Which School Should I Choose?

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I need advice on what school I should go to for my RN. I am a fairly newly licensed LVN and I will be starting my first job this Monday (Yay!). I have known that I wanted to go for my RN before I even went through schooling for my LVN, but the waiting lists were horrible, so I decided to complete my LVN so that I could work while going back for my RN. Also I have a bachelors already in a non nursing field, Im 27 and I don't have kids/husband.

I have applied for a couple of schools and would like to know which one sounds best.

1) I applied to my local community college for their RN program and I have a really good chance of getting in (I'll know in about 2 weeks). Once accepted I would need to complete 4 semesters, so I would start in January and end in December 2012. I'd have my associates of nursing and would still like to eventually go back for my bachelors. Costs would be minimal.

Option 2) Is at the same community college via their advance placemt pathway. For this I would not be able to start until September 2011 and I would be done by May 2012, so earlier than option 1 because I would get to skip the 1st year (I would have to reapply with this option though and hope that their is room for me to get in this way). I'd have my associates of nursing but would still like to eventually go back for my bachelors. Costs would be minimal.

Option 3) Is to go to University of Phoenix, and get my BSN, which I would start in February 2011 and complete in January 2014 (so about 1 yr longer than the ADN) and would cost about 30K. The benefit to this is that I would only have to go to school 2 times a week (compared to 4-5 at the community college) and I'd have my BSN instead of an ADN, so I wouldn't need to go to 2 schools (1 for my ADN and another for my BSN).

I need advice, what would you all do? Thanks!

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Hi slrberry,

Sounds like you're already in a great spot, being an LVN. Just wondering why you didn't apply for the LVN-RN bridge at Delta or other community colleges? I've heard those are a lot easier to get into and it's shorter. I personally want to work on the floor, so even those I have a BS also in a non-nursing program I'm getting an ADN. But if you're leaning toward management, then absolutely I'd get a 4 year degree. I had a classmate that was an LVN and going to do the Univ of Phoenix program. She has a son and was looking forward to not being in school 5 days a week. By the way, how's your new job?

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Thanks RNBound! The new job is going great! I really enjoy it.

In order for me to get into Delta's advanced placement ADN program I have to take an LVN to ADN transition course. I am currently in that class right now, but I have to have a grade posted on my transcript BEFORE I can apply via the advanced placement option, so I can't apply until the April-May application period. Also, they are updating the program, so from what i understand, they are not taking any advanced placement students for the class entering Spring 2011. This is why I applied via the regular program, and I have a good chance of getting in.

I spoke to my professor in the LVN-ADN transition course who is also an ADN instructor, and she advised me to wait and just reapply via advanced placement, because they usually accept all of their advanced placement students, and will most likely open up a new class section if there is no space in the class. She reminded me that if I wait, I would still graduate earlier than if I enter in the program in the Spring.

I am leaning towards waiting and reapplying to Delta, even if I get in for Spring 2011, so that I can work, and brush up on my skills. 30K for University of Phoenix is just a lot of money considering I spend 20k for my LVN and Im still paying for it, and I'm told that the clinicals at UoPX may be changed at any moment, so this concerns me, because I just started a new job and dont want to have to call out, because my clinical time was changed at the last minute.

Im still deciding, but I think I am going to reapply to Delta in the Spring and do the advanced placement option, then possibly go to UoPX for the RN-BSN which would save me about 10K to 15K and still take the same amount of time.

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The advanced placement sounds GREAT! And if you'll finish sooner than the regular program and they take everyone, sounds like a win-win situation. You're in a really good spot right now, being an LVN and finishing the transition course.

I'm glad your job is going well! Must be great working with patients. :)

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