subject: Get Out of Those Nursing School Waiting Lists! Here's How [print this page] Get Out of Those Nursing School Waiting Lists! Here's How
Waiting lists for nursing schools are giving aspiring nurses the blues these days. The situation is similar in community colleges, and educational institutions offering four-year programs and even LPN programs. There are just more students applying than there are available slots.
Some nursing schools, in fact, report waiting lists of three or four YEARS. And some nursing schools don't even bother with waiting lists; they just accept a certain number of the best-qualified candidates until their slots are filled, turn away hundreds of other candidates...and tell them to apply again next year. And next year, things won't be any better; there will still be dozens of applicants vying for every spot.
But don't give up just yet. There's still some hope if you're one of them. In other words, there are actually nursing schools that don't have waiting lists.
Option one: online nursing schools. This option is only available if you already have some kind of health care degree. Don't despair, though; you can get a Licensed Practical Nursing Degree in one year, and the lines for those programs aren't as long. Many states also permit paramedic to RN programs, or respiratory therapist to RN programs.
Option two: private, "career colleges". Keiser is an example. So is Corinthian and Chamberlain. These schools offer two year associate's degree programs and they are strictly geared towards educating you for the career that you are pursuing.
So how are these two options the same? Simple -- money is the common denominator. They both cost more than traditional nursing school options, maybe even four times as much. They can admit more students since they are private businesses and can offer higher salaries than traditional nursing schools, so they can attract an adequate number of teachers to hold nursing classes on a regular basis.
As an added incentive for you, online nursing schools and career colleges give you the option of taking most prerequisite courses namely Algebra, Microbiology, Anatomy & Physiology I and II - in a condensed format, you can finish your course more quickly.
Is paying more for these schools worth it? Keep in mind that in exchange for higher costs, you do graduate sooner and be able to work as a nurse right away. The decision is in your hands.
