University's in California with a BSN major

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After much thought, I'd rather do my BSN than going straight into an RN program. Why? I figure it is better to have a University degree with a diploma. Once I get my BSN I would do a BSN to RN bridge program. Anyway, since I will be starting by general education at a community college this fall, I was wondering if you guys recommended any Universities in California (Cal state or UC) that offer a BSN major. Thanks!

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Okay, just to clarify: basically, your options in California are both college degrees, either an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree. You take the exam to become an RN at the end of either of these programs. There's no such thing as a BSN to RN bridge program.

As for specific programs--I recommend looking at the Board of Registered Nursing list of programs online. Then you can see what your options are in the areas where you'd be interested in going to school. Good luck!

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After much thought, I'd rather do my BSN than going straight into an RN program. Why? I figure it is better to have a University degree with a diploma. Once I get my BSN I would do a BSN to RN bridge program. Anyway, since I will be starting by general education at a community college this fall, I was wondering if you guys recommended any Universities in California (Cal state or UC) that offer a BSN major. Thanks!

I'd apply to several of them in order to maximize your probability of getting in somewhere. Are you wanting to stay local or are you willing to go anywhere in the state?

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I'd apply to several of them in order to maximize your probability of getting in somewhere. Are you wanting to stay local or are you willing to go anywhere in the state?

Anywhere in the state really..

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Okay, just to clarify: basically, your options in California are both college degrees, either an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree. You take the exam to become an RN at the end of either of these programs. There's no such thing as a BSN to RN bridge program.

As for specific programs--I recommend looking at the Board of Registered Nursing list of programs online. Then you can see what your options are in the areas where you'd be interested in going to school. Good luck!

Sorry I was confusing LPN to RN bridge program lol. Yes, I've looked at the Cal states and UC's in California that has BSN degrees, thanks!

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Personally, I'd choose a CSU school just for the cost advantage over a UC. I would apply to several, depending on where you want to spend your time while going to school. I'd also give some consideration to where you want to live when you start working because you're more likely to get a job working at a hospital where you were doing your student clinical time or where your instructors know people.

You could also consider NCLEX pass rates (though I think rates are more reflective of the capabilities of the students that they admit than they are of the program itself)... http://www.rn.ca.gov/schools/passrates.shtml

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The preceding list also tells you which universities have nursing programs (though you can get that info elsewhere, too).

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I see the cost advantage, but what about the technical advantage? Most UC's are better academically than most Cal States. Not only that, it would look far better on a resume. I'm also pretty positive my parents are helping me pay through school. I'm looking at UCSF, its a UC, and has fairly high passing rates.

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I see the cost advantage, but what about the technical advantage? Most UC's are better academically than most Cal States. Not only that, it would look far better on a resume. I'm also pretty positive my parents are helping me pay through school. I'm looking at UCSF, its a UC, and has fairly high passing rates.

In general, a UCs have more prestige than Cal States. HOWEVER, UCs are well-known for their high-level academics - not so much for practical, entry-level training. My own UC experience confirmed that UCs are good as "pre-graduate schools", that is they prepare students for graduate school - to apply to *academic* masters programs. Nursing, though, is a very practical and applied field. So in regard to training to be a practicing nurse at the RN/BSN level, UC or not isn't an issue. And as a new grad, the individual reputation of your *school of nursing* will go further than the name of the university it is part of.

Do be aware, that many nursing programs, some of them university programs, have a reputation for not providing a strong clinical foundation to their students. If that's important to you, ask around at local facilities what schools they prefer to hire new grads from and which schools seems to turn out the most clinically prepared students.

What *is* more useful to consider when it comes to where to get one's nursing degree is where does the school do its clinical rotations? It might be easier for a student to get unique externship opportunities or to get hired on as a CNA (as a student) or full time as a new grad if they had clinical rotations there. So if you want to work at UCSF medical center, it could help to go to school that has rotations there. Not only UC schools have rotations at UC medical centers. You could ask at UCSF Med Center which schools rotate through there and how many graduates of the local programs they hire on as new grads. No guarantees there, especially given the amount of competition in SF for new grad positions.

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You should also note that UCSF only offers graduate level programs. They don't have a BSN program. If you already have a degree in another field you can do the Master's entry program or if you have an ADN they have a special program where you get a BSN from a different uni then proceed onto your master's at UCSF.

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I see the cost advantage, but what about the technical advantage? Most UC's are better academically than most Cal States. Not only that, it would look far better on a resume. I'm also pretty positive my parents are helping me pay through school. I'm looking at UCSF, its a UC, and has fairly high passing rates.

It has not been my experience that "most UCs are better academically than most Cal States." It really varies school by school, and more so, department by department.

"Far better on a resume" is another subjective term and it really depends on the specific program's reputation. If you're applying for work outside of a given school's region, that becomes even less significant because many people outside of an area really have no idea about the quality of a given program and haven't worked with its graduates. I'll also point out that the person making the hiring decision may not be from a prestigious school and is therefore unlikely to be impressed by a name. They are likely to be impressed by a program with whose graduates they've worked and are able to assess.

The preceding post touched on the same thing I did earlier... you're much more likely to be hired at a hospital where you did clinical time or your instructors are affiliated. If you have an idea of the region in which you want to live you should certainly consider schools in that area.

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Thanks guys. I want to work in the San Francisco area, so I guess I should look at SF State.

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