I was interested in the nursing field from the time I graduated high school, but I really had no idea where to start the journey! In my opinion, there are two different routes you can take.
First: If you know what school you want to attend, look online and find out what their pre-reqs are. Find out what the application process is like and what they require in addition to classwork.
Some of these classes are specific to UMSL, whereas others you would need to take regardless of what program you enter.
Applying to nursing school can be much easier if you know exactly where you want to go. It’s easy to look up what their requirements are ,and find out how good of a program it is. For example, a program I thought I may apply to suggested having some volunteering hours, a certain GPA, an essay, and a letter of recommendation. Whereas UMSL’s only criteria is GPA from your pre-req classes. Before I knew where I wanted to go I spent some time volunteering (which in no way was a waste), but it turned out that in the end I didn’t need to do that.
Knowing where you want to go is certainly the easier route, but isn't always practical. The second route is what I took.
Not knowing where you want to go. The best thing to do is start taking the classes that are going to be required no matter what nursing program you enter.
Required classes for BSN or ASN
Biology
Chemistry
Microbiology
A&P 1 & 2,
Psychology
Human Growth and Development
College Algebra
So a really good place to start is with Pysch, Algebra, Chemistry, and work your way up to A&P/Micro, giving yourself a little bit of a learning curve learning how college works.
Taking all the pre-reqs for nursing school can take some time, all depending on if you’re going full time vs. part time, going over the summer, or transferred college credits from high school courses. But if you were to start with these classes it would give you at least a year to narrow down and figure out what nursing program you want to attend, and then start to take more specific classes.
We all know that attending a university can be expensive, so I highly recommend taking classes at your local junior college, and transferring the pre-req credits to the nursing school you want to attend. That is what I did. The only pre-req class I took at UMSL was Junior Level Writing, and it is a specific course that must be taken only at UMSL. The class sizes at junior colleges are also smaller, which I found made it easier for me to learn in the intimate environment.
GPA?
Your GPA overall is important, but the GPA in your science courses (Chemistry, A&P 1/2, biology, microbiology) are EXTREMELY important. Some schools require you have a minimum 3.0 GPA in science classes, whereas your other classes could be lower, so keep that in mind. Also, I know most nursing schools say the minimum GPA is 2.5, but the students most likely to get accepted (from what I have heard/learned) have a GPA of 3.2 or higher.
How competitive is it?
If you work really hard on getting a high GPA and you find out if there is anything else your school requires, it’s likely that you will get in. Like I said, a nursing entrance GPA from what I have learned is usually around 3.2, but the higher the better. If you can work in the healthcare field, like becoming a CNA, this can also give you a leg up on the competition. Also if there is an interview process do the obvious things like show up 5-7 minutes early, dress professionally, and have your paperwork with you (like application, resume, recommendation); but also spend some time the week before preparing to answer questions. Practice with family members, or with your pet (cats love it I promise), or watch some YouTube videos on interviewing tips. Be sure to spend some quality time with yourself really thinking about why you want to become a nurse!
ready to apply?
*First things first: GET IT DONE! Do not ignore the deadline, because it will approach so quickly!
Most universities/schools have a "simple" application- one that includes your name, your major, student number, etc.- basically something to get you in the system.
The stressful part can be alllllllll the other stuff! Writing the essay, getting the letter of recommendation, all those lovely things that take so much time.
Start working on these things from the moment you know what school you want to attend. I would allow for a few months to get all these things done, because it’s bound to happen that someone will be hard to get a hold of, or someone lost some paperwork, or little things like that will go wrong.
If you simply can't narrow it down just apply to multiple schools!
*If you need a letter of recommendation, I suggest getting it from someone in the science department. Both my A&P 1 and 2 instructors had been nurses, so someone with the RN title behind their name can be a great asset when applying.
Entrance Exam
Some nursing schools require test like the HESI entrance exam or TEAS exam. I took one of these in Kansas City for a nursing program and I honestly have no idea what I got or which test it was- but I do know that I didn’t study at all so I probably didn’t do that good!
If you know what school you are interested in make sure to find out if they require a test like this, and get some study material from the website and give yourself at least 6 weeks to study for the exam. If you do really well on these exams you are usually guaranteed to get in!
Info Sessions
Almost every nursing school has information sessions that can be super helpful. If you have no idea where to go I definitely recommended looking into attending these. They answer so many questions and have people leading the discussion who can answer your more specific questions. I went to a few of these before starting nursing school, and each were helpful!
What kind of degree should I get?
Not sure if you want to get a bachelor degree vs. associates?
Both will make you an RN, and both degrees take the same NCLEX. And from what I have heard, both basically make the same money. The length of the program is different, as some ASN you can become an RN in 2 years, whereas a bachelor degree can take 4-5 years. Of course, there are also accelerated programs like what I am in; I came in with all my pre-reqs done and take 15 straight months of just nursing courses to get my BSN. For me that was the quickest option.
Also, if you think you may want to get your master’s degree (and become a nurse practitioner, or even teach one day) then BSN is more the way to go. It allows you to start an advance degree right after you take the NCLEX, whereas if you were an RN you would have to go back to school and bridge to a BSN, then keep going to get your MSN.
(note: these are all things I have learned over the years from talking to people and doing my own research!)
https://www.allnursingschools.com/articles/nursing-program-types/
This link is really great at defining all the wonderful options a career in nursing!
One last note
Nursing is very serious. Nurses are held to high standards both inside the clinical setting and outside of it. So monitor your social media! I know the head of a nursing program who personally has looked at students profiles and decided they were not fit to be in the program- not to mention you don’t want your future administrators judging you before they even meet you! So yes, programs definitely look at that sort of thing and can deny you if there is inappropriate content linked to you.
I know a lot of people who follow me are already nursing students, but for the few of you asking for some tips on applying I hope this helps!
