What can a high school student do to get into....

[an0nymous]

I am currently a high school student interested in going into Nursing. I've been hearing all about how difficult it is to get into Nursing schools, how new grads aren't finding jobs, how there really isn't any nursing shortages, etc.

Despite all this, I am still interested in going into Nursing school. Right now, I live in the California Bay Area, and I have considered going as far as Hawaii, LA/San Diego for Nursing school. I am considering going into community college first then transferring to a CSU, which is obviously the cheaper route. However, i've been hearing what people have to do just to get ACCEPTED into the program. Volunteer work galore, straight 100%'s on their Teas exams, everything. The alternative to this is going to a private college, and I'm looking at schools such as Dominican, St Marys, and USF. Obviously it is A LOT more expensive to go to, but there isn't as much competition, and a 4 year guarantee is something that I really like.

What should I do to make myself look better when I turn in that college application? As in where to volunteer, what classes to take, etc... Thanks!:)

[an0nymous]

I'm a chick lol... I visited Mills college, as soon as I visited the campus I wanted to turn right around and get back on the freeway. I guess i'll visit it this summer and TRY to give it a chance... But an all chick school doesn't sound appealing at all ):

Went to St Marys... BEAUTIFUL school... and I love their approach to education. It's more of a liberal arts/Lasailan approach if you're not familiar with the program. Yea yea, people tell me who gives a crap about that, just get your degree and go. But I can see myself enjoying my 4 years there thoroughly... I just hate tuition (50k/year!!!). But it's stuck between St Marys & USF if I had to pick a private school..

[an0nymous]

Yeah I heard that with Nursing nobody gives a crap where you graduated from (with getting your Bachelors). It's just that I want to get into a program where I am guaranteed to get my degree in 4 years, or at least where I'll be most likely to get accepted.

[muffylpn]

My daughter will be done with LPN school next month. She has decided she does not want to work in a NH. Hospital jobs

for LPNs in MA. are limited to those only with exp. and they are far and few between. She is going to go and work as a

critical care tech in an ER. They were delighted to get someone with so much exp who will work for much less money. They

will pay for her RN and then strongly consider taking her on as an RN after she is done. If she had went immediatly thru

the RN program she would not have a job anywhere in MA in a hospital as an RN-nor would anyone higher her in a lower

position. It's just a thought:)

[muffylpn]

PS- because she went to LPN school first she was then able to apply to a bridge program at the community college-this removed her from having to apply and get

in like everyone else.

[happy2learn]

I don't think over $200K in tuition is worth it. A $200K student loan payment is going to be about $2300 per MONTH payment. You'll be paying $76K in interest alone. IF you make $50K as a new grad, you'll be bringing home around $3500. Do you think you can live on $1200 a month for 10 years?

People who have $200K in tuition usually have doctorate's.

[kamiworm]

I would suggest if you are determined on Nursing that you go for the BSN, but also have a backup plan like psych or social worker because jobs are scarce and by the time you rack up student loans for over $50,000. they don't care that your unemployed they demand their money. But who knows what can happen in 4 years from now. Prerequisites take about 1 to 2 years. I am not trying to be negative, but realistic. Good luck

[SingDanceRunLife]

I would suggest if you are determined on Nursing that you go for the BSN, but also have a backup plan like psych or social worker because jobs are scarce and by the time you rack up student loans for over $50,000. they don't care that your unemployed they demand their money. But who knows what can happen in 4 years from now. Prerequisites take about 1 to 2 years. I am not trying to be negative, but realistic. Good luck

You don't have to rack up any student loans. I just finished my first year of school, and so far, I have no money to pay back/debt. It looks like that will be the case for the rest of my college career as well. If I do have to get loans, it won't be more than a couple thousand dollars.

Also, if you do direct entry programs, the prerequisites are built in to the curriculum -- they are generally taken the first year along with some gen ed requirements, and then nursing classes and clinicals start in the second year. The whole program takes 4 years from the time you start your first prerequisites to the time you graduate.