"pre-nursing" science classes vs. just getting a BSN

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Hello.

I want to be a psychiatric nurse. I already have a BA in a humanities field, with no science background at all. I came to believe that the best plan for me is to attend an accelerated bachelors program. So, I researched schools, and found four. They all have different prereqs, and filling all of them will take me about 3 years. Then, another year and a half of nursing school, provided I even get in.

My question is: wouldn't it be easier just to enroll in a straight-from-the-beginning BSN program at a 4 year college, just like the 18 year olds do?

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BSN programs require lots of pre reqs too. Mine is in all a 5 year program. About 65 credits of generals and 67 of the actual nursing program and clinicals. It's time consuming, but any rn program will be. The ASN programs will all take you at least 3-4 years to get through as well with pre reqs!

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I'm not 100% sure what you mean by straight from the beginning program...I've never heard of getting into nursing school without taking prereqs and going through an acceptance/denial process. A typical 18 year old at a 4 year college will spend 2 years taking pre-reqs and then apply to start the real part of nursing school and spend 2 years studying that.

A typical ADN student would spend a year or two taking prereqs, 2 years doing nursing, and a year doing a BSN.

There's not a huge difference...but different things work better for different reasons for different people. Ultimately, the cost of going the ADN-BSN route is best for me, even though it's taking me a bit longer.

Sounds like a bit more research is in order.

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Why would you want to retake all of the classes you already took? (English, Math, etc). I have a BS already and am taking my science pre-reqs and no way is it going to take me 3 years. I am working FT and taking 1 class at a time and will be done with pre-reqs in

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I'm also pretty afraid I'll invest all this time and energy into the prereqs and then won't even get into nursing school.

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It shouldn't take you 3 years to finish your pre-reqs. There are really no 'straight from the beginning' BSN programs, unless possibly some for-profit schools which roll your pre-reqs into your curriculum and charge you at least double what you'd pay for them from a community college. Start taking the pre-reqs and then apply.

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I'm also pretty afraid I'll invest all this time and energy into the prereqs and then won't even get into nursing school.

That is a possibility but you won't know until you try. Nursing schools are very competitive right now which is why they want you to have at least some pre-reqs done before applying. You'll generally need letters of recommendation from the professors as well.

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I have a 3.47 in my undergrad degree in art, an MFA in visual art, but I still have a really spotty transcript with a lot of failed or retaken classes. And I bummed around in community college for x years, and that shows. So I don't know. Maybe nursing schools will like me because I'm male? Or is the rarity advantage of that getting to be over and done with?

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I don't think men are more likely to get into nursing schools than women. If you do well in your pre-reqs, you shouldn't have an issue getting into a school. Volunteer work may help as well. If for some reason you have trouble getting into a standard school, for-profit schools are generally willing to take you.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.
I have a 3.47 in my undergrad degree in art, an MFA in visual art, but I still have a really spotty transcript with a lot of failed or retaken classes. And I bummed around in community college for x years, and that shows. So I don't know. Maybe nursing schools will like me because I'm male? Or is the rarity advantage of that getting to be over and done with?

Done with, I believe. But as I said, there are lots of options. Lots of schools have different criteria. Some only look at prereq GPA. Some weigh it more heavily than overall GPA. Some are more interested in entrance exams scores. Some love experience and becoming a CNA is key. Like I said, research.

If it's important to you, you'll make it there. If it isn't, you may not. Either way, it's for the best!

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You can't freak until you have all of the facts. I had 'eh' grades in my first undergrad degree (right around a 3.0), but I have a 4.0GPA on my pre-reqs. The program I am applying for ONLY factors your pre-requisite GPA + TEAS score when assessing applicants. So while I am afraid of not getting in, I am busting butt to make sure my GPA is fine on all the current stuff.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I should add that If you're going to pursue getting into nursing school, the time to become anal-retentive is now. Learn all your possible school's requirements and admissions quirks back and forth, maybe make a spreadsheet with all the classes you need to take, figure out what your GPA might be when it's time to apply if you keep a 4.0 from now on, read every forum on here, find blogs from students in your area and stalk them...you know, normal overly-competitive kid stuff.

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