Would like some info on getting started.....

[pashari]

I've been lurking and reading the various boards here for the past few weeks and I'd like to get some basic info.

Currently, I'm 43 y/o. I'm about 12 credits shy of by BSN in Business from Eastern but that was back in 1999. In the meantime, I've worked in the insurance industry as an underwriter and am now a SAHM to a 5 y/o and a 2 y/o. I'd like to go into nursing.

I'm not sure what, if any, of my credits from 20 years ago will transfer - I've not yet talked to any school yet. Either way, I'm assuming that if any do transfer it would be just as general credits. I'm not particular about schools, thinking MCC as it is close but any in the metro detroit area would work.

From my reading, it looks like there are a number of pre-req courses that you need to take before you can even apply to a nursing program. The talk of wait lists is a bit confusing. What is the average time to be on a wait-list??? What is the minimum you need to get done to get on a wait list? Is it a certain number of credits or all your pre-req? What do you do while you are on the wait-list? If you were starting from scratch, straight out of high-school, how long would it take you to get your RN????

Any help or info would be appreciated.

Thanks!!!

lisa

[WayneStateKatie]

Hello and welcome to all nurses!

Hopefully I can help answer a few of your questions. You mentioned waitlists-- only a few schools use these still. Most have now switched to competitive admissions. The schools that still use a wait list are Henry Ford Community College and Schoolcraft.

Prerequisite requirements vary from institution to institution. If you were applying to a school with a waitlist they will let you know which specific courses you need to take in order to be eligible to be placed on the list. You also have to pass an exam to be eligible to be placed on the list. This info should be on the website and you could talk to a counselor as well. While you're on the list you can work on taking classes that may be required to graduate but aren't "nursing" courses. It's nice to get all your other courses out of the way so you can just focus on nursing if you can. Once you're on the list you know you will be in the RN program, you just don't know when you'll start (could be a few years).

Most other schools (MCC, OCC, WCCCD, and universities) have competitive admissions. Once you complete the specific prerequisite courses for a program and take the test-if they require one-you can apply. These schools look at factors such as your GPA, GPA in prerequisite courses, some require entrance exams(HESI, some use NET), some take into account a personal statement work experience or other factors like preference for students who take courses at the school. Either you make it or you don't. If you aren't selected for the round you apply for you can apply again the next application session. The advantage of these is if you're selected you can start in the RN program sooner.

Most sciences need to be within 5 years so you're looking at having to take (or retake) Anatomy and Physiology, microbiology, and whatever other courses your specific program may require like chemistry. You'd have to meet with a counselor to have your previous credits evaluated to see if anything will transfer (like english, sociology or anything like that)

As far as your question if you were starting from scratch straight out of high school if you were going to a university for your bachelors prereqs and the degree would take 4 years.

If you were doing prereqs at a community college it could take you a year if you were going full time. Once you're in a program it will be two years of nursing courses so you're looking at a minimum of three years. Usually between prereqs and the lag time for getting into a program it usually takes 4 years from the date you start prereqs till you're done with your nursing courses.

If you had finished your bachelors you would have been eligible for an accelerated second degree bachelors after completion of some prerequisites. Those programs take anywhere from 12-16 months and are definitely the quickest route to being an RN but unfortunately that isn't an option at this time for you.

If you have questions about any specific schools or programs feel free to ask! I think we have students on here from every program in the metro Detroit area. We're all familiar with the application processes at specific schools and would be happy to provide any info you may need-- all you have to do is ask. Good luck:redpinkhe

[John20]

MCC is nice because there is no wait list. They take the top scoring (50% GPA, 50% Hesi Entrance Exam) people every year. In fact they just expanded from 120 students/year to 160/year so that's nice too.

There are 3 science pre-reqs you'll have to take. Anatomy/Physiology, Nutrition, and Microbio. I think that's 12 total credits. You will have to take the Hesi Entrance Exam as well. Usually the sign up for that is in July and the spots fill up quick so you might have to wait until November/December 2009 to take it which would get you in the program during the 2010-2011 school year.

Call the advisor department and ask for an appointment with Steve Markum (sp?). He is absolutely the man. Steve laid out all the information for me so that I had no questions about what I needed to do in order to get into the program.