Nursing School Programs

The nursing school programs at technical and vocational schools, community colleges, and state universities are low-cost, high-quality, pathways to a career in nursing. They are much cheaper than private nursing schools and most online nursing schools. So why would you want to consider any other option?
Because it is very rare to find any of the aforementioned types of programs that do not have a waiting list. A very, very long waiting list. Some of them have waiting lists that are three or four years long. Some of them have no waiting lists, which sounds like good news but it’s not; if you apply and are not accepted, you just have to try again next year against hundreds of other hopeful, well-qualified candidates vying for dozens of slots and hope for a better result.
Nationwide, colleges and universities are faced with a shortage of nursing teachers, because nurses who are qualified to teach can earn significantly more money working for hospitals, doctors, nursing homes, clinics and agencies. This means that there are not enough nursing teachers to teach nursing classes to all the students who want to get in, the waiting lists to get into traditional ADN and BSN nursing programs are only getting longer.

So should you just give up? Of course not! Here, we offer several alternative ways to get into nursing school faster and get that nursing degree!

Alternative 1: Get your LPN first and then complete an LPN to RN program online, while you are working as an LPN.
Advantages: You can apply right away. You do not need to wait to complete the prerequisites that you would need before you can apply to a program which offers an Associate’s Degree in Nursing.
You need a high school diploma or a GED, and you need the ability to pass the English and Math sections on whatever type of admissions test is required by the LPN school you are applying to. Many of these schools give the NET test or the National League for Nursing Tests. The LPN school will very likely sell a test prep book; it is highly recommended that you buy, study and master this book before taking the test.
LPN programs have much shorter waiting lists. Many vocational schools and technical schools offer LPN programs.
Once you become an LPN, if you want to progress to an RN degree, you WILL have to take all of those prerequisites before you can get into an LPN to RN
program.

However, once you get your LPN license, you take those courses online or at a local community college while you are working and earning a salary. And you can take them a couple at a time, if your time is limited, you will most likely be able to get your place of employment to pay for some or all of your continuing education.

Alternative 2: Accelerated Second Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Nursing.
If you already have a bachelor’s degree and are considering a second career in nursing, the accelerated Second Degree in Nursing may be for you. They generally run from one to two years and are quite intense. You do not even want to think about working while in these programs; many of the programs require that you sign an agreement not to work while in the program. You must have completed your nursing school prerequisites before you can attend, but you probably have a number of those from your previous bachelor’s degree.
They are generally expensive - $20,000 to $40,000 - but a bachelor’s degree of science at any four-year university would cost as much or more, and you will have your degree and be earning a living much faster with an accelerated second degree program.

Where can you find these wonderful programs? We are here to help, so here is a list of Accelerated Second BSN Degree in Nursing
programs.

Alternative 3: Pay more, get in sooner, graduate faster. In other words, explore the private nursing school options.

The “career colleges” like Galen, Keiser, Glendale Career College (California, offers an LPN school), Apollo College (nine campuses in the Western United States), Premier Career College (California), University of Phoenix, Everest College, Chamberlain College of Nursing (St. Louis), Corinthian Colleges Inc., Concorde Career Colleges, ECPI College of Technology( LPN programs, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina),
and many others. Bonus: Many of these career colleges offer your prerequisites as part of their two-year package, so you will graduate even faster - this could save you a year or more of schooling.