questions about prerequisites in CA

dorkypanda · Oct 30, 2014

Prereqs take about 1-2 years to complete. You have to look at the requirements online at the specific programs you like. Typically they are micro, anatomy and physiology, two college English, psychology, sociology, algebra or higher, and a few others but it depends on the program. You will need to take a general bio course in order to take micro, anatomy and physiology.

if you're planning to do BSN you should take some kind of chemistry class, statistics, And etc.

Natanail · Oct 30, 2014

And am I going to study then in college or I must pass them before I enter the college of nursing?

dorkypanda · Oct 30, 2014

Oh you take the prereqs and complete them before applying to a nursing program unless they accept no prereqs

Natanail · Oct 30, 2014

Oh, I didnt know anything about it, so I cannot apply for nursing college before I take prereqs, and could you please tell me how long those it take to be a nurse if you also calculate the years for studying prereqs?

RunBabyRN · Oct 30, 2014

I've never heard of ANS. ADN is the RN degree in CA. A school trying to sell you on ANS is probably a scam. Here's a reference for nursing degrees:

Types of Nursing Degrees | Learn About Degree Programs

You will need to take your general ed and prerequisite courses in order to apply to nursing school. Your best bet would be to research the school(s) to which you plan to apply. Prerequisites vary slightly from school to school, so you'll want to ensure that you have everything you need in order to be eligible to attend.

In CA, prerequisites plus general ed courses take a minimum of 2 years to complete, and the nursing programs vary from 2-3 years, depending on your goal and the program. So you're looking at at least 4-5 years of schooling, even for an associate's degree.

Natanail · Oct 30, 2014

Thanks for your help,

actually im not studying in America and it will be my first experiment to study in there , thats why I really confuse when I here these things as the ways of studying in USA are completely different from Asia,And I really need someone to help me with correct informations,

As I am still confused, could you please tell me after my high school what should I do to study for nursing? ( I must directly apply for the college of nursing or first I must take prereqs , and if first I need to take prereqs, where can I take them? In the same college or?)

RunBabyRN · Oct 30, 2014

Thanks for your help,
actually im not studying in America and it will be my first experiment to study in there , thats why I really confuse when I here these things as the ways of studying in USA are completely different from Asia,And I really need someone to help me with correct informations,
As I am still confused, could you please tell me after my high school what should I do to study for nursing? ( I must directly apply for the college of nursing or first I must take prereqs , and if first I need to take prereqs, where can I take them? In the same college or?)

You'll need to take courses prior to nursing school. You'll likely have to apply to those schools, which will be completely separate from your nursing school application. Look at tuition rates for international students. I don't know about this first-hand, but I imagine they can vary from one school to another, so it would be good to do your research. Community colleges are often your best bet for your prerequisites and general education courses. Those courses will then transfer if you go to another school (in CA, you'll likely want to attend a university to obtain your BSN, rather than your ADN), or will go toward your degree if you go to the same school. You can do a nursing program at the same school, or you can go to another school if you choose. It's smart to apply to several nursing schools once it's time to do so, because they're very competitive. It's important to do well in your classes and earn high grades to improve your chances.

I hope that helps! Your school can help you figure out your general education courses and which ones can help you reach your goal of nursing. Again, look at the websites for the nursing programs you're looking at (the CSUs in CA are likely your best bet if you want your BSN) to learn which prerequisites will be necessary.

Natanail · Oct 30, 2014

So the units that we take in community colleges are the same as prereqs,

now I got :cat: :) thanks alot RunBabyRN you helped me alot

RunBabyRN · Oct 30, 2014

So the units that we take in community colleges are the same as prereqs,
now I got :) thanks alot RunBabyRN you helped me alot

Some of them are, some of them are not. Some of the courses are simply required in order to graduate from the school (courses like history, certain English courses, etc.), others are specific to nursing (anatomy, statistics, psych), but some of those may also count as general education. Kind of confusing, but it all works out. :)

Natanail · Oct 30, 2014

:)thanks again, by the way ,I have an other question too, do you know in california when is the time for new applicants to apply? Fall or spring?

ThatOneDude822 · Oct 30, 2014

Hi!

I'm currently completing my prereqs at a California University and I researched many different California nursing schools while I was applying for prereqs, so hopefully I can provide some helpful info to you.

Your best bet would be to get in contact with a nursing adviser at the school where you want to complete the nursing program. An adviser will be able to tell you exactly what courses you need to take as well as other steps you must complete before applying for their nursing program. Each school's requirements are a bit different.

Prereqs must be completed at either a community college or university before applying to a school's nursing program. These usually take 1-2 years. Some schools will also require you to complete your gen ed requirements as well. If/when you get into contact with an adviser, you can ask what particular prerequisite courses you must complete and they should give you a list. If you plan on taking prereqs at a college other than the one where you want to take nursing courses at (for example, you want to take prereqs at College X and want to attend nursing school at College Y) then just check with the adviser at College Y to be sure they will accept transfer courses from College X.

You may (or may not - depends on your program. Ask the adviser or reference the college's nursing department website) have to take either the HESI or TEAS exam prior to entrance to the nursing program. These exams just test your basic skills in areas like reading, grammar, math, science, etc. If you do indeed have to take one of these exams, there are also forums dedicated to preparing for those where you can get some more info.

Once you finish pre-reqs and the TEAS or HESI (if required), then you can fill out an application to nursing school. Some schools only accept applications for the Fall semester (application filing period is usually sometime around January to April) while others will accept applications for the Fall and Spring semesters (application filing time for spring entry is usually sometime during the summer). Again, your best bet here is to sit down with an adviser and make a plan. They will usually map out when you should take each prereq course, whe you should begin to study for the TEAS or HESI (if applicable), when you should TAKE the TEAS/HESI, and when you should submit an application to nursing school. They will also tell you what grades you need to get, the average grades/GPA of those accepted to the program, etc. so that you're prepared and know how well you need to do to get accepted. California nursing programs are EXTREMELY impacted so they are very difficult to get into. The application process is very rigorous and competitive, so that's definitely something you need to prepare yourself for in the mean time. Just remember to work hard and study, and remember that advisers are your best friends - they're always there if you don't know what to do.

Good luck to you!