Mostly it involves your GPA. Make sure you study and get the best grades possible as nursing schools take those with the highest GPA's first. Many people want to be nurses but schools can't take everyone who applies. There are usually not enough professors to supervise the students when they begin to go into clinical areas and in some places the number of students allowed into clinical areas is limited. That is the competition. Some schools focus not only on GPA but how well you did on Chemistry and Anatomy & Physiology and other courses that are required prerequisites and take those grades into consideration as well.

Many people here have recommended it for German but it does other languages as well. It is an on-line self paced course and cost about the same as RS. It uses a computer to teach words, grammar, writing etc and then you call the school to talk with a teacher to actually use what you have learned. My don used their German program and loved it. He had tried RS and the Learnables and failed with both. This program was great. It's not an immersion program so he's actually learning things he can understand, read and write and it has video's so you can hear how it should sound and with the phone help it really is a great program.

Anything that can be microwaved like popcorn, granola bars have already been mentioned, put candy in there that wouldn't be affected like star bursts, etc and you can still add in some chocolate even with the high temps such as M&M's. They have a hard outer shell to contain the chocolate. Gift card to places like McDonalds, Pizza Hut etc. Places they can go to when stuff on campus is shut down or they can have delivered.

My daughters school has about 8 different types of Christian Clubs, some church sponsored, some student sponsored plus she has found that many churches near campus cater to college students and have robust Christian activities available. The best way she found what was offered was to go to the school's website and look under school organizations and clubs. She goes to a fairly large public school but you'd be surprised at what's available to her. There are also religious courses available to take if you want to go that route. Probably not to the degree you find at a Christian school but there are some non the less. These are just some of the many found at my Dd school. Some are not Christian but many are. Alpha Omega Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 * Alpha Omega Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 * Baptist Campus Ministry Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Baptist Campus Ministry Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved Believers in Christ Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Believers in Christ Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved C4 Charlotte Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved C4 Charlotte Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved Campus Bible Fellowship Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 * Campus Bible Fellowship Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 * Campus Crusade for Christ Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Campus Crusade for Christ Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved Campus International Fellowship Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Campus International Fellowship Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved Campus Outreach Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 * Campus Outreach Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 * Catholic Campus Ministry Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 * Catholic Campus Ministry Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 * Chinese Christian Fellowship Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 * Chinese Christian Fellowship Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 * Cross Impact Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Every Nation Campus Ministries Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Every Nation Campus Ministries Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 * God-Ward Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 * God-Ward Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 * Hillel (Jewish Student Association) Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Hillel (Jewish Student Association) Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved HIS International Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 * HIS International Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 * Impact Charlotte Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Impact Charlotte Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved International Students Christian Fellowship (Friends Worldwide) Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved Latter-day Saint Student Association Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Latter-day Saint Student Association Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved M28 Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 * M28 Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 * Muslim Student Association Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 * Muslim Student Association Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 * Niner United Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Niner United Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved ONElife Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved ONElife Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved Orthodox Christian Fellowship Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 * Ratio Christi Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Ratio Christi Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved Reaching You through HIM (R.Y.T.HIM) Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 * Reaching You through HIM (R.Y.T.HIM) Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 * Reformed University Fellowship Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Reformed University Fellowship Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved Road to Damascus Campus Outreach Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 * Road to Damascus Campus Outreach Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 * United Charlotte Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 * UnRestricted Praise Team Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Voices of Eden Gospel Choir Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Voices of Eden Gospel Choir Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved Young Life Religious (Spiritual) 2010-2011 Approved Young Life Religious (Spiritual) 2011-2012 Approved Reg. Status Key *: Indicates that a group has submitted a registration and awaiting approval. Approved: Indicates that a groups has been approved.

Requirements for getting into the Nursing Program vary from school to school. I would definitely take Biology, Chemistry and Anatomy and Physiology. For math, I'd go as far as Pre-Calculus. When we were looking at schools some only required Statistics and College Algebra and some required on Calculus. For Science just about all of them required Chemistry and Anatomy and Physiology but beyond that it varied widely. So for science we made sure to take Biology, Chemistry, and Anatomy and Physiology. We found very few schools that required Physics. I think the best way to answer your question is to go to the colleges you might be looking at and look at the pre-requisites for getting into the Nursing Program. Remember that with most Nursing Programs you have to do the 2 year basic requirements and then compete to get into the Nursing Program. It doesn't usually begin until the 3rd year of college. It's more of a science based degree than math so I'd definitely focus on the sciences. If you can find a good microbiology course that would be helpful as well. Many colleges require that as a pre-requisite as well. Also try to add in Nutrition and a course that cover Human Growth and Development. Those are also usually covered.

The last two years of high school were like pulling teeth. He just had no interest in continuing on. We had talked about college but he wasn't sure and frankly I wasn't sure either. He was going back and forth between going to college but not sure what to major in and going straight into the Army. The year after he graduated he wanted to stay at home and continue to be an assistant instructor at his Karate studio. If he did that he could get his 2nd degree black belt and his instructors certificate which might prove helpful sometime in the future. It wasn't a bad plan but he had to do something with his free time. I told him he either found a job (which as everyone knows isn't easy these days) or he had to take at least 3 classes at local CC. He begrudgingly took CC. He wasn't enthused and I just knew he'd flunk out. He surprised both of us. He took 24 credit hours and came out with a 4.0 average. He did a lot of maturing this past year and found something he was excited about. He is now attending college, majoring in Psychology and enrolled in the Army ROTC program. So he got to put both his loves together and is doing great so far.

Check with you state Board of Nursing. They usually have statistics on passing rates of all the schools candidates have graduated from. You really want to look for a school with at least a 90% passing rate on the NCLEX. They usually have excellent programs that will prepare you well once you actually begin to nurse. You might also look at whether or not your state will do a reciprocal license. That way you might be able to take the test in another state, pass it, and apply for your license in the state you want to live in. The NCLEX is not a nationally normed test. Each state makes up their own test except those with reciprocity agreements with other states (NC is one of those). When you find a school that you like also ask for their statistics on passing rates. You don't want to go to 4 years of college and flunk the NCLEX. You can take it again but it is disheartening. So the first thing you should be looking at is their passing rate, then their financial aid package and then whether you can tolerate it or not.

In my area the hospitals hire very few LPN's because there are 3 BSN programs and 1 ADN program nearby. Most LPN's around here work in Nursing homes. In my state an LPN works under the supervision of an RN and therefore is very limited in the duties she can perform. The other thing to consider is the pay which around here is substantially lower. As far as debt, you may be eligible for need based grants which don't require paying back but even if you do have to take a debt working as an RN you will make sufficient pay to easily repay the loans. In my area a beginning RN earns about $25/hr and of course it goes up with experience. If you want low debt or none now do an ADN program and then you can do an RN to BSN program. Many places have on-line courses to do that. I know several in my state. Also in my area ADN make less than RN's, not much but still some. I think it's really important to check out your area and get some idea of what you can do, what your pay is going to be etc. One of the best places to start is your State's Board Of Nursing. Most can send you brochure's etc and are eager to answer questions. Also check with your local hospitals and look at your states unemployment office website to see who is hiring and what their pay is. I also know of several hospitals that will pay for your nursing degree as long as you agree to work there for x number of years. You might look if you can find something like that. If you want to do a BSN most make you do general education courses and you apply your sophmore year and the program starts in your Junior year. If that's the case for your colleges of choice then you could go to the local CC get an AA and transfer to your college of choice, just be sure to ask if your credits will transfer as some want you to take their Chemistry or Anatomy and Physiology courses so they wouldn't accept those but most schools will accept you as a transfer student with no hoops to jump through as long as you apply for their nursing program at or before you apply for admission.

have you looked at East Carolina University in NC. They have a super reputation of putting out great nurses and they also have great masters programs in nursing with lots of concentrations to choose from, if you want to go that route later. The department chairman is one of the leading nursing educators in the country and is considered an expert on nursing practice. She sits on the NC board of Nursing and does a lot of consults for legal malpractice. She was my instructor when she was first starting out and was wonderful then. Shortly thereafter she became my colleague. It is a fully online program.

You do have to be careful doing this. Taking one or two classes over is no big deal but some colleges have caps on how many credit hours a student can have before they are billed as a graduate student and some colleges who accept CC add all those credits as if they were taken at their college so those hours can add up fast especially if you are repeating courses.

They picked where they felt comfortable, had the major they wanted and we could afford without them going into huge amounts of debt. DD went in with about a semester worth of CC credits and some of her classes were big, about 40-50 students (this is at a college that is the 4th largest in the state so it's pretty big). She found that her professors knew her because she stood out. Her study skills as well as her seriousness about the class showed. Many of her professors commented about that to her. Once she got her gen ed courses out she is majoring in two smaller majors (dance and Japanese) so all of her professors know her intimately. So just because you go to a large school doesn't mean you won't know your professors and they won't know you. It really boils down to how much both of you care about what you're there to do and what major you choose. Also don't forget that many of the courses required for gen ed may not have as many students in them as you expect because they offer so many choices regarding time etc. When I was in school I found that those classes that met between 11 and 2 were the most crowded but if you took a class before then or after them they were smaller and you had a better chance of getting to know your professor.

It wasn't due until Oct so we had more time than you but it too was non binding. She did actually end up going to that school. The bonus for us to apply early was that at this school the aid is given out on first come first serve basis and so she was able to get a lot more financial aid that those that waited till later. As to the scores, she too took her SAT test in Oct. They said it would not count against her. Once she was admitted she was admitted and if her scores got better they just adjusted those when dealing with the aid process. I think you should go for it especially if it's non binding.

Does he have to take these "required" courses this semester. Many colleges just want you to take them during the first 2 years. Perhaps he didn't understand his advisor correctly. If it's a big school there may be other times and days the courses are offered. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and take days and times you don't want. I find this very common when coming in as a freshman because they get last pick of everything. If he is required to take them this semester, remember that most colleges have excellent study resources and tutor programs if he should need them but you may just be worrying over nothing. In the end you have to do what you have to do and it won't be the last time he will find himself in this position during college. My Dd will have to go 5 years because both of her majors are small majors at her school and there are rarely more than one day and time a course is offered and it has been quite common for them to clash with each other. There's nothing we can do so we just keep on going. Those things happen all the time at colleges and with the budget cuts going on around the country they seem to be happening more frequently so he's not alone.

I don't know how they handle out of state CC classes and degrees so you'd be best to check with the school but in the NC university system and many of the private schools any classes taken as concurrent classes don't count against you and you can have as many of them as you want on your transcript and go in as a freshman applicant. They will be counted toward degree so technically she will be a transfer student but at least will be treated as freshman in regards to admission process and housing etc. Most colleges require you to send in any transcripts from courses taken at college (that's true outside of NC too). They may not accept it as one of their college courses but you still have to submit the transcript. Some schools require that someone with an associates degree be treated as a transfer student (not talking about NC university system now). Again, like we always say here it's best to talk to the school you're interested in but you may have to count those courses for both whether you want to or not.

during his last year of high school (a year ago) I was pulling hair and teeth to get him to do anything. Dh and I talked and I totally knew Ds wasn't ready for college. We just sat him down and asked him what he wanted to do when he graduated and we talked about his choices. We knew he wanted to go into the military so the obvious choices were joining right away or going to 4 year. After much discussion and questioning, he finally admitted to us that he really didn't want to go to a 4 year degree, he had some goals at home he wanted to do (he wanted to get his instructors certificate in Karate, which would require one more year of assistant teaching) and since he wouldn't be turning 18 until Nov he felt he wouldn't fit in. I finally was able to sigh a relief. We told him we understood and would support him but he would have to take some CC courses, at least 3/semester. We told him he had to take Eng but the rest he could pick. I just knew he would fail given he'd never taken responsibility that past year. I was shocked when he brought home his first English paper and had gotten a 100 and told us the teacher wanted a copy so she could use it as an example of a well written paper (this is from a son that could not write more than a 2 page essay and only wrote 2 of those his last year). I was amazed at how well he was doing. It also amazed him and gave him much courage. He began to see what we had been telling him all along, that he wasn't dumb he was smart. He never visited one college except for the college visit my dd made her junior year that we dragged him to. He really wasn't in to any of that. At the end of last year he told us he was ready to go to college and would be doing ROTC instead. Unknown to us he really liked my Dd school and since they had ROTC that's where he's going. I really believe that he needed that extra year to mature and he needed us to let him do things on his own even if he failed. He did mess up his scheduling his first semester because he didn't want my help and he admitted that was a mistake. The hardest thing I did was to let him do things without prodding. I just knew he would fail but he also knew if he failed that there would be certain consequences: he would get a job or go ahead and join the military. Funny thing is he didn't fail. Sometimes the best thing we can do for our children is to let them fail but we must tell them what we expect them to do and what will happen if they do not do it.