzy - oo i never really looked into traditional bsn programs, i just assumed it meant "traditional" as in "not accelerated" and therefore will take 4 years, like it normally does to get an undergrad bachelor's degree. But perhaps that will be a good option for me to look into...thanks!! :)

@guiltysins - yes i'm looking into accelerated bsn/msn degrees also and 3 years isn't tooo bad. I live in CA but i am honestly looking everywhere for schools - east, west and anywhere in the middle. what programs are you looking into?

[frnzy]

i just assumed it meant "traditional" as in "not accelerated"

Some of the BSN programs I've looked into are 3-yr things. But more than a couple are 4-5 semesters (2 years). The Freshman and Sophomore years in these programs are gen ed (like writing and psych) and nursing pre-reqs (like Anatomy and Physiology). But the last two years are the clinical years (nearly identical to the ADN program I've been looking into). And most of them seem to require a separate college application for entrance into the "upper" level of the BSN program. Sometimes it's stated on the websites as "transfer application into the upper level clinical sequence" or something like that.

I'm not saying it's the right answer for you, I would just think it's worth your time to at least look at them. The downside to these is they seem to have a couple more prereqs for application than the ABSN programs at the same school. But you might already have those prereqs done; as each school is different.

[dalsor]

Wow! Reading your post reminds me completely of myself. I am a graduate of UCR with a 3.1(anthro degree, really screwed up freshman and sophomore years.) , and am kinda in the process of trying to figure out which route to take(I also have a huge list of schools). Send me a PM so we can talk more!

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

The general rule of thumb is all prerequisites are completed before starting the nursing program itself.

ADN is usually 3 years...

nursing school is about 30 months beyond general eds usually for a BSN. Add in completion of prereqs and the general eds and this translates into about a 5 year program.

ABSN is anywhere from 12-24 months.

I don't know much about the direct entry MSN route...