BP63

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I've been in the IT field over 20 years and can't stand how unstable it is anymore. Even worse now that companies are sending everything overseas. It does seem to depend on your location though. From what I've seen so far here in CT there are 4 times the applicants then spots open every year so if you are not a straight A you aren't getting in.

I'm just curious how long it took people to get accepted into RN programs? I'm hearing the ratio of applicants vs the amount of slots open makes it very difficult and some people have to apply year after year.

The RN program at the community college is about 8 to 10k max for two years. 28k is a lot of cake. I'm finding it's near impossible to get accepted these days though.

I'm another one of those guys that has been in the IT field for 20 plus years and don't want to do another 20 years of it. I have been looking at this field because it has always been an interest to me. I always find myself watching the trauma shows, heh heh. Not to mention you can't send nursing overseas right? I'm constantly facing layoffs. After extensive research though it seems nearly impossible to get into a program these days. Average community colleges have about 400 applicants a year with 120 slots open? Plus the fact that I haven't been in any school in years, talk about pre reqs like Algebra? I couldn't add a fraction right now if my life depended on it. Sounds nearly impossible to get into this, at least in this state. Any comments/suggestions are welcome. Also if there is anyone in CT that would like to chat with me sometime that might help. Thanks.

I was suggesting the surrounding towns. Milford, Stratford, Trumbull, are all nice towns with low/no crime. As far as the New Haven Area, same areas are close by.

While I can not comment on the hospitals, two of the cities I avoid if possible are Bridgeport and New Haven due to their crime. If you work in either of these places I would not live there. The surrounding towns are much safer. The cost of living here is higher than many parts of the country but yes you can find rents for under 1000. I would suggest renting in a two family house type surrounding rather than an apartment building. That type of rent tends to be cheaper and more like you are living in your own home.

That's pretty much the info I was looking for, thanks. I was considering a medical career after 20 years of the computer business but after reading this site for a few days.... For somebody like me it will just take too long if possible at all. I'm looking at a year of pre reqs then try and apply to get accepted with all the competition from kids fresh out of school. I can certainly see why there is a nursing shortage. I think if you do the work they should let you in the program but it doesn't work that way. It's too bad for the people that feel this is their dream. Thanks for the response. I will look at some other trades as I'm mechanically inclined. Good luck to all of you. Brian

I have read tons on this site about requirements at different colleges all over the country. Can somebody run over the basics at nvcc? I know about the pre reqs there, entrance exam for the school, entrance exam for the nursing program. Are they looking for the high gpa's at this school? Is there typically a waiting list? Is there a high turn down rate for the 2 year RN program? Any info is helpful, thanks.

My nephew has a male friend who became a nurse and has been doing well with it for years. I had some very long conversations with him but he never seemed to mention all the math and pre reqs to get in. I'm still in search of the magical book that will make the math requirement clear to me but I guess the hard part is that I can't think of anything in the world I dislike more than math. I still have the orientation in a couple weeks. Lets see if that completely scares me away from it or not.

I am a 43 year old guy that was looking into changing careers. I've had a tough 20 years in the computer industry switching jobs because it's never a secure field, raising two children by myself for the past 12 years, (i know that's not normal for guys but ya do what ya gotta do). I am at the point where I hate the computer industry with everything now going overseas, the constant stress of layoffs, and it seems the only thing really safe is the health care industry. After a 10 day stay in the hospital for a bad gallbladder I became very interested in everything that was going on there. I started asking everybody about their jobs. They must have all thought I was nuts. I found a local community college that has a two year RN course and thought maybe that wouldn't be too bad. After all I'm a computer network engineer and I'm not stupid. I have to say after looking into this I'm amazed at how difficult it is to get into it. I am one of those people horrible at math and don't even think I can get through the prereq stuff. Algebra? Forget it. I'm still trying to learn it and go to a seminar in a couple weeks, have read some forums here, but have to say I just don't think I have the brains to do what you all have accomplished. I think I would love to work in a hospital but working all day and going to school at night would be ok except for all the horror stories I've read here, heh heh. Before computers I was an auto mechanic but that is hard labor that just doesn't pay. I should probably continue my search for another trade that won't go overseas. It has been interesting reading out here though. Anyway I just wanted to tip my hat to all of you that have gone through this and made it.