If you enjoy working with people, helping others, planning, and problem-solving the Nursing program kansas city could be a great fit. I would recommend attending seminars and meeting with advisers at as many community colleges and universities as you can in order to:
- confirm the school is accredited
- find out when application deadlines are
- determine prerequisites needed to get in
- highlight the bottom line cost of the degree at that institution
- find out what the job placement rate is for that degree program
- find out what the application selection criteria is, previous year’s cutoff points, and how you can get a leg up
The interesting thing about becoming a nursing professional at Nursing program kansas city is that you can get an education at a community college or a university and still achieve the professional tile of a “Registered Nurse (RN)”.
At first glance, the decision to attend a community college seemed easy to make when considering the cost compared to a university. An associate’s degree in nursing from a local community college averages $11,000 to $12,000 where an in-state bachelor’s degree averages $22,000-$23,000 for those who already have all prerequisites completed.
Despite that obvious cost disparity, the decision is more complicated after taking a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of both.
Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN)
A bachelor’s degree or any other relevant degree like Associate of Science in Nursing allows for career advancement beyond the position of a floor nurse, which could lead to higher pay opportunities in the future.
A BSN is required for specialty degrees in nursing such as advancement to a Nurse Practitioner or Nurse Anesthesiologist.
Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN)
An associate’s degree allows you to achieve the title of an RN (same title as someone with a BSN) for half the price.
The starting salary of a floor nurse is the same for both degrees.
Most employers will partially or fully compensate you for going back to school to earn your BSN. Hospitals may have mandates to hire nurses with a BSN but in areas where there is a nursing shortage, the hospitals need to hire a nurse regardless of the degree.
Accelerated Nursing Degree Vs. 2-year, or 4-year Program
Many community colleges and universities will offer “accelerated” nursing degrees for those with a previous degree, versus standard 2-year (community college) or 4-year (university) degree programs.
The upside is lower opportunity cost – less salary is lost if you are focusing 100% on the degree. The downside is that the programs usually have a very rigorous schedule that shifts every few months, and it’s hard to carve out time to work while in school.
Prerequisites for Nursing
After research Nursing program kansas city will require to have to take about eight prerequisite courses – mostly in biology, chemistry, and nursing, before being able to apply to a nursing program.
The Nursing Application Process & Acceptance
Most nursing degree programs are difficult to get into because there is such a high demand for nurses and so many students looking to get in, that there is often not enough instructors to teach the courses.
As a result, many post-graduate nursing degrees cap the number of students they allow into the program and rank applicants by a points-based system that factors in your GPA, volunteer experience, previous work experience, and coursework. It is a good idea to start volunteering, taking voluntary courses and tried to get 4.0’s in all of my prerequisites. There are many choices out there for nursing school and the right one for each individual.
