I want to become a registered nurse and I am planning to apply to 2 UC’s (UCLA and UCI) and other schools (such as CSUF and SCULB) that have the nursing major.
Should I be applying to schools without a nursing major?
Or is it not worth it?
My gut says that you go to a school that teaches what you want to learn.
If you go to a school that does not have a Nursing program, you then will need to attend a Nursing school after your finish your BA/BS or transfer to a Nursing program after Junior year.
You do realize that you can attend a community college for 2 years, take the Nursing requirements and sit for the NCLEX to become an RN?
If you want a BSN, then you need to attend a 4 year university but either getting in as a Freshman to a direct admit program (UCLA/UCI/SDSU/CSUF/USF/APU), attend a 4 year university with a 2+2 program where you would be a Pre-Nursing student, then apply for the Nursing program after you finish your Pre-req’s (CSULB and the rest of the CSU’s) or attend a 4 year University with no nursing program and do a Post Bac Nursing program.
It really depends upon your qualifications and how long you want to spend in school. Nursing in California is incredibly competitive so make sure you apply widely.
When we toured schools it was clear that nursing programs tend to be small and competitive for admission. At one school we toured, they said if you apply to nursing you are either accepted to nursing or rejected from the university. In other words, it’s all or nothing, and you can’t transfer into the program. That is just one school, but it is an example of how nursing programs differ from other majors. If this approach is typical of nursing programs (and I have no idea if it is) then I would apply to at least one school as a non-nursing major to have a backup. Research the process for each school carefully. As @Gumby mentioned, understand your options and apply widely.
If you know you want nursing I’d focus on colleges that offer the major you want.
Apply to all universities with a direct entry nursing program, but do apply to a few other universities (perhaps CPP?) where they have good science programs as a back up since entry into these programs is so competitive. Perhaps look into WUE colleges where the direct entry program might be less competitive?
Do you know your EFC? Would you be able to run the NPC and see what’s affordable among private OOS colleges that offer Nursing/BSN?
Because California universities are so competitive for nursing admissions, I would apply to many of them that offer nursing. I would also look at some choices out of state. UCLA’s nursing program is particularly difficult for admission.