Alright so I have applied to 10-11 nursing programs, a part of me thinks that is overkill, however with how competitive getting into a nursing program is, methinks I should be shooting for 20...
Anyway let me paint you the situation. I am a college grad, previous degree in English. I am currently finishing up my pre-reqs and if I am able to find an open
Anatomy and Physiology II over the summer, ALL the pre-reqs will be done by fall of 2012.
Since I have a degree I did apply to a few accelerated programs, however since most accelerated programs want the pre-reqs done not "in progress" by the time you apply, I have only shot out 2 of those type of apps. I have also applied to generic 4 year programs as a transfer student and to 2 year community college programs.
Honestly I do not think, I am praying not all 10 schools tell me no, it is my belief at least one will say yes. However I want to be ready just incase all 10 do say no.
What would you do if you where in my shoes? What would you do if all the schools you applied to said no?
1) Enroll in an LPN program, later take a LPN-RN bridge program.
I know the LPN school is guaranteed if you apply and it only takes one year. However what worries me is job opportunity, not the fact that LPNs can't get a job at a hospital, I mean a job in general, LTC, nursing home, from what I hear LPNs are having a hard time getting a job anywhere. I am already 16k in debt paying off the English degree, I do not want to plunk down 10-20k, whatever it cost for the LPN to end up jobless.
2) Work part time and apply again to nursing school the following year.
Most likely I will have to take Chemistry again since it is approaching the 7 year mark and that is near the limit of some of the accelerated programs.
3) Seek some other career in healthcare, surgical tech, resp tech etc...
I want to be a nurse, that much is sure, I want to make my bread in healthcare. If nursing is a no would it be worth it to seek one of the certificate programs? Phlebotomy & EKG, resp tech, surge tech- Again like with the LPN I do want to get certified in one these specialties to end up with poor job prospects. And it begs the question if instead of going resp tech, surge tech etc... would it just be better to be an lpn?
4) Give up on nursing and seek a new career path... I hear accounting is good
As said I want to be a nurse that is my goal but if all 10 say no, I would imagine the depression would be devastating.
Lend me your thoughts, what should I do, what are your contingency plans?
My other question Il have to post on the LPN portion of allnurses. In the event all the places I apply to say no, is lpn a viable option? I DO NOT want to be sitting at home searching for work come September, I am 25 years old, I want to move out, get a job etc...
Are LPNs finding work? I don't mind not being hired in a hospital, but what about Nursing home, LTC are they still hired there?
My back up plan was to get a quicky degree in criminology and become a special education teacher through the unconventional testing route. I've had experience working with special needs children, so it was an easy alternative for me. A back up plan for nursing saved me from having a heart attack this past semester. I was so sure I wouldn't get into a program, and all the work I had done would be for naught. I remember my microbiology teacher giving the class of 50 a speech on back up plans, and I got one as soon as I found out I wasn't going to get A's in my sciences that semester.
On the off chance that you get denied from every nursing program, save yourself heartache and think of another field that you might be happy in before you get denied or accepted.
I also wanted to mention that even though ther are LPN programs in my area, when I heard about the program cost (pell grants don't cover technical programs) and the time required I discussed it with my family and we decided it would be a bad idea. I did consider it, but I didn't bother applying. If you have the means to do an LPN program and aren't accepted into an RN program, I would go for it! LPN-RN bridge programs are becoming more competitive, but they are still much easier to get into than basic RN programs.
I am in kind of the same boat, I applied for a 2nd degree accelerated program in February, but I won't find out if I get in until July or August (ugh!). I didn't apply to any other schools because (at the time) I thought I would have no trouble getting in. Since then, I have been reading so many horror stories of people who had 3.9 gpas and still didn't get accepted! Now I am trying to figure out a back up plan...there are other schools in the area, but they are all 4 year programs.
aye the accelerated programs they don't tell you the truth , the online info says 3.0, 3.3 etc... but honestly if you don't have the 3.8,.3.7 you are not getting in. 3.9 and still no, bloody rough... Id say unless you have straight A's in every pre-requisite don't count on accelerated programs alone.
For me what I have decided to do has changed a bit. In the event I do not get into any RN program be it 2 year or Accelerated, I will not be doing an LPN at least not right away. What I will do next semster if everyone says no is finish up a few more classes, -granted all my prerequs will be done by the end of this summer, but there are 2-3 classes I feel taking should not hurt. I will then apply again to a nursing program, IF I AM REJECTED a 2nd time... praying that does not happen then I may just jump into the LPN.
To those who applied to nursing once and got in, I only hope my luck is the same
, the online info says 3.0, 3.3 etc... but honestly if you don't have the 3.8,.3.7 you are not getting in. 3.9 and still no, bloody rough... Id say unless you have straight A's in every pre-requisite don't count on accelerated programs alone.
whattodo4
136 Posts
here's hoping to getting in!
My other question Il have to post on the LPN portion of allnurses. In the event all the places I apply to say no, is lpn a viable option? I DO NOT want to be sitting at home searching for work come September, I am 25 years old, I want to move out, get a job etc...
Are LPNs finding work? I don't mind not being hired in a hospital, but what about Nursing home, LTC are they still hired there?