2 year college

I need some advice on what would be the best way for a nontraditional student to get prepare for college level classes. I am a nontraditional student and reading about the regents test overwhelmes me. I know I am exempted from sat and will need to take the college placement examine so will I be exempted from Regents test. I can't decide on whether get associate degree then transfer to bsn. If I read it right, you can get a associate degree (ASN) at a 2 year college and it said those who are not immediately eligible must complete a full career degree program prior to earning eligiblibility for admission as a transfer student. In this case the student will not be held cpc requirements. It seem easiler get to get a asn then bsn.

Just be careful about that "2" year.. "4" year stuff.. just because its a 2 year degree doesnt mean you will be done in 2 years. Im in a 2 year ADN program.. but it will take me 3 years to do it.

Snowie is right. It will take me 3.5 years to get my "2 year" degree. If I wanted to go straight for my BSN it would take me 5 years ( I could do it in 4 years it I wanted to take 16-18 credit hours a semester).

Deciding on BSN vs ADN is a personal choice. It depends on you situation. I chose the ADN route because the school is near by and I can work sooner which is important since we are struggling while I'm in school. I still plan on getting my BSN, when I finish my BSN pre-reqs it will only take me 9 months to finish.

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

There are several factors to consider. Perhaps you want to get into the workforce before another 5 or 6 years creeps up on you. Maybe funding is an issue. Universities usually cost two to three times the tuition as compared to an ADN community college program. Classes are smaller and friendlier in the college setting. At least the prerequisite classes are. Free tutoring is usually available in the basics in the colleges. I'm not sure the universities offer free tutoring. You don't have to jump through hoops to get into the community colleges as you do getting into the universities.

The cons are that you can wind up never getting into a program if you go the ADN route. Prerequites have to be taken first before an application to the nursing program can be made. Many schools select on the basis of a point system and the sad fact is that once you reach a cap... that's it. In my school (ADN), if you haven't made it by your second application, it's time to take some other action. With the BSN route from the get go, this might be avoided.

Good luck on your decision.

english, writing papers and composition are hard for me. my husband is not being supportive so I'm debating on whether to go 4 years take remedials to get prepared or shorter route. I think it is important what school I attend, but my sis said it doesn't really matter because they don't look at the school. Is drive a hour both ways too far? One college is closer to me but not sure if I can afford it.

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

No matter which way you go, verbal ability is extremely important. You'll have to take tests that have verbal sections. Understanding the basics of medical terminology, being able to divide a medical term into something understandable based on knowledge of roots, suffixes and prefixes, is really crucial. There's also quite a bit of writing involved. There's no way of getting around it. ADN programs have about a year of non-nursing academic courses before you even set foot in a hospital.

I've seen students nearly bomb out in the math department and still be ok. But students who have trouble with reading comprehension and writing skills generally don't fare all that well. If you need to remediate, you'll be told when you take your entrance exam. It will be a requirement.

I'm not saying I can't do it. when I put my mind to it, I can do anything.I just got to keep my self-confidenceup. I love math. I think math is just as important as english. In some bsn nursing programs, you have three chances to make a hundred in drugs calculations.

math & english are both extremely important in nursing. You'll have to take english and other pre-req/general education courses no matter what program you end up applying for. (Usually the BSN programs require more gen eds though)

I've been a traditional student (I have a bachelors degree) and now, 10 years later I am a non-traditional student (going for my ADN). Compared to my previous experience, I really enjoy going to a community college more than I did when I went to a 4-year university. It seems a bit more student-friendly for some reason. Plus there seems to be more non-traditional students here too. (and I love the fact that it is waaaaay less expensive!)

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

If my post implied that you CAN'T do it, that was not my meaning and I apologize. It was meant only as information for your decision process.

RNKittyKat

no, I did not think that. I know you were giving me information to help me on my decision. Thank you for answering my questions. you are a lots of help.

My two year program turned into 4 years. Because I started at first just taking gen. ed. classes and then my pre-req. and co-req. classes. I wanted to get everything out of the way before the actual nursing classes so I would have no other classes to study for during that time. It worked out pretty well for me because I was not as stressed as some of my fellow classmates. Now I am just glad that I am finished with that part. Getting ready to start in Jan. working on my BSN and I am truly looking forward to it. Good luck

Here we go--I am sure I will offend someone but I must throw in my 2 cents worth on ths issue. I have an ADN, BSN, and MSN. Spent 7 years in college spread over a 14 year period. Since hind sight is uusally 20/20, here is my opinion.

After 24 years in the field and looking back on my own motves I have learned some things. First, the profession needs as many nurses as possible wih higher education. Go for the BSN. latest research shows that hospitals with a higher percentage of nurses w`ith BSN versus ADN have better outcomes. Nursing is laggng behnd everyone else in raising the educational requirements for entry and we are suffering for this in various ways. Nursing is not about the quickest or cheapest way to become a nurse, it is about gettng the best preparation you can find to become a true professional nurse. If you can't afford the BSN right now then work to put things in order in your personal life so that you can.

For all of the experienced ADN nurses out there who will object to my post, think about the educational path to become a doctor, or physical therapist, or pharmacist, there is only one way and if you can't aford it then you have to save money, obtain loans, grants, scholarships, whatever it takes to meet he standard. Why should nursing be any different. Why should we have a lower standard? If anything we should be raising the bar, especially in light of the continual expansion of the body of knowledge.

Do you think there is any correlation between people trying to find the easier, softer way to become a nurse and the frequently complained about decreased quality of the so called "new nurses" that are coming out of school these days? You can't have it both ways guys!!

I compared credit hours. The associate nursing program require total of 70 credit hours to get ASN. 34 credit hours for prerequisite and 36 credit hours of nursing classes. bsn requires total of 120 60 hours prerequsite and then 60 hours of nursing classes. It seem like associate would be easiler. and have more time to study.

I proabably will go ASN to BSN because it is more affordable. I may try ASN, BS-biology then BSN. Biology is very interesting. I am excited about school.

Yeah, good luck.

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by ainz

Nursing is not about the quickest or cheapest way to become a nurse, it is about gettng the best preparation you can find to become a true professional nurse. If you can't afford the BSN right now then work to put things in order in your personal life so that you can.

So what is a true professional nurse? The answers to that can be as varied as the many occupations open to nurses. I've no doubt that more BSN nurses in a facility make that facility more viable. Certainly midwives, practitioners, managers have to be credentialed beyond what is necessary for a floor nurse, for example. But to say that there's only one path to that BSN is a bit over the top. Many qualified BSN's who took the ADN route (maybe because they weren't born with a silver spoon or realized later in life their calling) currently in the field would have a field day with that one.

Am I offended? No. This is the place for opinions. But I only hope that when I get in the field, I don't have to put up with that kind of attitude from my fellow workers. It sounds counter-productive to delivery of good patient care and not professionally appropriate. Sorry Ainz. Just the way I see it.

A bit over the top? Nursing is one of the few, if not only, healthcare profession that has not clearly defined the single path it takes to enter the field and one of the few that has not elevated the educational requirements for entry. How can we expect to be treated as professionals and have our knowledge, opinions, and contribution valued by others if we don't strive for higher standards?

This is an age old debate and that in itself is a strong message. I know that people who are LPN/LVN/, ADN nurses are proud of their accomplishments and provide great patient care. However, in the larger scheme of thngs and considering the issues facing nursing, the education path to enter nursing is something that perpetuates the perception by others that a nurse is a nurse is a nurse and all that is needed is a warm body with a license.

You just do not see the various levels of entry in other healthcare professions. They are all standardized or are moving toward that and the education requirements are increasing in keeping with the expansion of the body of knowledge. Nursing is not doing that and it is hurting our profession. To think otherwise is burying your head in the sand.

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

Your point is well taken. Nursing is still considered sociologically a "pink collar" job rather than the educated profession it really is. I'm just a greenhorn student, really wet behind the ears and have much to learn. Grateful to finally be able to get out there and make a difference, the ADN is my ticket and believe me, I'm working hard for it. The competition in ADN programs is stiff because everyone's jumping on the bandwagon. This is raising the standard of the ADN nurse. With the shortage, I believe I'm filling a need. Nursing's there for me andI'm there for nursing. A mutualistic relationship?

I do understand where you're coming from though. I'm not thinking that far ahead. Maybe, as you say, hindsight...?