RN'S, How long is the wait to enter Associates degree nursing program?

I attend a community college in Fayetteville, NC. How long did it take you to be accepted into the Associates degree nursing program? Would it be best to go to a four year college?

It depends on the college, but you're right, most community colleges have a wait list for the nursing program. However, it's not necessarily a first-come, first-served situation. The school I attended supposedly had a 2 yr. wait, but the counselor that I spoke to told me that every year they looked at the list and took the top students regardless of how long they had been on the list. She suggested that I start out taking the pre-requisite courses and go ahead and apply for the following year. I did, and was accepted and started my nursing program the next fall. I would suggest you check with a few schools and go ahead and get your applications in, and in the meantime, get all your liberal arts courses and prerequisites out of the way. Your life will be so much easier if you have all of the other courses out of the way and only have to take the nursing curriculum when you get into the nursing program.

There is little advantage to having a BS right out of school. Everybody starts out doing the same work, whether you have an ADN or a BSN. The pay differential is only about 25 cents an hour, and that can disappear after your first performance review. If you want to advance into management, you will need a BSN, but you'll need several years of experience first, and you can get that with your ADN and work on completing your BSN part time. All hospitals that I know of have a tuition assistance program, so why not get your ADN, get your experience, and let your employer pay for you to complete your BSN? By the time you'll be in a position where you'll need a BS, you'll have it. Good luck.

You'll have to contact your community college & inquire how long the wait presently is as I'm sure it changes often.

No, I don't think it's always best to go to a 4 year college. It's less costly to go to a junior college and you can get the Associate's degree in 2 or less years. Then you can head to the university of your choice for a BS ub nursing. Good Luck!