<p>I've done some research online and I saw that the colleges that I want to go to for nursing all require prerequisites. It says that they must be done prior to applying to the program. What does that mean?
Does that mean that when everyone gets their college applications written in the beginning of the year, I sit around doing nothing?
Or does that mean that I apply to colleges, and when I'm accepted, I keep that acceptance letter on hold and I go to a community college and get those prerequisites done or what?
I'm so confused.</p>
<p>I will definitely ask my school counselor, but I want to get an idea of things before I ask because I'm not even sure what I know and what I don't know.</p>
<p>You will have to read a little more on each site, to identify which prerequisites they mean. For 0-4 nursing programs, the prerequisites refer to classes they want you to have taken in high school. For example, a program could require a chemistry class, 3 years of English, 3 or 4 years of a math class, a year or two of another language, etc. This counts classes you take through Senior year.</p>
<p>If you haven’t taken those prerequisites, you can talk to the admissions office. At least in one of my son’s programs, the college was willing to issue a conditional acceptance if the applicant completed a prerequisite before entering the class. This usually meant that the applicant had to take a summer school class. If you haven’t met most of the high school prerequisites yet, your guidance counselor may suggest alternatives. You can take them in Senior year, summer school, or perhaps meet them by taking college classes. </p>
<p>For nursing programs that start in the Junior year of college (you apply as a college sophomore), prereqs could mean that you have taken particular classes such as college-chemistry or anatomy as a freshman or sophomore. They will usually outline their requirements for freshman and sophomore year very clearly, including GPA requirements and whether any additional testing is required to apply to the nursing program. </p>
<p>Always keep an eye on graduation requirements too. Sometimes the college will have additional course requirements for graduation, such as taking a writing class or a religion class. It’s usually up to the student (with the help of a college advisor, if the student is lucky) to keep an eye on meeting all of the requirements for graduation, both to comply with the nursing major’s requirements and the college or university’s separate requirements.</p>
<p>To add to the above comments, you may see some prereqs listed as requirements and others being strongly recommended. The strongly recommended ones will help you gain admission and may make it easier for you to handle the higher level classes. In any case, read the fine print on each program’s website.</p>
<p>Some colleges have " direct entry " nursing programs ( once you get accepted , there is no need to apply again)
and
some colleges have a " 2 + 2 " program ( you attend that college as a pre-nursing & MUST apply to the nursing program after 2 yrs , admission is competitive, so many students don’t get in ). </p>
<p>You will take the pre-req. classes during your freshmen yr at that college. </p>
<p>Don’t confuse the Traditional BSN program ( for HS students to apply ) with the other "Accelerated BSN " Program you may see at some of the colleges websites.</p>
<p>The Accel. BSN program is not for HS students. That program will require applicants to have all/ or most of the pre-req. classes taken before they apply.</p>
<p>My D2 is applying to the Traditional BSN and
my D1 is planning to apply to the Accelerated BSN
so I know how “confusing” this can be! It is extremely confusing. </p>
<p>Am I supposed to look at the generic BSN one or the entry level freshman one?</p>
<p>P.S. By the time I graduate from HS, I’ll have 4 years of english, 4 years of math (up to AP Calc AB), 3 years of science (Bio, Chem, and AP Bio), 3 years of history, 4 years of elective, and 3 years of foreign language, maybe AP Psych.</p>
<p>Apply to multiple nursing programs that allow direct entry from high school, and a couple backup colleges that have 2-2 programs where you have a good chance of being admitted after 2 years of college. My understanding is that admissions to nursing programs at Calif. public universities are extremely competitive. You might also look for a couple out of state choices, such as some private colleges if you would be eligible for need based or merit based aid from them. Don’t skimp on application fees or you may be left with no choices.</p>
<p>In response to your question it seems to me that the Entry Level Freshman Program is the one you should apply to. This appears to me to be a direct entry nursing program. The Generic Program would appear to apply to students who already are attending CSU-F in other majors and wish to transfer into the nursing program. Good luck. I agree with the comments made by the previous poster. Apply to a number of direct entry programs as well as some back-up 2+2 Programs. Competition is very intense for BSN programs due to the small size of nursing programs at most universities combined with an increasing interest in this major. Good luck. </p>
<p>Agreed, it looks like the Entry Level Freshman is direct admit, but with an impacted program, accepting only 35 students a year, you will need to have plenty of other options.</p>
<p>A 2 plus 2 program typically means that a student is admitted as a freshman as a non-nursing major (such as biology). The student then applies for admittance to the nursing major after completing a number of prerequisites during their first 2 years of college. Some programs may allow applications after one year.</p>
<p>Many 2 plus 2 programs are very competitive. At some colleges, a fraction of the applicants are admitted after 2 years, and the others need to transfer or find another major, or attend a nursing program after getting their bachelors. </p>
<p>There also are a few programs that only offer the last 2 years of nursing education, such as Thomas Jefferson U. in Philadelphia, and that are 100% transfers from other colleges.</p>
<p>Many students prefer the certainty that comes with a direct admit program, that admits a student into a nursing major directly from high school. Direct admit programs are common in the northeast US but not common in the southeast US. Direct admit programs reduce stress, because a student typically needs to maintain a moderate GPA, but doesn’t need to strive for a superhuman GPA (which is the case to get into some 2-2 programs). You also can feel more comfortable choosing a college that is a good fit for you, and maintain friendships for 4 straight years.</p>
<p>Many colleges also accept transfer applications into their 2-2 programs, which makes admissions even more competitive.</p>
<p>Of course, any student needs to keep up their grades in order to stay in a nursing program. </p>
<p>All nursing programs are competitive for entry, including most community college programs. It is important to apply to multiple programs, and to apply as early as possible. Many nursing programs fill up early, and many stop accepting applications by November. A nursing application is often strengthened by completing AP or advanced biology in high school and by completing some paid or volunteer work in a health care setting. </p>
<p>Many 2+2 Nursing Programs admit students as freshman under the category of “Pre-Nursing” or “Nursing Interest” as their admission major. Students must then complete a defined curriculum their freshman/sophomore years and then apply for admission to the Nursing Program which would begin in their Junior year. As previously noted you are competing with fellow students for the available positions. Some 2+2 Programs are now using an examination called the HESI Nursing Program Entrance Exam (not to be confused with the HESI End Of Program exam given to Senior Nursing students) and require students to obtain a certain score to be considered for acceptance into the Nursing Program. You really need to thoroughly review all the requirements if you are interested in a 2+2 Nursing Program. Good luck. </p>
<p>My knowledge is limited to Middle Atlantic States. I know nothing about California.</p>
<p>At almost all colleges, it is harder to be admitted as a nursing major than to be admitted to most other majors. That doesn’t mean you need to be a genius, but it does mean you cannot necessarily rely upon average test scores etc for the general population of a college. </p>
<p>At many community colleges, nursing seats are limited and there is competition. However, they still are usually less competitive than other choices. </p>
<p>Branch campuses of public universities and less well known public colleges are often less competitive than state flagship universities. You may find that public colleges are more competitive than private colleges, because of the higher tuition of privates and because many students want the social atmosphere of the flagships. However, many private colleges provide enough need and merit aid to equal the cost of a state flagship university, particularly for the applicants they really want. </p>
<p>My impression is that most direct entry programs (at least in the northeast US) are less competitive than 2-2 programs. One of the reasons is that there are so many direct entry programs in the northeast US, and the other is that many students decide to go into nursing after a year or two of college. </p>
I would agree with this statement after you’ve begun your college classes. As far as which is easier to be accepted after HS then I would think the 2-2 programs are easier to gain admittance. </p>
<p>Thank you!!!
Looking around websites, I saw lots of LVN to RN programs. How do I become an LVN? Is the course offered in community colleges/ private colleges or even places like universities?</p>
<p>Aglages, yes, to clarify, there are many direct entry nursing programs that will accept a student with test scores and high school grades that are very good, but not genius level. However, if that same student goes to a 2-2 program, they may find they are competing against many more applicants, and will need an extremely high GPA in order to get into the nursing program. </p>
<p>If you spend some time on this message board, you will find cases of students who were very disappointed they didn’t make it into their university’s nursing major. </p>
<p>That level of competitiveness into a 2-2 program is all the more difficult because most students don’t want to transfer, unless they have to. Some 2-2 students may therefore limit themselves to a single college, vs. the typical direct entry student would be applying to multiple colleges, which would increase chances of admission. </p>
<hr>
<p>There are some students who start with a 3 year nursing degree, take the test, and then later get their bachelors degree. That can save money where necessary, particularly if you would later find an employer willing to cover some of the bachelors cost. However, many employers prefer to hire nurses with a BSN. Many programs that were 3 years long now partner with another college to provide a BSN. </p>
<p>We are in Virginia & we have mostly 2+2 Nursing Program & only 1 or 2 direct entry Program.
My D2 has been accepted to a 2+2 Program and during the info sessions, that college told us last year they had
apx 340 applicants applied for the Nursing program,
67 seats,
average GPA ( this is college GPA ) 3.72 in order to get in.
That looks like a 19% admit rate to me.
They said applicants almost have to have near perfect grades in all their pre-nursing classes. </p>
<p>Our state flagship is a direct entry & that is even more competitive to get in as a high school student.
Their common data set indicated an admission rate of 18%.
It is just really tough for any high school students to get into Nursing.</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about Nursing Programs in CA but I am wild guessing that it is going to be very competitive as well. Looks like there are aprx 3 direct entry in CA ( UC Irvine, UCLA , SanFran ) and all the others are 2+2. </p>
<p>OP also asked about Vocational Nursing Program ( LVN ) or Licensed Practical Nursing Certificate ( LPN). Those are one year program offer by community college.</p>
<p>The competition trying to get admitted into any 4 year BSN Program, whether direct entry or 2+2, is intense. This id due to the fact that the Nursing major has become increasing attractive as a career and that at most all universities the number of nursing slots available is only a small percentage of the total freshman class. For example, at the University of Delaware (direct entry and one of your larger University Nursing Programs) there are almost 4000 students in the freshman class but only about 135 (a little over 3%) of them are in the Nursing Program. They get over 1500 applications for these few slots. The few slots available in most programs is due to the facts that Nursing Programs are expensive to administer, are labor intensive due to required clinical components, and faculty salaries are relatively low. As noted by many previous posters the stress involved in 2+2 Programs is frequently extremely intense as not only are you having to deal with an admission decision to get in as a freshman but then having to do well enough to subsequently get admitted into the Nursing Program. IMHO one of the benefits of direct entry programs is that students can work together right from the freshman year in a collegial fashion to help one another succeed rather than being at odds with one another for 1-2 years trying to compete for spots as is required in 2+2 Programs. Just my perspective. I guess you could make a case for the opposite (obviously 2+2 Programs feel this way). </p>
<p>Please keep in mind that U. of Delaware is one of the most difficult nursing programs in the East for admission. There are plenty of direct entry public and private universities in PA. that are competitive for nursing, but not extremely competitive. For anyone who has a shortage of direct entry nursing programs in their own state, I suggest they look at PA. colleges. </p>
<p>Remember, what is important is the quality of the nursing program, and the availability of clinical opportunities nearby, not the prestige of the college as a whole. Many of the direct entry programs that are not extremely competitive are at colleges that are not well known, but that still can provide a high quality nursing education.</p>
<p>Then instead of going straight to 2+2 or direct entry, would it be easier for me to become an LVN, then continue on and do those LVN to RN programs?</p>
<p>Another Q: are there prereqs for LVNs too? They’re only one year ones, as Flowermom said, so after HS, I is it possible for me to become an LVN within 1-2 years, or are there prereqs before the LVN program?</p>