So many applying for nursing school

ToxicShock · Jan 8, 2009

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.

I joked with another allnurses member in the Michigan nursing forum about us walking across the stage at graduation with our walkers

lovehospital · Jan 8, 2009

The reason so many people are applying to nursing school because there is a long waiting list for other medical degrees.

racing-mom4, BSN, RN · Jan 8, 2009

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.[/quote']
Exactly---if the schools could take in 100 students they would in a second--trust me they want the tuition money as much as you want your degree. In my city we have 5 asn/bsn school (3 that have an MSN) and a hand full of LPN schools.
Lets just look at the ASN studens only... We have 2 major hospital systems with about 6 satelite smaller hosp. each nursing class has approx 45 students per semester attending clinicals all year. Most students take 2 clinicals at a time. MS and peds. MS2 and Ob etc etc. So lets take the 45 ASN students in Med Surg 1 class x 5 schools. That is 225 students trying to get clinical time at 8 sites for 1 class. So now lets add in the Peds class and we are up to 450. Ok what about the MS 2 and the MS3 and the Ob and the psych--each semester you have 225 students in each of these classes--they all need clincal time.
What about the LPNs they need clinical time too, and how about the bsn students...then hey the PT and Rad tech students also want clinical time at the hospital.
when I was in school sometimes I had to drive over an hour to get to my clinical. Ya wonder why you read threads of nurses who gripe about the students...it is not like they dont like students, they are just smothered by them week in and week out. Every 3 months another new batch comes through.
For those of you who are on the wait lists---stay positive- if you get the grades you will get in. Eventually!! Good Luck!!

Illinurse2010 · Jan 8, 2009

At the community college I attend we had a list of 480 for 95 spots. If your grades are high getting in is not a problem, I got in the first year I applied. Out here they have real trouble finding staff--pay for a full time nursing instructor is about 45,000 and they must have an MSN or higher to be able to teach. That is so ridiculously low for what these nurses do that I'm surprised they can find anyone at all.

mlzmom · Jan 8, 2009

with the shortage of clinical spots and QUALIFIED INSTRUCTORS, I was lucky to get in on my first try. I had a 3.9 though. I have friends that had 3.8 gpa's and are still waiting. Apply to more than one school!!!! Good luck.

sunray12 · Jan 9, 2009

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? 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.

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

no quite to the contrary. community college is very much in demand these days because of the low cost tuition. and the student body in some community colleges is huge - much bigger than most 4 year schools. so the way it works out, many 4 year college nursing programs actually have higher acceptance rates than than many community college programs do.

cabogirl · Jan 9, 2009

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.

In my experience... the community college I attended for the past 3 years had on avg about 450 applicants for about 65 nursing slots each semester. Students were chosen by lottery after meeting the basic criteria, so even though I had a 4.0 in my prereq's, I was rejected 3 times, which was devastating to say the least! I continued taking transfer classes while waiting and applied to CSU Stanislaus for Spring 2009. I was accepted there on my first application based on their scoring criteria.

So - my advice to you, if your local community college uses a lottery for selecting their students, and your grades are good - go for the university. I don't know if the waitlists are long at the university near you, but it was totally worth it for me! Even though I'll be in school for an additional year, I'll leave with my BSN & this dreadful waiting game is finally OVER!

Good luck! :wink2: