envelope

After some thinking I've thought about becoming an LVN first since it seems to take only a year to finish and cost less than an RN program. I mainly want to get some hands-on experience first, and since eventually I'd like to get in into an entry-level MSN program at a somewhat competitive school my thinking is having some experience could help me get in there. (Could it? I don't know if I could get into an "entry level" if I've worked as an LVN, but even if I couldn't sure it won't hurt my chance of getting into an MSN program anyway?) On the flip side, I'm not sure if it's actually going to take longer (and cost more) if I'm using the LVN --> RN --> NP pathway than if I go straight trying to get into an RN program. Thoughts?

I've finally decided to go into nursing, but some of my prerequisite courses I took > 5 years ago. Now I'm just wondering which college am I supposed to go to to retake the classes. I've already gone to three colleges (one community college, two state schools), so I don't know if I should go to the same community college or a different one. I mean, if having three transcripts from three different schools is bad, will having four transcripts make things even worse... or will it not really matter much at this point? Plus, the only reason I'd like to go to a different community college is that I got a C in Freshman English at my old community college, and they wouldn't let me retake the class as long as I passed (and naturally, that was the only time I took an English class in college where I didn't get an A as a final grade). I'm not sure if I really want to go through orientation and all that stuff again, but I guess if that C in English would look that bad I have no real choice. Thoughts? ETA: Probably unrelated, but I don't want to make a new thread. Just wondering what nursing program anyone would recommend to someone with a B.S. in biology. I heard that an accelerated BSN program would be best, but I was wondering if it would possible to go straight for the master's. Ultimately I want to be a Nurse Practitioner, but as you can see I have yet to do my research and I don't know what I'm doing, and so any input would be appreciated. ETA 2: Also, why do they make us take the prerequisites if (it seems to me, based on some threads I've read in the Nursing Students section) if they're going to make us take the classes again when we're actual nursing students?