Residential Accelerated BSN Program
For students who want to take advantage of a residential accelerated BSN program, the secret is having the right prerequisites already out of the way. The goal of these accelerated programs is to give the opportunity to complete the BSN program in 12-18 months. These shortened BSN programs are for students who already have a degree in another field, or have already completed a two-year nursing program. There are a variety of great accelerated nursing programs, to view our list of some of the best, check out our ranking of the Best Residential Accelerated BSN programs available.
Are You The Right Fit For A Residential Accelerated BSN?
The key to the acceleration of these programs is that you already have a degree of some kind before starting the BSN program. If you are straight out of high school and entering into the nursing profession, then the traditional path is going to be for you, as you will need to complete the general education courses as well as the nursing specific classes and labs. If you are already degreed – either associates or bachelor’s degree, then the accelerated program may be able to deliver your BSN in about 15 months.
Each Second-degree nursing program will have their unique list of prerequisites, some require more general education classes than others. For example, a general education class would be something like: college algebra, college writing, US history or government. Depending on your current degree, you may have already checked these off the list. Many programs will allow you to be “in progress” with some of these classes at the time of application. However, you will need to have them completed at the time you begin your program.
Nursing Specific Prerequisites
As some programs may require more general education classes than others, most all accelerated BSN programs will require almost the same health care related classes to be completed. Again, please check your program of interest, but you can get an idea of what is needed here:
- Chemistry + lab
- Anatomy + lab
- Physiology + lab
- Developmental Psychology
- Science of Nutrition
- Ethics
- Statistics
- Philosophy
- Human Growth & Development
The above course listing is a general idea of what most programs require. When researching your program, be sure to double check the classes required but also the hour requirement. Some programs may require 8 hours of chemistry, while others only 4 hours. Another detail you will not want to skip is the lab requirements for each prerequisite. For example, chemistry classes usually require a lab at time of completion, but perhaps not all. Make sure you have all the labs required as well to make your entrance into and accelerated program as smooth as possible.
Prepare: Have Transcripts in Hand at Application Time
The best thing you can do prior to submitting your application to your accelerated BSN program is to get prepared. Research your specific program and see what their prerequisites are. Second, make sure you have your official transcripts from your prior degree. That way you will be able to see exactly what you may need prior to starting your new program. As mentioned, some programs will allow you to be in “transition” if you are currently enrolled in a prerequisite class and it will come to completion prior to the start of their BSN program. Once you have the specifics – you will be on your way to attaining that accelerated BSN and see your career take off in no time!
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