pre nursing school question and advice.

[Callie Martinez]

So I went to keiser university today and yes it is very expensive I was going to go there for medical assisting. After talking to some people and my husband I have decided not to go there for medical assisting. My new plan is to do a cna class and do my general ed that is required for keiser at a cheaper school online. Then go to keiser for my major courses does that sound like a good plan for a nursing student?

[ag.wade]

I do not know your financial status, so I am going to answer this based on the fact that your nursing school budget is $10K-$20K. This "should" be enough money to attain a ASN or BSN.

First: Pick a few local programs where you would like to apply to nursing school. Make sure you are clear on what pre-reqs are required to apply.

Second: Go to a local community college to finish all of your pre-reqs (A&P I and II, microbiology, etc.) for nursing school. It may benefit you to focus solely on nursing classes and not worry about pre-reqs while in the nursing program.

Third: Once you have the pre-reqs completed, apply to your nursing school options.

I wouldn't worry about becoming a CNA, because once you're in school you will most likely want all available time to study or spend with your family. Plus, you will be a student nurse (i.e. - same job description as a CNA). If you need the income, that's another story...

I hope this helps.

[dp133]

I just wanted to add that depending on what state you live in there may not be any educational requirement to become a CNA (other than possibly a HS diploma). In Florida for example anyone can "Challenge" the exam. Basically you pay the fee to take the test and if pass you are a certified nursing assistant in the state of Florida. I mention this because there are schools charging a lot of money for CNA classes that you may not need. In Florida the company that administers the test, prometric has some great study aids on their website for free. I myself took a one-day "test-prep" class that cost a few hundred dollars but it was only a few hundred bucks and that included my BLS certification and some on-line CEU's so it wasn't a bad deal. I'm also currently enrolled in a ADN RN program at a local community college. The public schools are usually much cheaper than the private schools and sometimes have better programs.

To echo what the previous posted said - Do yourself a favor and research all your options. Keiser may be a great option for you but make sure you've explored all the others before making a huge commitment of time and $$$.

Good Luck