alecto

Hi, I'm also applying for Cuesta's Fall 2013 program (83 points on my app). At the info meeting a couple of semesters ago they said that for the Fall 2012 class they received around 250 applications and the average accepted point range was something like 70-75 (if I'm remembering correctly!). They seemed to be expecting more applications this year so maybe we'll need more points to get in, though I've been wondering if maybe the accredidation issue will actually discourage people from applying. I guess we'll find out soon!

Sorry, I should clarify on the GPA thing: There are a total of 100 points available on the Cuesta nursing application; 50 of those points are awarded based on your GPA for "relevant" coursework only. Of those 50 GPA points, you can get a maximum of 40 points for your Anatomy/Physiology/Micro GPA, and a maximum of 10 for your GPA in English 1A and whatever math class you're using to meet the associate's degree general ed requirement (typically Math 127, Intermediate Algebra). Full points are awarded for a 4.0 GPA, and partial points for a lower GPA (the minimum to apply is 2.5, though at the information meeting they basically told us that you can only get one 'B' between the three biology prerequisites in order to be competitive for admission). The full breakdown is here.

Hi! I'm a current Cuesta student applying to their nursing program this year. For admissions, they *do not* look at your entire GPA, only Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, and English 1A. And GPA is only a small part of what they take into account - TEAS score, volunteer/work experience, and foreign language proficiency are also heavily weighted on the application. Good luck on your science prereqs, I just finished the sequence this semester and it was tough! :) (Sorry, I have no idea about the CNA program - try Cuesta's allied health website.)

Hi Cruz, I'm a community college student applying to nursing programs this year, so I've definitely been in your shoes. First, about that 3-year-max timeline! You say in your first paragraph that you want to be an RN and then pursue your BSN - I should tell you right off the bat that this is probably the longest route to take if your ultimate goal is a Bachelor's. ADN programs are typically two years long (at which point you would sit for your RN licensing exam), and then RN-to-BSN programs (culminating in a BSN from a four-year university) are usually another two - that's four years total, not counting time spent in community college finishing prerequisites. Both ADN and BSN programs typically run about two years (depending on the school, of course); once you graduate from either you will be eligible to sit for your state's RN licensing exam. If a BSN is really what you're set on, the most direct path would be to finish both your general education requirements and specific nursing prerequisites at a community college and then apply to BSN programs as a transfer student. I'm sure you know how competitive admissions have become, so if this is the path you want to take I would advise meeting with a counselor ASAP (does your school have a designated nursing counselor?) to make sure you're on the right track and start racking up some healthcare volunteer/work experience if you haven't already. Most of your GE classes should transfer no problem from community college to a four-year, but you really need to seek out the articulation agreement for the specific BSN program you're interested in to make sure you have the right nursing prereqs - again, meet with a counselor, if you're not good at researching this stuff on your own they can definitely steer you in the right direction. Oh, and the TEAS test is increasingly becoming the standard entrance exam for both ADN and BSN programs so sharing scores between schools is no problem, and it doesn't really matter where/through which school you take the test. The only catch is that a lot of schools won't take scores that are more than a year old, or have weird rules about re-taking the test for a higher score within the same year. Hope this helps & good luck!