subject: Tired Of Being On Nursing School Waiting Lists? Try This Plan Of Attack [print this page] Tired Of Being On Nursing School Waiting Lists? Try This Plan Of Attack
If you've tried applying at a traditional nursing school and found yourself at the bottom of a long list, you're not alone. The good news is, there's a way past that list. Here's what you should do.
1.) Look at your GPA. If it is not very high - 3.5 or higher - than you may not want to waste time on a traditional nursing school, because they are very competitive these days. However, it still wouldn't hurt to ask admissions counselors in these schools what the GPA of the previous year's nursing class was, how many aspirants applied, and how many were actually accepted in the program. If she or he tells you that the average GPA was 3.85 and there were 1000 applicants for 100 spots, or some similar numbers...and your GPA is much lower than that...go ahead and apply if you want, but also have a backup plan.
2.) Contact your State Board of Nursing. Get a list of ALL the accredited nursing schools in your state. It will usually be on their website. When you do find the data, print it out, and then note all schools that are accessible to you. If you can't move to go to school, of course, highlight only the schools in your area.
3.) Check which types of online nursing schools are acceptable in your state. Nowadays, most community colleges have a range of accredited online programs related to the medical field including LPN to RN or paramedic to RN. Find out which schools these are and get more information about the programs available.
4.) Know your options. In lieu of going to a traditional nursing school, you may opt to: earn a degree in paramedics, LPN, or respiratory therapy first, and then proceed with an online LPN to RN or Paramedic to RN degree while you work in the health profession. Or, go to private career colleges that are springing up everywhere these days, and even if it may cost more, you'll have better chances of starting immediately, graduate early, and be employed as a registered nurse before you know it.
5.) Make sure you know and beat the deadlines for nursing school applications. Get ready with your high school or college transcripts, and start applying! The more schools you apply to, the greater your chances of being accepted into one.
