| Waiting lists for nursing schools are giving aspiring | | | | example. So is Corinthian and Chamberlain. These |
| nurses the blues these days. Community colleges, | | | | schools offer two year associate's degree |
| four year bachelor's degree programs, even a lot | | | | programs and they are strictly geared towards |
| of LPN programs...they all have many more | | | | educating you for the career that you are |
| students applying than they can accommodate. | | | | pursuing. |
| Some nursing schools, in fact, report waiting lists | | | | What's the common denominator between career |
| of three or four YEARS. And some nursing | | | | colleges and online schools? In a word: money. |
| schools don't even bother with waiting lists; they | | | | They both cost more than traditional nursing |
| just accept a certain number of the best-qualified | | | | school options, perhaps four times as much. They |
| candidates until their slots are filled, turn away | | | | are able to accept more students because they |
| hundreds of other candidates...and tell them to | | | | are private businesses and they can pay their |
| apply again next year. And next year, things | | | | teachers better than traditional nursing schools |
| won't be any better; there will still be dozens of | | | | can, so they can attract enough teachers to |
| people vying for each spot. | | | | accept nursing students on a regular basis. |
| So what's a wanna-be nurse to do? | | | | It will be up to you to look at the costs |
| Well, there are two kinds of nursing schools that | | | | associated with these kinds of schools to see if it |
| don't have waiting lists. | | | | is worth it to you, but keep in mind, paying more |
| Option one: online nursing schools. This option is | | | | now means that you can graduate and be |
| only available if you already have some kind of | | | | working much sooner. |
| healthcare degree. Don't despair, though; you can | | | | And another bonus- online nursing schools and |
| get a Licensed Practical Nursing Degree in one | | | | career colleges also offer you the option of taking |
| year, and the lines for those programs aren't as | | | | many of your prerequisite courses - algebra, |
| long. Many states also permit paramedic to RN | | | | microbiology, Anatomy & Physiology I and II |
| programs, or respiratory therapist to RN | | | | - in an abbreviated format, so you can get |
| programs. | | | | through school that much faster. |
| Option two: private, "career colleges". Keiser is an | | | | |