Pre-nursing student distress!!

NICUmiiki, DNP, NP · Apr 27, 2012

Each school is different. Not all schools have waiting lists and applicants have to reapply if the don't get in (All of the programs near me are like this.) you should call the schools your interested in for info because we can't give the the answers you want.

ginna121 · Apr 27, 2012

My school dosent have a wait list either. We have to reapply every semester if we dont get accepted but every school is different. Call the schools you are interested in and they can tell you how they run their rn program. Good luck to you:)

EllTee2B · Apr 27, 2012

I can only speak for California. But out here every nursing program is impacted and tough to get into. Out here some community colleges have wait lists that are pushing 3 years. However, the universities, which are based on point selection, have no wait list but are tough competition to meet the point cutoff.

dm61 · Apr 27, 2012

Hi

Don't Panic. It really depends on the school. Get the highest grades you can in your pre-requisites this way you will be picked quicker. In my school, they start from 4.0 down to 3.0 which is the lowest GPA for pre-reqs that will be accepted. So, lets say you have a 3.8 pre-req GPA, your chance of getting picked first for the 100 seats available for that semester is pretty good. I think this is what you mean by waiting list because that's what we call it. Call your school and see how many seats they fill at applicatino time for Nursing 110 and ask how they pick you. My school is a combination of GPA and the NLN. Good Luck !

mikeicurn, ASN, RN · Apr 27, 2012

My school didn't do the wait list. They take 40 a year, and they are chosen through a point system which includes several things including how many of the co-reqs you have completed. The main deciding factor is you ACT score. You will have to decide which school you are interested in, then see what their policy is.

Good luck.

1waitingpatiently · Apr 27, 2012

I'd contact the schools you are interested in. And yes, apply to multiple programs. I have decent grades but not 4.0 and I got into all the schools I applied to, first time applying. Ive heard many horror stories of straight A students getting denied, but now, I hardly doubt they are true. Its just about doing well in your classes and applying to multiple schools. Oh and keep a calendar of all the deadlines!

whattodo4 · Apr 27, 2012

OP, we are about in the same situation finishing up prereqs, about to apply etc... I know its nervous and aggravating as heck I hate being called a "pre nursing student" I want to be called a "NURSING STUDENT",

Anyway I would not rush into LPN right away unless finance dictates you must, that is if you need a full time job right then and there. I would apply to nothing but RN 2/4 yr programs,if rejected take a few classes and apply again, IF rejected a 2nd time then consider the lpn route.

mikeicurn, ASN, RN · Apr 27, 2012

The program at my school was a mobility program. After you finished your pre-reqs, you started in the program. After the first year you had the option to take the nclex-pn and become an LPN. At that point you could either exit the program, or come back for a second year to become an RN. It was not mandatory to become an LPN. If you wanted you could just come back in the fall and start the RN portion without ever becoming an LPN. Existing LPN's could also enter at that point and go for one more year to become RN's. I went for one year, became an LPN and started working, then came back and did the second year and became an RN while working as an LPN. Some of the other schools around here have separate LPN and RN programs. You will have to check the programs you are interested in and see how they work.

OnMyWay23 · Apr 28, 2012

It is going to depend on the school and the area. Right now, the nursing schools here this year have open seats and are looking for people for the programs. Only one has a waiting list and it is one of the Community Colleges. I agree with calling or talking to someone at the schools of your interest and see what they say. Go from there. Personally I decided to go straight for the RN and skip the LPN. I found the LPN schools here were very very expensive!

WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN · Apr 28, 2012

As others have said, every school does admissions a different way. You need to look up what schools you would be interested in, go to the SON section of the school website and look up how admissions is done. If there's no information on the school site, call.

In my area, none of the schools implemented waiting lists, one school added more requirements which deterred many people (including yours truly) from even applying, and the two schools I applied to had complicated points systems.

If you can help it, go right to RN. I don't know how it used to be, but LPN's do not get hired in hospitals in my area, any LPN's that were able to keep their hospital jobs are required to have their RN by a certain date or they will be terminated. The big places to get an LPN job around here are in LTC facilities and the nearby correctional facility. I was going to apply to the LPN program, but I found out that it was more rigorous and more expensive than any RN program in my general vicinity.

Good luck! If you have confidence in yourself and do your homework, you'll never go wrong!