Elle71

Thanks for the feedback. This validates my concerns with the regular Ed. I would definitely get more support from the Special Ed teachers and the Paras. I wouldn't get phone calls for silly stuff from the general population. And yes, I'm going to need that mentor!

Help! I just received two job offers, and I need to make a decision soon. For the district RN position, I would be the only RN for 7,000 students. They outsource health screenings and have LVNs or health aides at the 9 schools. Now, I am a new grad. I may not want to be the ONLY RN in the whole district. The other position is to serve the special Ed population at 6 schools, I want to say. Higher acuity, but less overall population. And at least their are other RNs within the district, should I want to call one. And then the job that is further pays much more, but I'm going to try to make a decision based only on the actual job.

Whiteskyline, I do know RCC will prepare you well as they have high NCLEX pass rates. One thing you may want to consider is what hospitals are you interested in working at when you graduate? Serving clinicals, or getting an externship at a hospital of your preference would help you get your foot in the door upon graduation. BTW, if you roll through the old posts, I was the student that was struggling to choose between the opportunity to go to San Diego State VS applying to RCC. Well it's been 2 years and I choose to commute from Rancho Cucamonga to SDSU for 5 semesters and graduated last May. So while the commute to Saddleback can be done, it's no ball of fun. I sacrificed ALOT! And so did my kids. But it was worth all the hard work. My only regrets is that it was harder to network and participate in community activities. Bad enough commuting to San Diego just for school, I just couldn't put in extra time in San Diego to do all that. I diidn't even participate in the student nursing association locally as I was a member is San Diego. Just never had any connections locally here in Rancho. Maybe try calling the schools and ask what hospitals they are associated with? Although many hospitals have a preference for BSN, the recruiter at Sharp Grossmont in San Diego said they always hire a few ADN's from the local community college as they have an obligation to give back to their community. Good luck to you. You will love nursing school. Some of the best experiences ever.

Congratulations lvsk8betty on the pregnancy! I have a 17 mos and 8 year and I would love another one, but I start the nursing program next month, and can't risk it. I'll be 40 when I graduate, so I cherish my kids knowing that they are all I'll have!

BTW, a good babysitting option you may consider is finding a stay at home mother you know in your neighborhood. You can offer her a lot less than daycare, for doing something she already does all day. Also check out if the junior college where you are doing your prereqs at has a child care center. Usually the fees are based on your income level. And don't think for a second that going back to school is selfish. And of course, child care is not neglect. Many children enjoy the company of daycare. Personally, my son gets bored very easily and I think he would enjoy having other kids around.

I don't feel going to school is putting your baby on the backburner. True, you will spend countless hours studying. But as a full-time student, I spend much more time with my one year old than I ever did with my older daughter when I was working full-time. So going back to school was the perfect set-up for my baby and me. I used to cry leaving my daughter to go back to work. With my son now, I never cry when I leave him for school. I do miss him, but I am always excited to go to school and miss it now that I am on summer break. Don't feel guilty if you need to pursue your dream. Sure nursing schools will always be around, but things always come up, making it more difficult to go back to school.

I was one of the student's SDSU originally accepted. They offered us a spot at the traditional BSN on campus, which I am going to take. From all indications, San Diego is not going to have another ABSN program. However, from what I was told, Orbis is looking into creating a new ABSN program in California to be partnered with another out of state school, as they did with OU. The person I spoke to said it was easier to get approval with an out of state school. If you think about, if the chancellor of CSU did not approve the program, it probably won't be offered with any other Cal State. Did you guys get the email about the special program they have with Marian University? Pretty tempting, if you are able to relocate.

By junior college, I am referring to public school ADN programs. Private schools have their own set of rules...you should just call and ask. It is harder to get a hold of someone at the junior colleges, but many of them hold nursing info sessions.

Try getting a rolling backpack from Costco. They have satisfaction guarantee, which means you can exchange it if it doesn't live up to your expectations.

Every schol is different. One school I looked at with a point system straight up told us that B students will not get into the program. But some schools have a waitlist only, that means f you meet the minimum GPA, your guaranteed in, if your willing to wait 2 years. Try posting a new thread asking about the specific school you are looking at. Or search to see if there is an existing thread for that school.

There is no way the could require you to have a specific laptop. Demand for a list of specs required, and I bet you that any late model laptop is covered. I got my laptop for $399. Just comb through websites for their weekly specials. As far as the other fees, I wouldn't consider it to be expensive or out of the norm. Most of us plan on taking some sort of student loan to cover part of the tuition. As far as applying to other schools and waiting, how competitive is your GPA? Personally, I am going to start school on Aug. 30, at the first school I was accepted into. All the other schools would not let me apply till I was done with my prereqs, which means waiting till January or even next fall. Nursing programs are competive...I am not taking a chances by doing the wait and see.

Every school is different. Usually if a junior college says they have a wait list, the list is not dissolved. A wait list is different from an alternate list, which is dissolved once class starts. The school website should clearly state if you need to reapply every start. Some schools with waitlist require that you do some sort of update or confirmation to renew your wait list spot. Most of the junior colleges in Southern California have a 2 year waitlist, give or take half of year. And then there are some that are based on points that will not maintain a waitlist (based on GPA, etc.). And then some are strictly by lottery...draw your name out of a hat. Most BSN programs are just points, with an alternate list if someonce cancels, or is cancelled. By all means, most schools will tell you to apply to mutiple schools.

I'm sure they have on-site clinicals. There are a few schools that are blended online and onsite. Just check out their accreditations and see if they are listed on the BRN site.

I started my nursing prereqs last August when my son was only 6 mos old. Take it from me, you can do it. I quit my full-time career to make this career change...that was most scary because I was making more money than my husband. But he saw how miserable I was in my career, so I'm fortunate that he (and everyone else) is supportive. You need to stand your ground and shut down the naysayers. Understand that you will be sacrificing your family life as you know it, so make sure your fiance is on board and is willing to put in extra time with the baby. The most stressful thing for me is not the studying part--I don't mind it at all, it's finding the time to study because my husband is not the greatest at pitching in time with the kids. Organization is probably the most crucial component. My chem teacher used to say anyone could be an A-B student if you put in the time. It's been less than a year since I went back to school, and I was accepted into a BSN program that is to start next month. The school is an hour and 45 minutes away, but everyone that know me says that if I'm dedicated enough, to just go for it rather than waiting around for another school. People say that because they know me well enough to see me as a nurse. The people around you must not know what your all about, but don't worry...When you start school, you'll find a good support system in your peers.

I took a combine organic and biochem class. I found the biochem part much harder. The best thing you can do is go to the chemistry tutor lab every week. Something that could take hours to comprehend could be summed up in minutes. I used to just go in even if I didn't have a question. Having other chem students around me just fostered more learning. Also manage your time. Make flashcards so you can review if even for a few minutes. I used to review my notes before leaving for school, and then I would recite them out loud as a drove to school. I always got to school early, then sat in my car and reviewed them again. Find ways to squeeze in those cards!