If I cannot get into a university should I look into private schools to get my BSN

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I am having a difficult time in finding a BSN program. I have been in community college for 5 years and did not get the best of grades when I first started. I have applied to Northern Arizona, Marshall University and U of North Florida. If I can get all A's in my 7 classes this semester my GPA will be at a 3.25. I know I am running out of options as many nursing programs deadlines have already passed. I currently live in California and am willing to go anywhere. I have emailed many public schools on the east coast and most dont take transfers or require a 3.5 GPA. I just started looking at private schools application deadlines and saw many weren't until April-July to get in this Fall.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on this topic.

I currently have 3 attempts in microbiology which also limits me in the schools I would be accepted into. (took it once, got a D, took it again with the same teacher, got a D again.. took it in my last attempt with a different teacher, got an A...)

I did get accepted to my local state university but I would not be able to take nursing there. I would have to get my BSN in human development and then after than do an accelerated program. If I could get into a nursing program though, I would prefer to do that then have to wait two more years getting a bachelors in something just for the hell of it, to then get to nursing.

Thank you for your advice!

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I'm sorry this sounds dismal, but your academic history just isn't going to make the cut.
This rings true especially in California, where the OP is located. It is one of the most impacted states with regards to nursing programs.

I know of reputable schools outside California that would accept the OP into their nursing programs, but the only types of schools in CA that would accept a candidate with such a checkered academic history are the investor-owned institutions of shady repute (e.g. Univ of Phoenix, Everest, Brightwood, Kaplan, American Career College, West Coast Univ).

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I knew if I was going to consider private universities it would end up being a lot more, I'm just not sure how many more options I have, without "throwing away" my 4 years at community college,

Other than, going to get a Bachelors in Human development, then do a accelerated BSN

This seems unnecessarily expensive. Getting your associates degree in nursing will probably take the same amount of time as getting a bachelors in human development, then you can start working as a nurse while doing an RN-BSN program. The cost would probably be ~$20K for the associates (2 yrs) and RN-BSN option (1.5-2yrs), vs the ~130K for the bachelors (2 yrs) to accelerated BSN (1.5-2 yrs). The timeline would probably be the same, but you would be working as a nurse so much faster by getting your associates degree in nursing first.

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Be careful if you find a school that will accept you into the nursing program with a lower GPA. I've read horror stories of people who start programs with less stringent entrance requirements (usually also high cost) then they can't complete the program because the tables then turn on them.

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Then if I got an associates then what kind of BSN program would I do? I want to assume maybe theres an Associates to Bachelors route? As I most often see either BSN or RN to BSN.

Thank you very much for all your information.

You don't have to have a BSN to be an RN, nurses with an associate's degree are also RNs. The transition from associates to bachelors is the RN to BSN you mentioned above. There are also LPN to RN (associates) and LPN to BSN transition programs. Another poster mentioned getting your LPN first but, most of the LPN to RN transition programs near me require a 3.0 in prerequisites so, you'd still need to work on bringing up your GPA or maybe retake some classes before

transitioning. If you can't get into any RN programs an LPN program might be a good option for you.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

There's some info missing from previous posts - the fact that GPA requirements are not just arbitrary targets to make it more difficult to get into a program. Those requirements have been established as a result of analyzing the characteristics of successful students. There is a direct positive relationship between pre-requisite GPA & academic performance in nursing courses.

This shouldn't be a surprise, because those pre-requisite science courses are the foundation for the development of clinical reasoning skills. It also should not be a surprise that the expensive "low threshold" for-profit schools have very dismal NCLEX pass rates & are more likely to lose accreditation as a result.

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Specializes in Neuro.

If you are willing to move, consider the Maricopa County Community Colleges in the greater Phoenix area in Arizona. Cost of living is much lower, tuition more affordable, good NCLEX pass rates & there is a concurrent enrollment program (CEP) where while you are completing your ADN your are also taking BSN program classes online at the same time. Come graduation time for your ADN, you can graduate the same semester or the semester after with a BSN through one of the bridge universities (Northern Arizona U, Arizona State, Ottawa U, Upper Iowa U, University of Phoenix(UofP)

MaricopaNursing Programs | Academic & Student Affairs | Maricopa Community Colleges

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I am not sure if you are still in the situation, I am new and don't really know how old this post is. But if you really mean you will go anywhere and have tried most schools on the east coast, try CCGA. College of Coastal Georgia. We have had a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX for like the past 8 years, and the competitiveness isn't too bad. My friend was told a 3.2 and decent Hesi score will get you in for sure. It is a BSN or ADN, and don't require prerequisites to be done here.

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I am not sure if you are still in the situation, I am new and don't really know how old this post is. But if you really mean you will go anywhere and have tried most schools on the east coast, try CCGA. College of Coastal Georgia. We have had a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX for like the past 8 years, and the competitiveness isn't too bad. My friend was told a 3.2 and decent Hesi score will get you in for sure. It is a BSN or ADN, and don't require prerequisites to be done here.

I was curious so I Googled this school. While the BSN program has no prerequisites (which is normal as they are included in the 4 years, but are done prior to the core nursing program) the ASN program does have the usual requirements expected to be done prior to enrolling in the core curriculum. Some things they allow as co-requisites, but there are also pre-requisites, and a grade of C is the minimum for all courses. If the competition has higher grades, they'll get in first regardless of the minimum, though.

The 100% NCLEX pass rate is for the May 2016 class ONLY, not the past 8 years (which have averaged 90%, still quite good!). HESI minimum score for application is 80%, this seems pretty generous to me, so that's a good thing for the applicant.

It's a public school so tuition is based on in-state resident status, but out of state isn't astronomical, just high in my opinion at a little over triple the in-state costs ($377 per credit hour). Application deadline for this coming Fall is actually today.

The website states that a maximum of 2 attempts are permitted for any course. The person posting this thread has 3. But since the info might be helpful for others, I'm posting this :-)

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I'm glad it's helpful! I am actually a student at CCGA for the BSN program. I just started my freshmen year. The cost for in state is only about $2000 ( a little more or a little less, depending ) so it is really a cheap to get your BSN here compared to a lot of other schools. For in-state of course. I will graduate debt free! Sorry if some of the facts appeared mis-leading, however when you stated the 100% pass rate was the 2016 class only is actually wrong. That statistic is for the ADN program. The BSN program has had a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX for the past 4 years:)

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I'm glad it's helpful! I am actually a student at CCGA for the BSN program. I just started my freshmen year. The cost for in state is only about $2000 ( a little more or a little less, depending ) so it is really a cheap to get your BSN here compared to a lot of other schools. For in-state of course. I will graduate debt free! Sorry if some of the facts appeared mis-leading, however when you stated the 100% pass rate was the 2016 class only is actually wrong. That statistic is for the ADN program. The BSN program has had a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX for the past 4 years:)

Well that's good news for you! Ok, so not 8 years, not one year, FOUR years. Which is excellent. I focused on the ADN program because the OP presents info that doesn't look like a BSN program would be right for her. Honestly, neither college-based RN program looks like a good option, so hopefully will find the right road to travel. For you, good luck! :D

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I started community college in 2012. This fall would be starting my fifth year if I stayed in community college.

I currently have a 2.9 GPA, and with taking 7 classes with getting all A's I would still only come out with a 3.25. My counselor said with the amount of classes I have and the ones from when I first started are lower grades, its harder each semester to increase it.

Since I haven't considered getting an associated in nursing, I'm not sure of any requirements - I'm sure I could easily find them online.

I'm not sure if this is done at community colleges, as I haven't heard of any community colleges around me, in Southern California that have associates nursing programs.

Also, I know one issue I have with some of the BSN programs is the amount of times I have retaken microbiology. California universities only allow one attempt at a retake, and I have three. I also got a C in anatomy and was told by some universities to retake it and theyd accept the highest grade, so I am working on getting an A this semester.

Then if I got an associates then what kind of BSN program would I do? I want to assume maybe theres an Associates to Bachelors route? As I most often see either BSN or RN to BSN.

Thank you very much for all your information.

If you don't know of any adn programs in the So Cal area I don't think you are doing much research. I'm in the San Diego area and we have 5 cc's here that offer ADN programs (swc, Palomar, MiraCosta, grossmont, Sd city). There are also several in the Orange County and LA area. Pasadena, saddleback, Santa Ana, and more. There are quite a few threads floating around this site about each of these programs. You're also taking the same boards as the bsn and get the same RN license, and many end up bridging to their BSN while working as it's a much cheaper route. Many community colleges partner with the universities in their area and graduates from their ADN programs can get admission into the RN-BSN programs, you can also do it online! To clarified RN TO BSN is going from your associates in nursing to your BSN. I'm not sure why there is so much confusion on ADN degrees. You will be the same licensed RN as someone with a BSN degree who has an RN license.

ADN programs however are not easier to get into then BSN programs. Sometimes they are actually more impacted and harder to get into and have high standards. Most of the so cal programs are on the point/merit system now. With your three repeats in micro it will limit programs you can apply to as most only allow one repeat. However it never hurts to talk to the nursing office and explain your situation and see if you might have a shot.

going the LVN route and then bridging to your RN after may also be a great option for you. I know some programs in San Diego don't even require micro as a per req but need you to be a CNA and have taken intro to pharm, med term, and anatomy or a body systems course. Don't give up! But you definitely need to do your research and exhaust all the options :)

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Larocquh,

I am currently attending Palomar. My counselor there told me because I have a total of 3 attemtps in Microbiology this pretty much makes me ineligible for just about every nursing program in the state of California. She printed out a website page of prerequisite requirements and just about university in California only allows 1-2 attempts at a retake. She also told me I wouldn't be able to attend at Palomar because of this. This is why I have searched outside the state of California. I even asked her if I went and got my bachelors degree in human development at CSUSM (that is what my classes met the requirements to get a bachelors degree in), could I then do an accelerated program in California. She told me no, because my prerequisites will still have 3 total attempts at microbiology. So with all of that information, I began to look outside of CA.

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