kate_ibl

Yes, the application process most definitely prepares you for what is ahead, but being a graduate the only thing I can say is to ease up on the application guidelines, I see so many LNA's and CNA's get looked over that have the potential to be amazing nurses.

OH that's funny, so you are passing judgment without actually taking the Teas v exam...? Well let me just bring you up to speed. *Cue dramatic Music* The teas is about 150.00 dollars, which is much more expensive then the Hesi's 30.00 dollars. Which by the way, I don't know what Hesi exam you're taking but the one I took was significantly more then 30 dollars, ringing in at about 90.00 dollars. Most nursing students take their Teas up to the three times a year, any more then that is not allowed. Seeing as you did awesome on your Hesi (Which is extremely less difficult then the Teas) you should be aware that, that is 500.00 dollars out of pocket, which is 470.00 more then a 30.00 hesi exam and 120 dollars more for someone who only took it once.

This thread is not to deter anyone who is already in their specified nursing school, but to broaden the horizons for the anybody who is thinking of pursuing a nursing degree. I have just graduated with my ASN and as most know the competition for a Bachelor degree isn't too "stiff" anymore, considering most just get their BSN through an online program or even continue on at the same school as their ASN. This thread is to allow the people who are pursuing their nursing dream to relax, and take some advice from someone who has gone through the program. If you were anything like me, you probably ended up pulling your hair out, just from the application process alone. Let me give you a little background about myself, I had attended private school my whole life, and graduated with my associates degree before pursuing a nursing degree. I had decided to go back to school a year or two after finishing my first degree (Yes, I know i am crazy) When I had realized that the nursing application was different than the other applications, i knew then, the competition was going to be extremely difficult. It isn't a secret that nursing degrees are in popular demand, but are they? Or is school just too difficult to get into. I was completely appalled by the nursing application process to just GET INTO the program. For those who are reading this, who are thinking about getting into or applying to nursing school, if you don't take anything from this article, take this... Get REAL good with taking difficult tests. In order to even be looked at or considered into the nursing program, you need to pass your TEAS v or some are required to take the HESI. I highly recommend getting the specific study guides for these exams, because they are not cheap tests to take, and the competition to get into school is becoming more difficult by the day. After taking this exam if you pass, you then apply to the nursing program, and send out your transcripts from high school and any classes in college that you have taken that could be possibly be transferred into your intended major. But, just be aware that this too, is a "money grab" because college credits are only good for a number of years. I work alongside RN's now who have been nurses longer then I have been alive and in order for them to go on to get their bachelors degree (Before 2020) they have to retake science courses for their ASN! These women, whose experience should speak great volumes does not speak at all! Even the Community College system requires ASN nurses to retake classes from their first degree. I find this very sad and degrading to any RN because they too, have earned their title. Now, getting back on topic, once you send out your transcripts colleges review them, which they do very specifically. Most colleges have a college grading requirement, which will tell you what you need for a letter grade to get into nursing school, for my school it was an 85 or better for science classes and a 75 or better in all non science courses. Most colleges and Universities, tend to stay around this given area. As for recommendation letters, I was required to have two, and it had to be from a superior of yours, whether work or school related, no family is allowed. I worked at a hospital for years before applying to nursing school, so getting recommendation letters was not to difficult. But, working at a hospital didn't do me much good anyway, so if you think working in a hospital will make or break their decision, think again. Most schools don't even take that into consideration, or at least ones on the East Coast didn't. Even though I had met all the requirements with flying colors, I still did not get in my first year applying. I only had one prerequisite class left to take, which I was going to take over the summer but this was not acceptable, because they required all my prerequisites to be done before applying. (Notice how I said they wanted their prerequisites done before the first nursing semester, but yet, this still did not matter because at the time i had applied, It looked like my application was incomplete over one prerequisite that I was in the process of completing over the summer.) Make sure you specify to your college when you are taking your last couple of classes so they can take this into consideration. most colleges want you to complete all of them before going into your first semester of nursing school, but like I said COMMUNICATE. The college wont communicate with you it is your responsible to communicate with them. You are just their money maker, and if you keep this in the back of your mind, you will be less apt to be played by the college system. The good news is, once you are in, you're in. No one can take that from you but, the application process, is less than easy. Like I stated before, this thread is not to deter anyone or change anyone's mind. It is to shed light on this situation, we need to empower each other, and stick together. I wanted to write this kind of thread because I wish I had someone telling me what I am telling you, now. Nursing is not intended to be an easy major, but the nursing shortage gimmick, is a joke! It is the application process that should be reconsidered because that is what deters anyone before they actually get into school. More colleges need to be aware of their application process, and then maybe we wouldn't have such a nursing shortage!