Question about applying to nursing programs

swansonplace · Jul 22, 2013

Apply to several colleges or programs. Nursing school is competitive so you should apply to several programs.

twigszoo · Jul 22, 2013

Yes you are correct. You first apply to the school, and then apply again for that specific program.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jul 22, 2013

It's a little less confusing if you think of a nursing degree as two separate parts: 1. Pre-requisites (academic courses) and 2. Clinical Program. You have to complete part 1 in order to be eligible for part 2, but it is not an automatic process. You have to re-apply for the Nursing (clinical) program even if you are trying to stay at the same university. Admission to the nursing program is very competitive, so you probably need to have some secondary plans in case you are not accepted to your first choice.

sesiliachan · Jul 22, 2013

Got it, thank you! I just don't want my first choice (the college I'm in now) to reply last. Then I'll have to accept the offers of the other colleges because they'll probably have a deadline :unsure:

swansonplace · Jul 22, 2013

Got it, thank you! I just don't want my first choice (the college I'm in now) to reply last. Then I'll have to accept the offers of the other colleges because they'll probably have a deadline

I know what you mean. Just have to apply to several so you do get in. Cross your fingers. Sometimes colleges do give preference to their own students.

priorities2 · Jul 22, 2013

OP, one comment that hasn't been made yet - there are some nursing master's programs with no prerequisites, like Yale. Also, there are some direct-entry 4 year programs that admit students straight out of HS. Otherwise the advice you've gotten is solid.

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 22, 2013

It all depends on the particular school you are applying to. With some programs, you apply to the college first ... get accepted ... and then apply to the nursing school at some point down the road.

With other programs, you get accepted into the nursing program as a first semester freshman -- so you need to apply to the nursing program as part of your original application to the school. Check with the schools that interest you and ASK THEM what THEIR procedure is. Don't rely on strangers on the internet who only know about some schools. What is true for their school might not be true for one of the schools that interest you.

Good luck.

madelynsmom · Jul 22, 2013

Extra question to tag on to this... when do you apply for nursing programs? I am doing my pre-req's now (if only I wouldn't have "known it all" 10 years ago and gone to school) and I'm curious if you can apply as you are taking the last of your pre-req's even if you don't have final grades for them yet.

Thanks in advance!

nursingstudentjess · Jul 23, 2013

This applies if you complete your pre-req's at one school and try to apply to another schools program. For most CUNY schools you have to attend the instituition for atleast 1 semester before you are eligible for the program. For instance you are a student at Hunter College you do all your pre-req's at this school and find out you did not get into the nursing program. If you then wanted to transfer to another CUNY school for example City Tech, you would have to be enrolled in the school for a semester and then you can be eligible to apply for the program. I go to a CUNY school too and previously looked into this for myself!

sesiliachan · Jul 23, 2013

Thank you everybody!!! :) I'll double check to make sure of course

And madelynsmom, it depends on the school. You have to double check with them. For example my school (Hunter College) only accepts people for the Fall semester each year. The deadline is Feb 1st of each year. Other schools however accept people fall and spring. And about applying before finishing your prereqs is possible for my school as long as you have 3 or 4 left and you're currently taking them.

priorities2 · Jul 23, 2013

^ Agreed. At my school, you needed to have 4 of the 7 prerequisites done by the application deadline, and you needed the rest done by a later deadline. At a different school I considered applying to, you needed 6 of 7 prerequisites to be completed OR in progress and you needed the last one done by a later deadline. It really varies by school!