which road to take ( kind of long)

[jessicajordan]

I use to live in California but recently moved to Arizona. Im graduating High School this December and Im stuck trying to figure out what to do for college. I know for a fact that i want to go back home and be a nurse in California. My first option is to go to nursing school out here in AZ. The main problem is Arizona has a 2-3yr. waiting list at community colleges just to get into a a nursing program. Besides even if i get in really early once I'm done ill still have to get a different license to practice in California. Ive noticed with other people trying to do that complain about how they've been waiting months just to hear back, and how hard it is to do this.

My second option is to move back home and get an apartment while i go to a community college in CA I'm just scared that ill be very stressed and have a hard time juggling work, bills, and school. Plus paying for school and everything on top of it. But if i choose this Option ill start next fall semester in which case i should be able to save a lot by then.

I just feel as if I'm stuck going around in a circle trying to figure out if there is another option or if i should just choose one of these.It would really help if someone could tell me which one would probably be better. Or if you were in this situation what you did. Any feedback would really help and thank you for taking the time out to read this.

[sarasmith805]

I go to nursing school in CA. Before I applied people would tell me I should find something else to do because the waitlist was 2 years. I found out that was BS. Our nursing school based our acceptance on a point value system. I scored A's in anatomy, physiology, and micro and I scored really high on the Teas test so I got accepted into our program right away. I noticed the only people who get stuck on the waitlist are those who did not do well in their classes and scored horribly low on the Teas.

Good news is AZ and CA are similar so you can get your RN there and practice here in CA later.

So good luck!! I would suggest going to school where you have the most family and friend support because nursing school is very challenging.

[mrsboots87]

It sounds like you need to research your education path a bit better because you are misinformed (or at least it seems that way from the info you have provided in your OP). I can help a bit since I am currently an AZ nursing student starting in Jan. You are correct that the Maricopa Community Colleges have a waitlist. However, it has gotten longer and is currently 3+ years. But there is also Central Arizona College in Coolidge (about 30min drive out of Ocotillo/Chandler area). They base there admittance on a point system and have no waiting list. Beside the MCCD, most, if not all, of the remaining colleges have a competitive entry process.

Now here is were I think you are misinformed. You state that if you go to CA, you can be in a nursing program next fall (if I am reading that correctly). This is not correct. You are skipping a VITAL component to applying. The pre req course. All nursing program have pre reqs. Generally they include the main sciences (microbio, Anat & Phys, and Chem). In addition most require a math or 2, and then the gen ed liberal arts stuff (eng, psych, soc, and such). Each program varies on its requirements, but they will all require at least the sciences to apply, then some will allow for the remaining to be completed concurrently with the nursing program. So, before you can even apply to a nursing program, you will have 1-2 years of pre req course to complete, whether you are aiming for a program in Cali, or AZ.

My best advice would be to contact the advisors for MCCD, CAC, and even the BSN programs through ASU and NAU. There are others, but those 4 are a good starting point. You can also get application and admission requirements from their respective websites. Start your pre reqs in AZ where you will have the support from your family, and not have to work. Strive for A's so your GPA can be competitive. Get on the MCCD waitlist as a backup, then take whatever classes or entrance exams you will need to get into a competitive program.

I did also forget to mention 2 other ways to get your RN quicker through MCCD. They offer a concurrent enrollment program that partners with ASU, NAU, ad UofP. After getting on the waitlist, there is about a year of other courses to complete then you can apply to the CEP program. If accepted, you get into the nursing program the following semester after applying. This can cut your waitlist time in half. Also the CEP is taking you ADN and BSN course concurrently. You graduate with your ADN, sit for NCLEX, then finish your upper division credits within the next year to get your BSN. To be competitive in this job market, you will need your BSN anyway. The second option for a quicker path into the RN is to get your LPN then Bridge. Gateway and maybe one other college offer an LPN program with a 1-2 semester wait list and minimal pre reqs. THen after you graduate you apply for advanced placement into block 3 of the MCCD nursing program and the waitlist is 0-2 semester. This path will cut your wait time in half as well and you can start working as an LPN while completing your RN.

These are just the options I considered for my educational path to RN. There are others. WHen you get some time, sit and start researching all available options because you are heavily limiting yourself by thinking you either wait 3 years or move to cali. GL

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

Look into several colleges and compare different waiting lists and different admit styles. My program switched over from waiting lists to the point system. Many BSN schools already do it this way too where you will apply at the end of your first or 2nd year for clinicals. Ask how many spots and applicants they average. Also compare their NCLEX pass rate.

Some LPN - RN schools also have a waiting list. Also avoid the ones that cost an arm and a leg to go to.

One option I did was to find a RN to BSN program that partnered with my school and made it so I would have only nursing classes to get my BSN. However, I'll be going to a different school now.