justwanttohelp12

Everyone I know that met the minimum who applied to CSULA's CEP was accepted. This was from 3 of the 10+ programs that are partnered with CSULA. I was one of them, but I turned it down because simply put I didn't want to physically attend classes for my BSN and it costs like $15k more than your typical RN-BSN. These programs need students because who else will pay their outrageous tuition fees? I know APU's CEP accepts literally everyone who meets the minimum requirement. I'm glad you asked if the program is full time or not! Most people aren't aware that it can prevent you from working after getting your license. At least for CSULA's program, you take two BSN courses each Summer for the first 2 Summers during your ADN program then you'll be a full time student for the remaining year. I'm not sure if they'll allow you to go part-time, but I can ask my friend who is in the program right now. An ABSN program will take 15-24 months while an ADN program will take 4 semesters but you can do your BSN online while you work as a RN (that's my plan). I currently work at a large hospital in LA as a tech who still hires ADN if they are actively pursuing their BSN/MSN. Many of the nurses who I've spoke to say that I'm "in" as far as getting a RN job after getting my license so I feel fairly confident as opposed to my classmates who are not working. They also say that the BSN is mostly "BS" lots of online discussions and APA essay writing, but it's becoming a requirement because studies have shown that BSN trained nurses are more competent (also BS but you can read about it yourself lol).

Maybe I can offer some advice as I was in a similar position (UC grad wanting to switch to nursing who considered ADN vs ABSN vs MEPN and currently reside and attend nursing school in LA). 1. Get your prerequisites done before even considering ADN vs ABSN vs MEPN. Students underestimate the difficulty of getting into these classes at the local CC especially as a post-grad student. You're at the bottom of the totem pole in terms of registration. When I took my prereqs some years ago, there were always 10+ students trying to add for each of my "big 3" courses. I'm sure its become even more difficult now with the trend of everyone moving towards a career in healthcare. 2. Avoid adding more debt. You already have $50k debt from your previous degree. There are only two ABSN programs in California that cost less than $50k in tuition (CSUN and CSULA), and they are extremely difficult to get into so don't put all your eggs into one basket. You need to consider living expenses too. Sadly, younger individuals don't understand the crippling effect that debt has on their life until it's too late. 3. Going back to #2, go the ADN route then do RN-BSN. Many students are misled by what they read on the internet. Yes, most hospitals in large cities are moving towards BSN only, but some of them will hire you on the contingency that you'll earn your BSN within x number of years. There are some BSN graduates who are having difficulty finding a job as a new grad even 6 months of school. Having a BSN DOES NOT guarantee you a job, do you want to be the BSN graduate with $100k in debt? Plus, if you're a permanent resident of California your education at the community college level is covered by government grants. I pay roughly $40/semester for my nursing degree so I cringe when people tell me that they're going to spend $100k for the same education. 4. Going back to #3, most hospitals will prioritize hiring internal applicants over outside applicants. Most people who have difficulty securing their first position is because they never networked outside of their clinical rotation. My advice for you is to find a part time position as a CNA or PCT while doing your prerequisites, apply to ADN programs, apply for the CEP at CSUDH, CSUN, CSULA, or APU (literally so many options) then you'll be considered a BSN applicant for most hospitals when you get licensed. You'll have a good chance of getting hired at whichever hospital you worked as a tech. I spent quite a while researching these things when I was thinking of changing my career to nursing. I have learned a lot about the "BSN only 2020" while in school and talking to nurse managers during my rotations. Feel free to PM me if you want to get into specifics.

Here's how I would consider which school to attend: 1. Ask yourself, where would you like to work after graduation? Is it in San Diego or Long Beach? You'll most likely network with the staff in your clinical placements. 2. They're both a CA state university so tuition should be similar. What about COL? I would think the COL is higher in San Diego. Also, Long beach is more city-like if that's what you're into. You can drive 20-30 mins to LA but I'm not sure if that's possible in San Diego. 3. How about academics? I don't know of anyone going to SDSU for nursing, but I do have a few friends that graduated from LB's nursing school. Most of them we're content with the quality of education at LB, but many of them complained about ATI. ATI content is self-taught, and you have a proctored exam at the end of every semester. If you're a poor test taker, it's something to consider. CSULB is clear on what they expect from you on ATI exams (you can probably google it like I did). They will rank students based on their ATI scores for senior preceptorship. At the end of the day, a RN is a RN. Your employer could care less where you got your license as long as it's from an accredited school. It's more important for you to consider clinical placements and networking at this point. Personally, I would choose Long Beach just because there are a lot more opportunities post-grad around the LA area. Also, I believe CSULB is partnered with Long Beach Memorial Hospital so if you're at the top of your class then you have a high chance of getting a job with them even before getting your license.

It totally depends on your time management skills. I took physiology and microbiology together along with two other GE classes. I held the highest grade in my microbio class and I was somewhere in the top 10% for physio. Most counselors don't recommend taking them together because it can be an overwhelming amount of info, but I thought the two classes paired up perfectly. Some of the information that you'll learn in microbio will show up in physio so it's like you're studying for both classes at the same time. For example, the immune system is part of both classes. You'll learn about the organs involved in the immune system in physio then in microbio you'll learn about the cells and how they work to fight off infections. Honestly, I would hate to keep "relearning" the same material over and over; it gets redundant.

I think your son is better off staying in California and doing his "prenursing" courses at a community college. No need to spend $1k per course at UoA when that's the tuition for a whole academic year at a junior college. In my experience, all (if not most) prenursing courses are transferrable to 4 year universities in and outside of CA.

The only difference in terms of courses required for ADN vs BSN programs around L.A. county is literally 1 or 2 courses extra. Most CSUs want the 2nd semester of the combination chemistry and statistics in addition to the common prereqs. You can take both over the Summer. So, I'm not really sure what you mean by having to "start over." You can just apply for Spring 2019 while completing your 2 prereqs during the Summer semester since applications for Fall 2018 are already over. You'll need to apply around September-October for most ADN programs anyway.

Take your prereqs at a community college if possible. I was able to take 7am classes while working in a full time 2nd shift position. I'll assume you have a regular 9-5 job. You can definitely take evening courses after work. Take the TEAS/HESI exam after you finish your a&p courses. Then apply to ABSN programs if your finances allow for it. If not, CCs are cost-efficient and most CCs have concurrent enrollment agreements with 4 year universities to obtain your BSN within 1 year of graduating from the ADN program. Avoid LVN programs unless there are no other options.

Does anyone know if Rio hondo utilizes ATI in their curriculum?

This advice might not help, but I would say go with the most comfortable option. Also, consider your networking opportunities when choosing a school. If you can attend a BSN program for cheap then you should definitely go that route. I would avoid SMU's ABSN because of the cost + I have heard that the school is really only interested in your tuition. Call me crazy but I chose an ADN program over an ABSN program because I wanted to avoid living on loans. Sure, you might finish a year earlier, but it'll take at least a few years to pay all your current + ABSN debt. I qualified for the BOG fee waiver so all my ADN classes are free! Also, I'm currently enrolled into a concurrent BSN program where I'll take a couple BSN courses over the summer. Around 1/3 of my cohort are currently working in big name hospitals around the Los Angeles area while going to school. You bet their hiring manager would hire them as a RN internally over an applicant with no experience and a BSN. In the end it comes down to your financial situation and "who you know." If you can do a traditional BSN while working as a tech/aid at an acute hospital then that should be your #1 option.

This post is absolutely all the info OP needs. There is no point in spending more money on a degree you wouldn't utilize. Most ABSN programs cost upwards of $50k so yeah I would definitely go for the BSN if possible that way you can still get grants towards your BSN.

I have some free time so I'll answer your questions to the best of my ability. I'm a current nursing student in California who turned down an ABSN program in favor of an ADN program. I had a BS in Biology from a UC just like you. I'll explain why at the bottom. 1. If a MSN is your ultimate goal then I'd suggest doing an EL-MSN. It'll take 2.5 - 3 years to complete. Essentially, you'll complete your BSN within your first 12 months during the program. 2. In California, I have been told many hospitals won't even look at your applications without a BSN. This is simply not true. It might be difficult to get into a new grad residency program without a BSN, but jobs are still available for those who are not picky. I know some recent ADN grads who didn't have trouble finding a job and some who did, and the same for people with a BSN. Correct me if I'm wrong, but a friend of mine said that many hospitals in Florida are still hiring ADN nurses as long as they sign a contract to obtain their BSN within a certain span of time. I think the most important factor is networking/connections when it comes to finding a job post-grad. 3. Some hospitals give a small differential for having a BSN. In California, it's usually 50 cents - $1 more per hour. 4. I can't really answer this question yet as I am still a student For me, it was either a 24 month ABSN program or 2 year ADN program + RN-BSN online or RN-MSN. I was tempted to do the ABSN program, but the cost kept me away from it. The ABSN program would've cost $80k which included tuition and cost of living. Meanwhile, the ADN was tuition free (I just have to pay for books, supplies, uniforms, etc) and RN-BSN costs $15k. The ADN to BSN meant taking an extra year but I will save over $50k to put towards my MSN education. There are a few RN-MSN programs in California that only costs around $40k tuition the last time I checked so that's a viable option too. I'm currently working as a CNA at one of the hospitals around LA. My "grand plan" is to have the hospital hire me internally once I get my RN then I'll do the RN-MSN while letting the hospital pay for a part of my tuition as I go. This route is more affordable and "safer" in my opinion. There are too many BSN grads with six figure debt who have trouble finding jobs -- I didn't want to be one of them. I guess my point is: if you can afford to go EL-MSN then do it. If not, there's nothing wrong with going RN->BSN/MSN, especially if you have a family/need to work while going to school. I have seen plenty of single parents go the slow route and are able to find jobs at hospitals even in a competitive area like Los Angeles.

For those that have short commutes, how many of you are actually located in big metro cities like Los Angeles? Because I feel like that is the trend here. Bigger cities = more traffic = longer commutes.

It's your own personal choice. It depends on how you value your time vs money. If you can get into a low-cost ABSN program like CSULA's (estimated at $33k total cost) then it's a no brainer to go the ABSN route because you can essentially save 1-1.5 years and recoup the difference by working earlier. Why not apply to both types of programs and decide once you're actually admitted? Yes, you can get a job with "just" an ADN. It may not be your first option, but you will find work as a RN.

I grew up in Los Angeles. I personally know a handful of individuals who regret attending USC/UCLA/Cal for it's "prestige," especially when their main goal was to get a nursing degree anyways. Even if you graduate from one of those schools, earning a degree in communication/gender studies/anthropology/psychology or similar will not land you a decent salary to pay back your student loan debt - a fact. Some of these individuals successfully entered into ABSN/ELMSN programs whereas other individuals are struggling and limited with a "useless" degree and low GPA from their very prestigious school. My advice to you? Do it right the first time around.

Anyone move off the waitlist? It's awfully quiet here.