Pre-Nursing Student (TX) needs advice on what track to pursue :)

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Hi,

First of all, thanks for taking the time to read & comment on my post! To give you some background information on myself: I am currently a student at The University of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin), but was rejected :down: from enrolling in their upper-division BSN program last year. So, I have defaulted to my back-up plan and am graduating with a bachelor's of science in a closely related major this year :up:.

I have done some research and spoken to several other BSN students, who suggest I re-apply since my grades have gone up and because acceptance varies on the competitiveness of the applicant pool. I do have all my pre-requisites, but in the event that I do get rejected again...I would like to get the ball rolling on becoming an RN. It is my dream to be a nurse :), and eventually a nurse practitioner!

With that said, I have looked at various programs in Texas (where I would like to stay), and am weighing the benefits of each. I am willing to pursue either an ADN, BSN, or AE-MSN, but am having trouble :confused: figuring out which is the best option for me based on factors such as: location, costs, time, program requirements, and strength of the program.

For those of you in Texas who know about these programs (requirements for admission, reviews, etc.), or those who know about the benefits (aside from career advancement/promotions) of having an ADN vs. BSN vs. MSN, please feel free to comment with any info. you have!

Here are some of the programs I am interested in:

  • UT-Austin Alternate Entry Master's in Nursing (AE-MSN)
  • Austin Community College (ACC) ADN Program
  • Texas Tech Accelerated BSN
  • Texas State BSN (accelerated?)
  • Texas Women's University BSN
  • The University of Texas-Pan American BSN program
  • South Texas College (STC) ADN program

Once again, THANK YOU! for your time. I look forward to hearing from you all.

Best,

JT :redbeathe

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I had my BA already when I went to nursing school. The school I was at did not have a nursing program, so I just finished up and then looked into nursing school. I did a 12mo acell BSN program. I highly recommend it. You will then have a BA and a BSN, and get done in one year! If this is an option for you it was the best for me. You would have to not work though as it will take up all your time, and can be pricey. Good luck!

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It does sound like an accelerated BSN would be a great option considering my background, and it would get be closer to where I eventually want to be faster. Hmm...I am just having trouble deciding where else to apply since all the programs I am interested in have different requirements. Thanks for the input and the good luck wishes! I appreciate it! :)

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Well if your ultimate goal is to go on to NP you should probably get your BSN because if you get ADN dont you have to go back to get BSN and then go back to get MSN?

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True! That's one of my main dilemmas...should I keep going upward (get a BSN or AE-MSN) so that I don't have to worry about much more schooling later on, or should I get an ADN (easier for me to get into an ADN program) and then work my way up over time (potentially saving more money, but not time...). ::sigh:: I just don't know what to do :/! Thank you for your input in helping me decide!

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I am in a similar situation. I have a BA in Bio and an MPH in Epidemiology and have decided to re-direct and become a nurse practitioner. Both of my previous degrees were funded very heavily through student loans, so I am trying to keep from borrowing money while in nursing school. That said, what I have decided to do is get the ADN (as community college is so much cheaper) and then do an RN to MSN bridge program at either TWU or UT Austin. That way I can get to work as fast as possible and work my way through grad school as a nurse. This will help me keep from obtaining additional loans while allowing me to meet the nursing experience requirement for the MSN NP programs (one year for TWU and two years for UT). My understanding is that at TWU you can start taking the bridge classes (totally online) prior to completing the experience requirement, just have to have completed one year of full time work as a nurse prior to beginning clinicals for the NP. I believe the same is true for UT Austin. I will be starting the 16 month ADN program at Brookhaven (Dallas County Community College) in the fall, so unfortunately I can't give you any advice based on personal experience. Just thought I would throw out my solution to this dilemma.

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What about UT Tyler or Houston? They are all different in terms of how hard it is to get in.

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May I ask what your GPA was when you applied to the upper division classes? I am getting freaked out of what my GPA should be when I do apply, everyone keeps telling me to just keep volunteering :( I don't know if that will be good enough though..

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Some schools will consider an ADN for a Nurse Practitioning program as long as you have a bachelor's degree in any subject. Example: Samuel Merritt.

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Hi, sorry for the late reply, but thank you very much for your input. Actually I spoke to an advisor of the program I was rejected from and they suggested I take the ADN route and bridge over to a BSN later on. So, your plan of action is very sound and makes a lot of financial sense. I have (since my post) decided to apply to multiple programs in Texas (ADN, BSN, AE MSN), so all I can do now is wait for the admissions decisions. I hope everything is going well for you, and once again, Thanks!

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May I ask what your GPA was when you applied to the upper division classes? I am getting freaked out of what my GPA should be when I do apply, everyone keeps telling me to just keep volunteering :( I don't know if that will be good enough though..

Hi, Sorry for the late reply. My GPA was decent at the time, but I have since improved it (there is always room to improve, unless it's at a 4.0, which I did not have). Also, UT-Austin's BSN admissions looks at 3 GPA areas: Science GPA, Pre-Nursing/pre-requisite coursework, and overall UT GPA. If you have questions about your application or the process, I suggest going to an academic advisor. They are able to evaluate your current progress and offer advice on how to be competitive in the application process. Also, be sure to volunteer (in a health care setting) to show you are interested and know what nursing is about. : ) Good luck!

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