<p>Hey guys, so I am currently a junior at USC majoring in Public Policy, but I started to realize that I want to become a nurse anaesthetist and for me to do so, I will need to get a BSN and then get my masters in nurse anaesthetist. It's too late for me to change my major at USC and I really like my major anyways. So, What are my chances of getting into Columbia's nursing program BSN or UPenn with a 3.1 GPA coming out of USC? once I graduate from USC I will take/finish the pre reqs at a community college for a semester. Also, is nursing school in comparison to USC harder or easier as far as school work? I'm at USC right now and its pretty tough to get an "A" in my classes whereas I know my friend from a state school said that it is pretty easy getting an "A" in his classes.</p>
<p>If you think getting an A at USC Is tough,then you’ll find getting an A at either Columbia or Penn very difficult…nursing at either of this school is extremely competitive.</p>
<p>I don’t think anyone will tell you that any nursing school is easy, or that you’re going to be guaranteed As. You need to check out the nursing classes that you’ll have to take at the schools where you intend to apply, as well as the admissions profile for students trying to get into the programs. Your 3.1 could be a problem, and you’ll definitely need to excel at the nursing program prerequisites that you have to take before applying to any nursing school.</p>
<p>Have you also looked at how many years of employment as a nurse are required to be admitted into nurse anaesthetist programs, or how competitive those programs are?</p>
<p>I assume you are interested in applying to accelerated BSN programs. I would check with any programs you are thinking of applying to first to find out if they will accept pre reqs science courses from a community college. Many programs frown upon, or will not take, courses not completed at a 4 year college, especially once a person has a Bachelors degree. Most such programs also have at least a 3.00 or 3.20 college minimum GPA requirement and, in point of fact, most students accepted have much higher GPA’s. I suspect most students accepted at Columbia and Penn programs would fall into this latter category. I would contact them and inquire about what your chances for admission might be given your current stats. Good luck.</p>
<p>For nursing, it doesn’t really matter where you go to school…</p>
<p>^^^
Keep in mind the above is posted by a “pre-med” college student that just finished her freshman year…not someone with nursing school experience.
<a href=“Summers Before Medical School - Pre-Med Topics - College Confidential Forums”>Summers Before Medical School - Pre-Med Topics - College Confidential Forums;
<p>I thought that Columbia only did graduate nursing… U Penn does undergrad and grad.</p>
<p>These programs are very competitive so look at casting a wider net, especially with a 3.1. A former babysitter with a 3.6 at U of Az did not get into their nursing program, ended up at Nebraska. Another neighbor got kicked out of her NP program with a 3.7 gpa because they didn’t have enough preceptors. The recommended (by my wife, a former nursing adjunct) career path would be an accelerated BSN, 1-3 years in an OR, CC or ICU setting, then apply to the CNA program. She HATED getting graduate students without hospital nursing experience.</p>
<p>The BA to BSN programs are in demand, those particular nursing jobs are the hardest ones to get, and the CNA programs are among the most difficult for admissions. You have quite a road ahead of you, one you will need to follow one step at a time. </p>
<p>FWIW, one of my wife’s friends went to both Columbia and Penn for nursing and was somewhat underwhelmed by both, felt they had a better reputation than they deserved because of the school name. Don’t be afraid to go to some of the good public nursing schools like Rutgers or Fullerton or UCSF.</p>
<p>Everyone says that nursing programs are hard work at every college. Nursing programs are very time consuming, particularly once clinicals and studying for the certification test are happening. Often programs require students to take more than 15 credits per semester for nursing. </p>
<p>As a result, there is something to be gained from going to a college that is not ultra-competitive. If you are going to U. Penn or Columbia, and taking your non-nursing classes with a room full of serious pre-meds, it will take a great amount of work to keep up. </p>
<p>However, if you go to a less competitive college, you can slack off a little in your non-nursing classes, and put most of your energy into the nursing classes.</p>