Should I complete an LVN program while on the waitlist for RN in San Diego?

U.S.A. California

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Here are my stats: 24, stay at home mother of 2 and part-time student. I will be finishing my last science prereq in March. I plan to get on the following waitlists in April: Southwestern, Grossmont, City College.

Here are my options for what I could do while on the waitlist:

1. Finish my Bachelors degree at University of San Diego (not in Nursing :( )

2. Complete an LVN program (1 year)

3. Work as a CNA while finish my Bachelors degree on line at NU

Right now, the LVN option seems very appealing, as I could then do a bridge program and knock a year off my RN. But perhaps a Bachelors degree is more valuable??? I don't know, I feel so lost.

What would you do?

My advice as a career switcher is to forego the BA for now, get your LVN if you are for sure going to be on a waiting list for 1-2 yrs. That way you can work registry or for a great employer like Kaiser who offers to pay for your education and gives union represented employees a stipend to pay for 1 day off of work when in FT school.

Either way you will have a back up to make $$$.

you are young so don't sweat it-just make sure you have time to study about 40 hours a week while you are in school

Good Luck

Thank you to everyone who took the time to reply to my post. All your responses have been extremly helpful. :)

Specializes in Day program consultant DD/MR.

IMO I would get the lvn you may not have your dream job as an LVN but you will be working making decent money and in a field (hopefully) you love. I am starting the ISU distant LVN to RN BSN program. I don't have any pre rec's right now so it will take me about 3-4 yrs to complete but in the mean time I have a job I really enjoy. If you complete the LVN program and continue on with your pre rec's ISU may be an option for you to get your RN BSN if you are still on a wait list for other colleges. Alot of ppl think that LVN is a waist of time but in my area there are many opportunities not just in LTC/SNF but sub acute, clinics, and even teaching jobs.

Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.

IMHO, go for the bachelors degree if you can. Try to go to a good school with a good reputation, then you can do an accelerated BSN program. Maybe you could do a BSN somewhere local. I think getting a bachelors degree gives you more options down the road. Try not to think exclusively of cost. Give yourself a solid foundation that allows mobility.

J

Thank you. I am pretty certain that I will throw in an app to the National University BSN program as well, but if they don't accept me, I will finish up the Bachelor's. The LVN seems too much money to spend just to work as one for 2 years b4 I start the RN.

Still so confused..but most likely NOT going the LVN route because the LVN-BSN via Indiana State U/Sonoma State program requires a 3.5 cumulative and I have a 3.2 in 70 units.....

which basically means I need 50 more semester units with ALL A's to get that GPA. So...yet another hurdle, and the reason I should really finish my Bachelor's (not in nursing) at USD.

Of course...there is always the HOPE that I will be accepted to National University's BSN program, or SDSU's, but we will see. I am applying to all of the above and will go to any BSN program that will have me at this point.

:/

Specializes in Day program consultant DD/MR.
Still so confused..but most likely NOT going the LVN route because the LVN-BSN via Indiana State U/Sonoma State program requires a 3.5 cumulative and I have a 3.2 in 70 units.....

I don't have anything in the paperwork that states this I think I may need to research some more. I do know that you need at least a "c" in all pre rec classes and no more than 2 repeat classes. If the 3.5 gpa is a fact I don't know if I can maintain that.

Tracylvn-

No, you won't find this info in any brochure, it is what I was told by an instructor (RN) there who evaluates transcripts. And honestly, I think the reason for the huge gap between GPA at ISU as compared with CA schools is that frankly...grading systems in the midwest are much more lenient...thus the 3.5 is easier to attain.

CA colleges have a much tougher curriculum and grading system. Most instructors here dont just hand out grades, so the ISU program is trying to compensate for that.

But depending on where you are located, I think they may take that into account when they evaluate you, so don't let me steer you away. For me personally though, I have 2 children and my time away from them is very precious, and I just dont know that I could raise my gpa to a 3.5 even with my best efforts.

Good luck to you anyhow.

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