morbidlycurious

@Beldar_the_Cenobite Hey Beldar, did you get your financial aid award letter already? I'm trying to figure out my financial aid stuff but can't seem to get any answers about anything. Also, congratulations on getting into nursing school ?

Pretty sure ATI only does one Critical Thinking Test, so i'm sure that you'd be looking at the same test that we did.

Actually a lot of schools ask for all prior transcripts from all institutions attended. Purposely hiding this information is considered grounds for dismissal. Otherwise, i agree with everything. LPN and ADN programs are great to get your foot in the door. And a lot of programs are much more forgiving than you would expect them to be.

Ho boy. So a lot of people on this site would tell you that yes, the job market is over saturated and employers only want BSNs. With that said, some of this will depend on where you live, but my opinion from what i've seen in my area is that the only jobs that are over saturated are the good ones. In other words, if you are expecting your dream job straight off graduation, well so does every one else your graduating with, and they will also be applying even though the employer probably only wants experienced nurses anyway. If you're willing to take less than desirable positions, or travel for work, then you will find it. Cast a wide net and don't be too picky to start off, and you'll gain the experience necessary for those better positions. As for the BSN -- you really gotta look into the job market near you. A lot of hospitals will say BSN only, but will hire ADN/diploma RNs under the condition that you get your BSN within three years or so -- often providing tuition assistance along the way.

That's great! I don't see too much information about the ATI critical thinking test online - glad that I could help ?

Mine are horrible too. For me, it seems like the only time that I can hold onto moisture from lotions is if I use baby/mineral oil afterwards. And even that is not a permanent fix, but it does feel like it adds a little extra extra protection from harsh soaps. I'd love to see how others handle this as well!

I have not decided yet either, but I will point out that the Classic III comes with a 5 year warranty, where the Cardio has a 7 year warranty. If you decide on the Cardio, you may want to spend the extra couple of bucks to buy it from a place that will engrave it with your name. There's a ton of these places online ( mystethoscope.com allheart.com ect) I've seen it mentioned on several different sites that it does not void the warranty. Those places tend to be a little more expensive than amazon, but a lot of them have a better selection. If not, the basic black Classic III is on sale for only 66 bucks on amazon right now. Maybe you can pick that up AND some sweet nursing shoes ?

I wouldn't take general chemistry unless 1. you want to go to a school that will only accept that particular chemistry class, or 2. you have biology or chemistry as a back up major. That being said, if you decide to take another Chemistry class, it will only hurt your chances IF you do not do well the second time around. I personally would focus on my other prerequisites instead, but if you feel that taking another chemistry class would help round out your education a little more, then I would lean towards Chemistry for Allied health. I've taken both Gen Chem 1&2, and then Chemistry for Allied health at a later date as a "refresher," and that allied health class covered all the topics from Gen Chem 1&2 PLUS some organic chemistry. The good thing was that it focused on topics that actually add to your nursing education - proteins/fats/carbs, pH, partial pressures of gases ect. If you've already taken Anatomy though, chances are that you already have been exposed to all this stuff. Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

I would apply to the program that's close to you. You never know what kind of financial package they might offer you. Also, with your pre-requisites out of the way, you may be paying less than 8k a semester if you end up less than full time anyway. I'm also a big proponent of attending a school that it closer because a lot of nursing schools are really strict with attendance, and depending where you live that 1hr in each direction could wind up being a lot longer when you add in inclement weather and traffic accidents. That's time that you could be studying, sleeping, ect. I would still apply to the other schools, but cover your butt and keep your options open ?

Fastest path to an RN license is an associates degree (think community college; also cheap) or diploma program (around 20 months), although I would only recommend one of those if it is offered at a hospital. Beware of any "tech" school, or at least look at their google reviews! You can skip the associate's degree (typically two year) and go straight for a bachelor's and get your RN license that way. Any of these programs will prepare you to take the N-CLEX. Search for programs near you, take a look at their pre-requisites as they might not be the same as your current school, and find out if you need to take any entrance tests (such as the TEAS). All of the school's will have different due dates as well, but do your research as some schools will take in students several times a year and you may be able to start sooner. I am a first generation college student as well (my parents didn't even graduate high school!) and I wish I had reached out for help earlier on. I am still attempting to navigate my way through!!

Check out the professors from your school who teach the classes on ratemyprofessor. Every school is different, but you should be able to get a good idea of how hard the class is by what previous students say. I wish the schools around here allowed general students to take patho or pharm. Here, you have to be in the nursing program first, so you're pretty much forced to take everything together.

I found microbiology to be a lot of memorization while A&P2 was more big concepts. LOTS of flashcards for micro, and flow charts for A&P2. I would take them together in the fall and nothing else. At least that way you'll have the extra time to let the ideas soak in, especially for A&P2. It's totally do-able. I'd get your easy classes out of the way over the summer so that you can focus on your hard sciences.

I've checked the uniform stores near me, and none carry white. The sales associate told me that this is because only nursing students buy white ? super helpful! You can check out any uniform stores near you just to see the fit of different brands. I'd buy 'em cheaper offline once you know what you're looking for. I did try the danskos just see.. and it felt like i was standing on two bricks. At this point, leather sneakers are sounding pretty good for me, but maybe you'll have better luck!

I believe that most schools want transcripts from all institutions attended. Even if you withdraw. I think that a withdraw of courses would look better than an F, but you are most likely going to have to be open about this either way. If you withdraw, it won't hurt your GPA. Plus anywhere else that you apply will see that the problem was at this school, and that you did well elsewhere. It seems that some schools are very accepting of situations like this, but it may depend on how hard it is to get into RN/LPN programs near you. If you think that you want to withdraw, maybe you can stick it out for a few weeks and learn what you can/see how it goes. May as well pick up a few things if you're going to receive a "W" grade anyway. And the tuition is already paid. Maybe you'll even decide to stay, or earn a good grade in some classes that can be transferred to another school. Food for thought ?

Dang. I am in near the same position, so my two cents is limited to my experience. What I did was first was checked with my state board of nursing, to see if my convictions will prohibit me from getting a license. Next, I talked to the nursing schools near me to see what their individual policies are. I live smack dab in the middle of a bunch of nursing schools and they all have different policies -- ranging from not being able to apply with ANY convictions, to needing to complete probation first, to a school that doesn't even want to know unless it's a felony. At this point, I've found schools willing to take me if I can get cleared for the individual clinical sites -- can't complete any programs without clinical experiences. Be prepared to explain your convictions. And if you do decide to persue nursing, remember that you're already starting at a disadvantage. You'll want to make yourself look amazing in every other way; high marks on perquisites, volunteer or cna experience. Anything to give you an edge will help. Wish me luck and I will do the same for you!!