Would this actually be a quicker route to getting my RN??

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Hi,

This is my first post but I have been lurking around for about a year. At the age of 25 I am finally going to college. I did the whole get married, have 3 kids and THEN go to school thing. Not planned but such is life. Anyways, I've always wanted to do nursing and I am excited that my family is finally in the position that I can do just that.

My issue is that I am located in Michigan where wait lists can be as long as 5 (!) years!!! Did I mention they are still growing?! That's just to get an associates!! That adds up to do at least 2 years of pre-reqs, apply to nursing school, wait possibly 5 whole years to get in and then do the 1.5 years of nursing school for a grand total of 8.5 years to get an associates in nursing. That is absolutely ridiculous and I could honestly be well on my way to becoming a doctor in that amount of time. Plus I don't want my family to have to wait all that time for mom to finally get her dream and be successful. My question is this, would it be quicker to:

-Get a bachelors degree in something different and then apply to a an accelerated BSN nursing program??

-Work my butt off and apply to university after pre-reqs then pray like crazy I get accepted into the nursing program?? If I don't get in just forget the dream and get my bachelors in something else. (

These wait lists are getting WAY out of hand. I'm sure the entire medical system is losing a number of would be wonderful nurses to this. It's completely discouraging =(

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Wow, it sounds like Michigan has a lot of future nurses to look forward to. The nursing schools in my area don't have waiting lists - if you don't get in the year you apply, you have to apply again for next semester with all the other applicants. Where in Michigan are you located? Depending on how important nursing is to you, and how much you're willing to do, if you live in southern Michigan, you could consider applying to schools in Indiana and commuting if it's a reasonable distance. Like i said, no waiting lists here. Or you could go the BSN route and then apply to an accelerated program - are there no waiting lists for that route? Otherwise, that could also take 5-6 years and cost you a pretty penny

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

Why not mix 1 and 2. Work through your pre reqs for multiple BSN programs. Apply to all of them. If you do not get accepted then apply as a science major (you don't need as AA to get into university. You can apply and transfer your credits without ever getting your AA) and get your BSN in whatever sciency major you like. Apply to the waitlist while you work on your BSN. Then after your BSN, apply to the accelerated BSN to RN program. If you still don't get accepted, then you will only have a few more years for the ADN program.

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@mrsboots I am confused by your answer about applying to a BSN to RN ?

please clarify this for me

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Have you looked into private schools? It will cost you more to get your BSN, but you are usually competing in a smaller pool of applicants. I'm 25 as well and I just applied for a BSN program at a private school. To me, time is more important than money. If I wanted to wait 8 years to get my BSN I would just go to medical school and become a doctor.

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Specializes in Ortho.

I was 27 when I went back to school for ASN. Don't put off starting school. Apply to all ASN within an hour and BSN.

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Mrsboots78-My husband has said that very thing. That I need to just keep truckin away at classes no matter if I get right away or not. That way I still can have a sciency degree but still working toward my BSN. I might do that. I've just been so focused on Nursing that I have no idea what else I could possibly do with a science degree while waiting for nursing school. I'm sure there is options but I am just not sure what.

I am in southwest Michigan but still about an hour and a half away from the Indiana boarder. Believe me when I say that I wouldn't mind commuting if I could afford the gas and Michigan winter roads didn't intimidate the heck out of me =( I've also wondered about private schools but I don't think there is any around me? I would definitely have to take out student loans but I already have a TON of debt from those from when I first started going for nursing and then cosmetology at 19. Why don't they warn young kids about those when signing that dotted line I'll never know.

Thanks for the ideas guys!! Keep em coming if you have any more!! =)

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Specializes in NICU.

You can start towards a BS in Clinical Lab Science. That way you are taking courses that count towards your pre-reqs for nursing school. Then apply to BSN programs and continue on with the science BS program until you get accepted into the BSN program. If it takes too long you can finish up your BS and then apply to a Accelerated BSN program.

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Thanks DON1984! Very short and sweet. That's pretty much what I am looking for right now. Just wondering what does one do with a BS in Clinical Lab Science??

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Specializes in NICU.

Medical Laboratory Scientists or Clinical Laboratory Scientist work in all areas of the clinical laboratory including blood banking, chemistry, hematology, immunology, histology and microbiology. They perform a full range of laboratory tests – from simple prenatal blood tests, to more complex tests to uncover diseases such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and cancer. They are also responsible for confirming the accuracy of test results, and reporting laboratory findings to pathologists and other physicians. They work in hospitals, research, and drug companies.

http://money.cnn.com/pf/best-jobs/2012/snapshots/48.html

Medical laboratory scientist - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

I'm in MI and I got in to an ADN program right away. Apply to programs that have points-based admissions, rather than waiting lists. I finished my last pre-req in Dec. 2012 and was accepted April 2013. Started August 2013. In 3 weeks, I'll officially be halfway done and I'm eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN at the end of this semester and the NCLEX-RN May 2015.

Do your research. There are programs out there where you don't have to wait, as long as you have your pre-reqs done.

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Thanks!! I know Lansing is the closest to do Point systems. My choices are MCC or GRCC. I would move back to Lansing in a heart beat (I'm actually from Dewitt) But we have to stay near my husbands job =(

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