Why don't they make ALL the requirements the same???

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The school I am planning on attending requires certain electives, math placement, reading placement, English, A & P, and 2 semesters of Chem. I'm finishing up the first semester of Chem and will be applying this winter for next fall (I will be short a Chem but with my 4.0 in pre-req classes and my BS they said I probably will be accepted) hopefully...fingers crossed.

But.... the next closest CC is only 25 minutes from my home (25 min in the opposite direction from the school I'm at now) and it requires everything above except for Chem but requires Micro and Lifespan dev.

So if I wanted to apply there too , just to cover my chances, I couldn't because I'd be short 2 classes and have spent a year getting 2 semesters of Chem in my head for nothing (as far as they are concerned).

It doesn't make sense. Why don't they mandate it so that the requirements are the same across the board and everyone can have a shot at getting in. OK, now that I said that... that sounds like a chaotic madhouse at application time... But still, they should be able to automatically rule out the people who don't qualify and go from there.

I also just found out that my school will be requiring you to work as a CNA for X amount of hours before you can even apply. A lot of people were getting the NA cert just for the application process (myself included) and they want to change that.

I just think something needs to be done. Does anyone else have similar feelings or experiences with your schools in your area? I think it's frustrating to say the least.

Thanks for listening.

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The school I am planning on attending requires certain electives, math placement, reading placement, English, A & P, and 2 semesters of Chem. I'm finishing up the first semester of Chem and will be applying this winter for next fall (I will be short a Chem but with my 4.0 in pre-req classes and my BS they said I probably will be accepted) hopefully...fingers crossed.

But.... the next closest CC is only 25 minutes from my home (25 min in the opposite direction from the school I'm at now) and it requires everything above except for Chem but requires Micro and Lifespan dev.

So if I wanted to apply there too , just to cover my chances, I couldn't because I'd be short 2 classes and have spent a year getting 2 semesters of Chem in my head for nothing (as far as they are concerned).

It doesn't make sense. Why don't they mandate it so that the requirements are the same across the board and everyone can have a shot at getting in. OK, now that I said that... that sounds like a chaotic madhouse at application time... But still, they should be able to automatically rule out the people who don't qualify and go from there.

I also just found out that my school will be requiring you to work as a CNA for X amount of hours before you can even apply. A lot of people were getting the NA cert just for the application process (myself included) and they want to change that.

I just think something needs to be done. Does anyone else have similar feelings or experiences with your schools in your area? I think it's frustrating to say the least.

Thanks for listening.

Yes it's similar in my area but I kind of like it that way, it gives everyone more oppurtunity, imo. For some the CNA experience will be why they choose that school, for others they might be taking an entrance exam and they test really well. My school chooses on GPA, and another school close to me uses a wait list. I have an option of what I think would be the fastest best way for me to get in, for others it will be different and I thankful for multiple avenues.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

I agree with you.

Not only is it frustrating that there is no standard "pre-nursing" program, it's very laborious to find out all the prerequisites at the various schools.

I sure wish somebody (AACN?) would put together a database that lists all of the schools with all of their admissions requirements. It would be very rocking if it would be searchable by various criteria (for example, show me all the schools in California with competitive admissions, that require micro, A&P, but not chemistry).

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

I know this pain, ouch. I was planning on applying to five different nursing programs in the Spring for Fall '08. Each program has different pre-reqs. That was a challenge to take all the varying pre-reqs. (Although I don't have to apply to any of these now since I got into nursing school by surprise to start in January!)

I do have one idea to help in this process. On its website, my state board of nursing posted a matrix showing the entrance requirements and pre-reqs for all pre-licensure programs in the state. Maybe other states do this as well?

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Yes it's similar in my area but I kind of like it that way, it gives everyone more oppurtunity, imo. For some the CNA experience will be why they choose that school, for others they might be taking an entrance exam and they test really well. My school chooses on GPA, and another school close to me uses a wait list. I have an option of what I think would be the fastest best way for me to get in, for others it will be different and I thankful for multiple avenues.

I understand where you are coming from... but I don't think it is really fair. Just because someone "tests" well, doesn't mean they will be a good nurse. And just because someone waited the 2 yrs on the waiting list... doesn't mean they will be a good nurse. And for what it's worth... those who have waited 2 yrs and haven't done any nursing related coursework may find that it isn't for them after a few weeks into the program, dropout and then it is too late for someone else to take their spot, KWIM?

If it were the same requirements throughout all schools (at least in similar geographic locations)... challenging nonetheless, but the same, I think there would be more opportunities for ALL to get in and be sure that is where they want to be prior to starting the program.

Maybe I'm just rambling. I'm pretty sure I'll get into my school, even without my Chem class complete, but it would be nice for me to be able to apply to another school just to cover my bases.

That's where it makes me frustrated, I guess.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

It doesn't make sense. Why don't they mandate it so that the requirements are the same across the board and everyone can have a shot at getting in. OK, now that I said that... that sounds like a chaotic madhouse at application time... But still, they should be able to automatically rule out the people who don't qualify and go from there.

I just think something needs to be done. Does anyone else have similar feelings or experiences with your schools in your area? I think it's frustrating to say the least.

They don't require ALL the same things, because other professions/schools do not.

If you wish to major in journalism at X school and took all the prereqs for it, but ended up going to Y school, you will often find that the prereqs are at least slightly different.

Courses with the same title at two different schools, from different states often are weighted differently and do not always "transfer". Or one school is on the quarter system and another is on a semester system, and one ends up having to get an extra class or two because of it.

Public grade schools across the USA (unlike some countries) do not the same teaching schedule nor the same exact requirements...why do we expect colleges/universities to do so?

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They don't require ALL the same things, because other professions/schools do not.

If you wish to major in journalism at X school and took all the prereqs for it, but ended up going to Y school, you will often find that the prereqs are at least slightly different.

Courses with the same title at two different schools, from different states often are weighted differently and do not always "transfer". Or one school is on the quarter system and another is on a semester system, and one ends up having to get an extra class or two because of it.

Public grade schools across the USA (unlike some countries) do not the same teaching schedule nor the same exact requirements...why do we expect colleges/universities to do so?

I guess the difference is that you don't have to "apply" to get into "journalism school". You apply to the college and start working your way towards that major. You may be required to take a specific course or two, but most likely it will be a general education requirement that will transfer to another school in the area. A better comparison (in this case) would be another AD program. And even then, you don't have the competitiveness for the program like we do for nursing.

Nursing school is a whole different ballgame. And right now there are a lot of people trying to get into a very demanding field and they are being rejected for reasons other than "low" GPA's.

I'm not talking about state-to-state... I'm referring to the fact that 25 minutes to my west is one school that requires ABC for admission and 25 minutes to my east is one that requires XYZ. They are BOTH community colleges and they are both very similar in many ways. Yet they have very different admission policies and I think it cuts a lot of probably prospects out and that is a shame.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
I guess the difference is that you don't have to "apply" to get into "journalism school". You apply to the college and start working your way towards that major. You may be required to take a specific course or two, but most likely it will be a general education requirement that will transfer to another school in the area. A better comparison (in this case) would be another AD program. And even then, you don't have the competitiveness for the program like we do for nursing.

Nursing school is a whole different ballgame. And right now there are a lot of people trying to get into a very demanding field and they are being rejected for reasons other than "low" GPA's.

I'm not talking about state-to-state... I'm referring to the fact that 25 minutes to my west is one school that requires ABC for admission and 25 minutes to my east is one that requires XYZ. They are BOTH community colleges and they are both very similar in many ways. Yet they have very different admission policies and I think it cuts a lot of probably prospects out and that is a shame.

Actually, I have been there.

Prior to becoming a nurse, I did major in journalism. And no, general education classes do not all transfer over, even in state. I went from the local CC to the local University, and had to retake 21 semester hours that were different from the original school that I applied to. All schools were "local" and in the same state.

One school of nursing in my county (less than 10 miles separated) work on semester hours, another on quarters. The second requires 6-9 hours of religion classes, the other requires ethics and philosophy instead. One requires 2 years of a foreign language the other requires statistics instead. The chem class that was acceptable at one, was not acceptable in the other. One requires phys ed, the other doesn't.

It may not be as "competitive" as nursing admission....but just because you get does not mean you won't fail out. The "weeding" down occurs after you get in.

But let's look at competitive admissions. Med schools and law schools will have differences in their requirements, even when schools are near to one another. And if they don't, they all grade differently and thus many hospitals "matching" for internship will give better weight to candidates from some schools or review the MCATs , knowing that some schools of medicine are better than others, based on their curriculum.

This differences are in the system of education here in the USA. And as long as schools are "competing" against one another, you will find different requirements. This is nothing inheritently unusual in higher education in this Country. That is why you have to plan carefully.

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This will also continue in nursing life.

Some states require CEUs, others do not. Some will require very specific CEUs - specified courses and those do not. For example Florida requires a very specific medical error course....a medical error course set up slightly differently may not be "approved" for the requirement in Florida. Being licensed in both FL and NY, until recently I had to get an HIV course and a separate HIV/BB disease course. Both courses contain much of the same info, but neither is "acceptable" in the other state.

Excelsior grads are permitted in some states but not others. Military corpsman may challenge Boards in same states and not in others.

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I understand where you are coming from... but I don't think it is really fair. Just because someone "tests" well, doesn't mean they will be a good nurse. And just because someone waited the 2 yrs on the waiting list... doesn't mean they will be a good nurse. And for what it's worth... those who have waited 2 yrs and haven't done any nursing related coursework may find that it isn't for them after a few weeks into the program, dropout and then it is too late for someone else to take their spot, KWIM?

I see what your saying, however I don't think you got my point. I think it's good to have the different requirements not because it makes better nurses, however, that there are more options for everyone, if your not going to be able to make the enrollement at one school, you have an oppurtunity at another. So if you can't make the GPA you can try for a lotter, a wait, or some place that takes on experience, testing etc... I have 3 schools in my vacinity all are different, I chose the one that fits my needs and abilities.

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I completely agree. I don't think they should standardize their evaluation criteria, but it would be nice if they would standardize the prerequisites.

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Specializes in ICU.

Here in Oregon they are expanding the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE). See also http://www.ocne.org - The pre-reqs are the same for all participating schools. The applications are based on a point system with a standard method for calculating points... but each school is allowed to determine discretionary points. For example, one school give additional points for completing a CNA program at the school within the past few years while another gives extra points for having completed Micro at the time of application. This is for (2yr) Associate Programs with the option of a (3rd year) to BSN.

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