Wondering if my plan is good...

[dfrecore]

My daughter is thinking about becoming a nurse, so I decided to start the research myself a few weeks ago (we homeschool). I'm only just starting (she's 13, I have some time), but here's where I am: The main issue in CA that I can see, is that you have to get accepted into a program. I have no idea what it's like where you live, but here in Escondido (North Inland San Diego County), our local community college has 30-36 slots each year. Yep, a maximum of 36 people get into the program each YEAR. That means that if you went through and got your AA in General Studies or Biology, you would still have a VERY hard time getting accepted into the program due to the severely restricted enrollment number. Yes, there are other community colleges around here, but they also have small programs. And, again, that's after you've gotten your AA. Once you're in a program, you have to be available to work basically full-time for free for 4 semesters.

I have no idea how to become an LVN, except that you need 1500+ hours under direct supervision of an RN, which seems like a lot of (unpaid?) hours to qualify for something that you won't make a ton of money as ($14-$24 per hour is the listed salary range AFTER you become an LVN). Then you still have to finish the LVN-RN bridge program (2 semesters of unpaid work).

My advice would be to take the most direct path towards what you want to do. It seems unnecessarily complicated to become an RN, then change completely over to another program later. Why take the longer route? And what happens if you don't get accepted into a nursing program (possibly because they figure out that your ultimate goal is not to become a nurse)? I personally would never waste my time like that. It's hard enough to get a degree in something that you actually WANT to do, I can't imagine getting one in something that I DON'T want to do!!

Just my 2 cents...