If my major is pre-nursing/Nursing, can my alternate major be Science?
Which Science? That is a broad term. Common alternatives to Nursing are Biology/Public Health/Psychology. You can major in anything as long as you can take the Nursing school pre-req’s. A science major would have the most classes that would overlap and fulfill the Nursing school pre-req’s. What happens if you do not get into Nursing school? Find a major that will be a good backup, just in case.
So if i do not get into nursing school when i apply my sophomore year, i would have to get a career under my alternate major? Can i still go to nursing school and become an RN later on?
Yes, you can go to Nursing school later if you already have a BS/BS degree.
Many nursing schools offer Second Degree BSN, Accelerated BSN or Direct Entry MSN programs designed specifically to allow students with previous bachelor’s degrees to complete their nursing degrees on an accelerated schedule. This helps many people expedite their education to begin their nursing as a second career within 1- to 2-years of starting their nursing education.
Does a person go to nursing school to finish their BSN?
Can my alternate major be General Science?
Well, what I’m trying to say is if i can get a Bachelors of Science, and then apply to Nursing school?
What is a General Science? You can go into a University as Undeclared but eventually have to pick a specific major to get your bachelors degree.
You can get a 2 year degree Nursing degree (AA) from a community college which is an ADN and work as an LVN (under the supervision of a RN/MD) once you pass the NCLEX. There are job opportunities for LVN’s however most hospitals and clinics are requiring a BSN (4 year degree).
When applying to university in the fall, can i pick my major as Pre Nursing or Nursing, depending on if its a school with a direct entry program or 2+2 program, and pick my alternate major as Undeclared?
If the school I’m applying for isn’t direct entry nursing, i apply for the 2+2 program? or is it automatically a 2+2 program since I’m going to take my pre reqs and then applying to nursing school during my sophomore year?
Yes, you can select Undeclared as an alternate major. If the school does not have a direct admit Nursing program, you still apply as a Nursing/Pre-Nursing major for the 2+2 programs. If admitted, you are usually placed in the Pre-Nursing/Undeclared with Nursing interest designation determined by each CSU. You can then take your Nursing pre-req’s over the next 2 years and apply to Nursing school for the BSN program. If you do not get into the CSU as a Pre-nursing major, but get in as Undeclared or alternate major, you can still take your pre-req’s and also apply.
You might also have a backup career in mind. For example, would you have an interest in being a physical therapy assistant if you don’t get into the nursing program? if so, you can try to meet some of the same prerequisites for that backup career.
How long does a BSN program take? @Gumbymom
4 years on average as a direct admit. CSU Fullerton has a 4 year and 5 year plan.
A 2+2 should take 4 years, but it will depend upon if you finish all the pre-req classes by end of Sophomore year to apply. If you do not get into the Nursing program in your Junior year, you could reapply the following year which would add an extra year to get the BSN.
All this information is available on the Cal state nursing websites and by googling the information.
In terms of getting a BSN… So, by applying to Nursing school, you’re applying to a BSN program? You’re not in the BSN program when going to a 2+2 nursing program for Cal States, you go in a Pre-nursing?
You can only get a BSN (4 year degree) from a Nursing school. By going direct admit, you still take the pre-req classes needed for the Nursing program the first 1-2 years. Year 2, 3 and 4, you start your clinical rotations (hands on experience) in conjunction with the nursing major lectures. You have guaranteed admission into the program as long as you maintain a certain GPA and take the required # of units of credit. Usually the schools will designate you Pre-Nursing until you have finished your Pre-Req courses.
If there is no direct admit, the Cal state will admit you either as a Pre-Nursing/Pre-Health/Undeclared/other Science major. You take the Nursing pre-req classes your first 2 years than apply to the BSN nursing program to finish out your last 2 years. You are not guaranteed a spot unlike in the direct admit program.
I linked a sample schedule for Cal State Fullerton’s direct admit:
http://nursing.fullerton.edu/programs/elfreshmen/curriculum.php#sampleschedule
Here is a link for Cal State LA’s required pre-req courses you take if you are accepted as an Undeclared with interest in Nursing:
https://www.calstatela.edu/sites/default/files/groups/School%20of%20Nursing/PDF/Academic/BSN_basic/faq_bsn_basic.pdf
You could also go to a community college and take the BSN nursing pre-req’s and apply for transfer to a BSN program or get your ADN, take the NCLEX exam for RN licensure, work and get experience and then apply to a BSN program (ADN to BSN bridge program).
http://catalog.mtsac.edu/programs/nursing-degree/#text
https://web.csulb.edu/colleges/chhs/departments/nursing/docs/PathwaysBrochurev607-20-15.pdf
Can my alternate major be undeclared with an interest in nursing for Cal States? Does that also apply for universities that have direct entry nursing programs???
Each Cal State will have a specific nursing major option you pick from the drop down menu on the CSU Mentor application. For San Marcos, you apply as a Pre-Health major. For CSULB, you apply as a Pre-Nursing major. For CSU Fullerton, you select the Direct-Entry Freshmen option as the major. For Cal State LA, you select Freshman Nursing and if admitted your major is Undeclared with an interest in Nursing. For SDSU, you select Nursing (BS) for their direct admit program.
All this will be clear to you, once you start filling out the CSU application in October.
It is important to read the fine print for each college. Among the colleges where my daughter applied, a couple were direct entry for nursing, but encouraged applicants to list a second or third choice major in case they were not accepted for nursing. Another was direct entry, but had a two step process to be officially accepted for nursing. Another would only let you be a nursing a major if you accepted their offer of admission by December - otherwise you were accepted only as a general studies student. Some colleges have early deadlines for nursing applications.