So many applying for nursing school

Nurses General Nursing

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yesterday i heard in class that there were over 700 applicants applied for the nursing program at the school i might be attending...but they only pick 50 students. ok is there a shortage in nursing?:confused: if so why are schools only picking a percentage. not only that if you are attending another school for your pre reqs and then transfer to the school you are going to apply for nursing school they are going to pick the students that has been taking the classes at the home school first. i guess that is the right thing to do but my god. i would expect 700 applicates at university not a community college. do we need more teacher to teach the classes? something has to give. i have a's & b's in my pre reqs classes but i know i am not the only with those type of grades. i don't know if i need to apply at several schools or what.:typing on the nursing application it ask are you applying at other schools. i mean if you check yes would that eliminate you for getting chosen? i would love to hear your feedback.:no:

[color=#333333]we are what we repeatedly do. excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit. - aristotle

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The reason I was given for not making the classes larger to address the "nursing shortage" is there are only so many clinical spots at the hospitals. It is not so much an issue of available Instructors or classroom space, the hospitals can only have so many students running around before it starts effecting patient care.

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Specializes in L&D.

I believe it is also a lack of instructors. Most nurses take a significant pay cut to go from bedside nurse to nursing instructor, which obviously doesn't make the job financially appealing...

Anyway, the nursing "shortage" is, in large part, due to lack of instructors and lack of clinical space. Two problems that can't be corrected with a quick fix. However, many people argue that there isn't truly a shortage of nurses, there is a shortage of nurses who have experience and are willing to work in hospital conditions.

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Specializes in LTC.

There is an Instructor shortage. They pay is very low for nursing instructors. Also most instructors must have a MSN degree. Maybe there are not enough MSN degree nurses. My mother who used to be an LPN and now RN says that she made more money as a LPN than her instructor who has a MSN degree. Not many nurses are willing to take a pay cut to teach nursing students. So lack of faculty is what is causing a limit on the number of nursing students who can apply and get accepted. I'm very blessed that I was apart of a program at my school, that allowed people in that program to have a seat in the nursing program from the day we started our prereqs. All we had to do was pass the classes and we had a seat. So thankfully, I didn't have to wait or be involved in the lottery of hundreds of students trying to get in. Its best to apply at different schools just to be safe.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
I believe it is also a lack of instructors. Most nurses take a significant pay cut to go from bedside nurse to nursing instructor, which obviously doesn't make the job financially appealing...

Anyway, the nursing "shortage" is, in large part, due to lack of instructors and lack of clinical space. Two problems that can't be corrected with a quick fix. However, many people argue that there isn't truly a shortage of nurses, there is a shortage of nurses who have experience and are willing to work in hospital conditions.

Very nicely said. The "nursing shortage" is really quite a complex combination of several factors. It is NOT a simple matter of not having enough people interested in becoming nurses. There are several different threads on the topic here on allnurses. Those of you who are interested in learning more about it from the experienced nurses in the allnurses community might want to do a search of those other threads.

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I should have read this first before posting new thread about this under Indiana. I've run into several others who are making the switch from their careers into nursing. I initally felt nervous about this because I guess my thought was "if many apply, all will get in and we will all compete for the same limited jobs." Yet as I read this thread it seems that the nursing shortage is due to not having enough instructors to get us all through the pipeline. I suppose this does make me feel a bit better about finding a job later but concerns me about finding a placement within a program.

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Everybody is going into nursing and it's not going to change anytime soon ...look at the job market... All I have to say is try to put yourself in the best position to get accepted...Good Luck ..P.S. it don't hurt to pray ....

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Thanks everybody....Kathygray I will be praying my heart out. Thanks again!

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Specializes in Cardiac.

At my school (a community college) there were 930 applicants for 60 spots. I think alot has to do with funding and staff. Believe it or not my school was given extra funds this year so they were able to start a special summer session for people that has been in the lottery for 2 1/2 or more years. I met this one lady that said she's been waiting five years to finally be selected(:smackingf.

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At my school (a community college) there were 930 applicants for 60 spots. I think alot has to do with funding and staff. Believe it or not my school was given extra funds this year so they were able to start a special summer session for people that has been in the lottery for 2 1/2 or more years. I met this one lady that said she's been waiting five years to finally be selected(:smackingf.

OMG...Is the wait that long:idea:??? Yes...I'm applying a more than one school.:typing I can't believe the wait is that long.

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Would it be better to apply to a four year institution versus a community college? I don't even know if it matters but it almost seems like it does.

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Would it be better to apply to a four year institution versus a community college? I don't even know if it matters but it almost seems like it does.

I heard the wait is just as long at a University....

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