How To Make A Quick Career Change Into Nursing - Part II
My last entry discussed the ABSN degree and what you should consider in finding an ABSN program. This installment takes it one step further -- how do you find out which schools offer ABSN programs and what courses do you need in order to qualify for admission?
There are numerous ABSN (accelerated nursing programs) that can totally change your career and life in 18 months or less. But how do you find a program that meshes with your timetable for beginning classes, geographic location and pocketbook. The key to identifying nursing programs quickly is registering on the web with NursingCas. NursingCas is a centralized application system that is being used by the majority of private university nursing programs in the United States. (Many public universities still require you to go directly to their webpage to find out which programs are being offered but I predict more and more will shift over to NursingCas in the next few years.) Establishing an account on NursingCas is quick and easy to do. Once you have signed up you have access to scanning nursing programs throughout the country. Since these programs are all competing for you as a potential student, most have virtual open house days each month where you can meet and question faculty and even their Dean in some instances. You also have the ability to shoot off an email with questions to the NursingCas liaison for that particular university. As a centralized portal for nursing school admissions, NursingCas allows you to submit your credentials and apply to several schools at once. There is a $50 dollar fee if you decide to apply, but many colleges and universities will give you a voucher that waives the $50 fee if you simply ask for it, so applying to their school will be free.
Most nursing schools require a 3.0 or close to it for serious consideration for their ABSN program. In addition to the B average, you also need to have taken Anatomy and Physiology with labs, Microbiology, Nutrition, Statistics and Developmental Psychology during your undergraduate degree years. These are fairly standard requirements. There was a time when Chemistry was also required, but colleges are beginning to move away from that requirement. Anatomy and Physiology with labs are considered your most important science courses, and some schools will put a time limit on the age of those college credits.
Say your science credits are old or perhaps you were a "late bloomer" and although your first two years of college reflected poor grades, you later began to turn things around. My suggestion would be to retake or take the prerequisites online or at your local community college. Shoot for As. This makes your grades reflect your current ability and eagerness to enter nursing -- something not lost on ABSN admissions committees. Many colleges and universities want to see science credits that are not more than 7 years old, so taking courses as a refresher can also be a great idea.
Let me know if you have any questions about ABSN programs. Always happy to help.