Questions about CSU Sacramento's BSN program

ALXiong · Oct 14, 2012

I want to give you a two cent answer. I am not an expert but I will be starting my program soon. I can answer some of your questions.

1. Once you are admitted to a Pre-licensure program at any universities, you are in a set schedule. You will take whatever classes they offer no less or more. And, you must pass all the classes at the scheduled term. Therefore, you will graduate on time. Due to the nature of the limited spots, it is why all nursing programs are hard to get into. They want to make sure all students who are admitted to the program are able to commit to it and be successful. Any drop-outs happen during the program. The school can not replace the slot with other students and they lose money by losing students as well.

2. I have a friend who graduated from CSU Sac two years ago. It took her 3 to 4 months before she landed a job as new grad at UC Davis Medical Center. I will say yes it is hard to get a job as new grad anywhere nowadays, but it is not impossible. There are a lot of programs for new grad RNs in greater Sacramento area and SF bay area. Those program give preferences to graduates within these area as well.

3. From my understanding, all programs offer preceptorships in the final term because it is your choice to expand your interest in specific area where you want to land your first job as a nurse. It gives extended exposure to the environments you want to work for. However, I may be wrong but it is true for school I am going to attend. It is also true from programs that I applied and got into as well.

Hope I answer some of your questions. Good luck! I am from SF bay area as well. I know how hard it is to just get the classes you need for nursing program. Hope you will be able to get them done very soon.

comeara · Oct 16, 2012

Thank you so much! :) I've been so anxious about nursing lately, you really cleared a lot of it up. Now I just hope I don't fail out of the program :shy:

I do have a few more questions about admissions if anyone wouldn't mind helping me out. I've contacted the school and scoured their websites but I'm still a bit confused.

I understand that the Clinical Nursing program has specific admission requirements - do I have to satisfy CSUS' general requirements as well? For example, do I have to complete all the CSU GEs?

Also, is the Transfer Associate Degree required? My school doesn't offer one in Nursing; the most similar degree we have is in Psychology.

And lastly, is it okay to have one or two pre-requisites in progress the Fall term before the program starts? I think I read somewhere that fall coursework wouldn't count but I can't find it again - just wanted to double check.

ALXiong · Oct 17, 2012

I am not sure I have all the answers. I will strongly suggest you to contact the admission counselor about those questions. However, I can still try to answer them. I didn't attend community colleges, so I do not have experience of transferring units and other stuffs.

1. I believe most Nursing programs are highly packed for each term. I read a lot of programs that strongly recommend you to complete all the requirements such as pre-req and general education. Therefore, once you are into the nursing program, you only need to focus on those nursing courses.

2. No. Associate degree is not a requirement for transfer into any nursing programs. It is up to you to obtain one or not. I might be wrong because like I said before I did not attend community college for undergraduate.

3. Some programs specifically require you to have all the pre-req complete before applying. Some will consider in progress work, but they prefer all the core- science courses to have letter grades ready such as Micro, Anatomy, Physiology, and Chem if require. It is a disadvantage when you have in progress courses. I believe a lot of school state that preferences will be given to applicants who have completed all their pre-req courses. It is your responsibility to check carefully where you are going to apply since each school has its own regulation and requirement.

crebs · Oct 20, 2012

I believe I can answer your questions as I've just applied to the program, and I went to the info session today. :) To be accepted to the Nursing program as a traditional Bachelor's nursing student, you will need to be admitted to the University. From what I understand at this point you generally have to have at least 60 units, as well as have completed all of your lower division GE courses.

Your Associates Degree does not have to be in pre nursing or nursing to be accepted to the traditional BSN program.

To answer your last question, yes you can have a few science courses in progress at the time of your application. I believe it's one science and one non science prerequisite. Double check the nursing web site for that information I can't remember exactly. Make sure you study hard and do very very well on your prerequisites. Good luck. :)

vickymarie · Oct 20, 2012

Hi there! I'm currently a second semester student in the CSUS program, so - the other replies did a good job of answering your question, but I thought I'd through my two cents in for good measure.

You do have a fourth semester preceptorship in the program, I believe it's over 250 hours? I don't have all the details, but I assure you, there is a preceptorship.

As far as not graduating on time - it all depends on passing your classes. You need a 73 or above to pass, and you need to average at least a 73 on your exams. I can't think of anyone in my class who wasn't able to advance to the next semester, though I'm not 100% sure. I can say that most of our class was able to pass, though, and we're mostly on track this semester as well. But - whether or not you graduate on time depends more on you than on the program itself.

I moved up to Sac from the SF Bay Area as well, and it was well worth the move. I'm much happier with the hospitals we do clinical rotations with than I would have been with any of the San Francisco hospitals.

I'm also not an expert on the job market out here, but I've seen a lot of variation - some people I met that graduated last semester got jobs right off the bat in the area. Others I've heard of from previous semesters were waiting 8-9 months before finding a job.