Getting into nursing school is the first major step in any nursing career; if you’re looking to fast-track your way to nursing, then attending one of the best accelerated nursing programs out there will offer a unique opportunity! With accelerated nursing, you’ll enter the healthcare field faster by compressing the usual curriculum into a shorter time frame. These programs are ideal for those looking to change careers or advance quickly, offering benefits like reduced living costs and less student debt. With the ongoing demand for nurses, now is a great time to explore this pathway. In this blog, we’ll guide you through some of the best programs available and how to successfully navigate the admissions process.
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The 12 Best Accelerated Nursing Programs
1. McMaster University Accelerated Nursing
Location: Hamilton, Ontario
Duration: 20 months
How to get accepted: McMaster University’s accelerated program has specific course prerequisites, such as (but not limited to) introductory psychology, human physiology, and statistics; students must hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing with a B- average GPA. Applicants must also take the CASPer test, which is weighted 20% in the admissions process
2. Northern Arizona University Accelerated Nursing
Location: Flagstone, Arizona
Duration: 12 months
How to get accepted: Students must have completed 27 credits of pre-professional requirements, including courses in biology, nutrition science, either psychology or statistics, and others. Students must have an average of C or higher in their prerequisite courses, and a minimum GPA of 3.0 overall. As part of the application process, students must complete the KAPLAN admissions exam, which is used to measure and rank nursing students using sections for reading, writing, math, and science. Applicants also must take the CASPer exam.
3. University of Saint Mary Accelerated Nursing
Location: Leavenworth, Kansas
Duration: 12 months
How to get accepted: Prerequisites include credit hours in nutrition, chemistry, microbiology, human anatomy and physiology, introduction to statistics, introduction to sociology or psychology, additional credit hours in psychology/human development branch, and credit hours in a communication course. Students who apply must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in science prerequisite classes. Students with a bachelor’s degree in any other program besides nursing can apply. An additional requirement is the completion of the ATI TEAS exam, which is a multiple-choice exam designed to assess academic skills. Also required are two reference letters, a personal statement, and an optional resume.
4. University of Washington Accelerated Nursing
Location: Seattle, Washington
Duration: 12 months
How to get accepted: Anyone interested in applying must have completed their bachelor’s degree in another field with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8. Course prerequisites include credits in the following classes: general chemistry, organic chemistry, microbiology, anatomy, physiology, and nutrition with a minimum GPA of 3.0 for each class. This program also requires a minimum of 100 volunteer or paid hours over the course of three months in a single healthcare setting.
5. University of Pennsylvania Accelerated Nursing
Location: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
Duration: 15 months
How to get accepted: To apply, students must have earned a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing. Application requirements include a nursing school personal statement, two letters of recommendation, transcripts, followed by a video interview. Prerequisite courses include general chemistry, biology, physiology, microbiology, nutrition, statistics, and health care ethics. Preferred cumulative GPA is 3.0, but applications will be assessed based on all materials provided.
6. University of Toronto Accelerated Nursing
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Duration: 24 months
How to get accepted: Prerequisite courses include credits in human physiology, statistics, life sciences or physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities. To be eligible to apply, students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in their most recent 5.0 credits.
7. University of Kentucky Accelerated Nursing
Location: Kentucky, Ohio
Duration: Continuous 16 months, including the summer term
How to get accepted: To apply, students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 in the following courses: human anatomy, human physiology, general biology, general chemistry, general psychology, and composition and communication courses. Students must also complete credits in general microbiology, nutrition, and statistics with a 3.0 average before their first semester in the program. Selected applicants are also interviewed virtually, which will occur after the initial GPA and academic requirement evaluation.
8. Creighton University Accelerated Nursing
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
Duration: 12 months
How to get accepted: Admission requirements are standard, with one personal statement, three nursing school recommendation letters, an optional nursing school application resume, and official transcripts. Academic requirements include a bachelor’s degree or higher, with course credits in sociology, psychology, developmental psychology, ethics, statistics, human nutrition, human anatomy and physiology, chemistry, and microbiology. Minimum cumulative GPA is 3.0.
9. Baylor University Accelerated Nursing
Location: Waco, Texas
Duration: 12 months
How to get accepted: Admissions requirements include 52 completed credits from an accredited institution, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for prerequisite courses, and a 2.75 GPA for prerequisite science credits. Applicants must also complete the HESI exam, which is a multiple-choice entrance exam that tests the skills and knowledge deemed important to succeed as a nurse and in the program.
10. Western University Accelerated Nursing
Location: London, Ontario
Duration: 19 months
How to get accepted: To apply, students must have either completed their bachelor’s degree or two years of study. To be considered, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their last 10.0 completed credits. Course requirements include human physiology, anatomy, and statistics. Applicants must also complete the CASPer exam.
11. Grand Canyon University Accelerated Nursing
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Duration: 16 months
How to Get Accepted: Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in any field, with a GPA of 3.0 in prerequisite courses and 2.75 in science prerequisites. Required coursework includes anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and microbiology. Applicants also need to complete the HESI entrance exam.
12. George Washington University Accelerated Nursing
Location: Washington, DC
Duration: 15 months
How to Get Accepted: To apply, students must have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and a preferred GPA of 3.0. Application requirements include transcripts, two letters of recommendation, a resume, and a personal statement
Accelerated Nursing Programs: Are They Right For You?
Accelerated nursing programs are designed for people who earned their bachelor’s degree in a program other than in nursing and who want to pursue a Bachelor of Science (BSN) in Nursing. Most programs offer a combination of online and in-class work, which gives you the flexibility to learn in a more convenient format.
The length of accelerated programs can vary, but generally, you can complete an accelerated program in as few as 12 months; whereas starting the process from scratch (without a bachelor’s) requires a time commitment of 5+ years; nursing school can take a long time!
The main appeal of an accelerated nursing program is that you can enter the job market sooner. So, anyone who wants to fast-track their way into a nursing specialization of their choice is the ideal candidate for these condensed programs. And because motivation is such a key aspect of becoming a nurse and choosing an accelerated pathway, students who encounter the “why do you want to be a nurse?” during their interview can offer a unique perspective in their answer.
Accelerated programs involve three aspects that are important to highlight:
- Firstly, these programs generally involve a specific number of online courses that you are required to complete. The e-learning format gives you the flexibility to learn all the information and skills required of a nurse in the more compact design of the curriculum. For most programs, you will be allowed to choose which courses you take online.
- The second aspect to consider is skills labs. Skills labs are practical workstations involving simulated scenarios or environments give you the ability to learn and apply course concepts to situations you might encounter in the field. During this portion of the curriculum, you will learn how to perform patient assessments, take and read vitals, insert IVs and catheters, and more. Labs are generally conducted using manikins that are designed to exhibit certain conditions that you learn to identify and treat accordingly.
- The final aspect of the accelerated programs is the clinical rotations feature. Clinical rotations are also sometimes called placement programs, in which you enter a healthcare environment such as a hospital or clinic. During rotations, you take the practical concepts you learned from the labs and the theory you learned in the classroom to experience real healthcare scenarios.
Admission Requirements of An Accelerated Nursing Program
As with most programs, admissions requirements will vary by institution, so it’s important to do the necessary research to gather all the essential documents. Having an outstanding application and working with a nursing school consultant can help you get accepted, as can reviewing the following well in advance:
Meet the GPA Requirements
One of the best ways to improve or maintain your GPA is to meet with a tutor, or work with a study group. Schools often have learning centers that can connect you with a tutor for your subject. If you’re struggling with a class, you can also ask your instructor to meet with you to discuss how you can improve.
Complete the Prerequisite Courses
If you’re planning your academic schedule and you’re wondering how you can organize your course work optimally to apply for an accelerated nursing program, you can talk to a consultant or an advisor about your credits. Bachelor of Science programs often share most of the prerequisites for applying to an accelerated nursing program. If you aren’t in a position where your program involves these required courses, you can still register for them as electives or additional credits.
Get Strong Nursing School Recommendation Letters
Reference letters will typically come from either employers, colleagues, professors, or supervisors. For nursing programs, if you have volunteer or work hours in a health care setting, and you know someone who can attest to your skills, professional characteristics, and attitude in that setting, they can generally provide the strongest letters.
Work on a Strong Nursing School Personal Statement
Most schools also require a personal statement as part of your application. The hallmark of an effective personal statement is a focused explanation of your path to nursing. In short, it’s a chance to tell your story (briefly) and provide evidence for your motivation to become a nurse. In other words, the personal statement prompt “tell us about yourself” in relation to nursing. Generally, your personal statement shouldn't be any longer than one to two pages, so between 700 and 1,000 words.
Prepare for the CASPer Exam
Some nursing schools require completion of the CASPer exam, which is an online situational judgment test. How to prepare for CASPer? To prepare for this exam, your best option is to go through a series of CASPer sample questions to get you familiar with what’s on the exam. If you can practice your answers to sample questions in a mock simulation, with a consultant or someone who can provide feedback on your answers, this will help you get comfortable with the formatting and what a strong answer looks like.
Write a Compelling and Relevant Nursing School Application Cover Letter
A cover letter for a nursing program highlights your work experience, volunteer experience, education, and other important aspects about yourself. Some schools require cover letters in addition to or instead of personal statements. When you’re crafting this document, make sure you customize it for each school, and demonstrate why you think you’re a good fit for the program based on the schools’ mission, goals, values, etc.
Consider Writing a Nursing School Letter of Intent
A letter of intent is a document that expresses your interest in a specific program. Typically, this document is part of an application for research-centered or highly competitive programs; you may also use a letter of intent to provide an update on any achievements and reaffirm your commitment to a program. Your letter of intent is an opportunity to express how you think you will fit into the department according to their values. Also, for programs that require a letter of intent, you might want to consider critical thinking nursing interview questions, which is a highly sought-after skill for research-centered programs. Your letter of intent should include a combination of personal information, what it would mean for you to become a nurse, volunteer or work experience in health care, and other qualifications, including potential research experience.
Are you working on your nursing school letter of intent?
FAQs
1. What is an accelerated nursing program?
An accelerated nursing program is a condensed Bachelor of Science in nursing program for students who have already earned their bachelor’s degree in another field and want to pursue nursing as a career in a quicker time frame.
2. What different types of nurses are there?
Types of nursing degrees (and titles)include licensed practical nurses (LPN), registered nurse midwife (RM), registered practical nurses (RPN), registered nurses (RN), or nurse practitioners (NP).
3. What kind of curriculum does an accelerated program have?
Accelerated programs typically have a combination of e-learning lectures or activities, in-class work, clinical rotations, and labs or simulated environments.
4. Can I apply to an accelerated program if I haven’t finished my degree yet?
The majority of programs only consider students who have their bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing program, but some institutions will consider students with diplomas or other degree depending on the program and school – if you haven’t finished your degree yet, as long as you’ve completed prerequisites, you may still be able to apply.
5. What do I need to submit in my application?
You should be prepared to submit some or all of the following: personal statement, transcripts, reference letters, proof of English language proficiency, and CASPer test results. Other programs may have other requirements beyond these, so be sure to check in with the institution.
6. Who can I request a letter of recommendation from?
For applicants of accelerated nursing, it’s advantageous to acquire a letter of recommendation from a past supervisor, employer, teacher, or colleague in a health care setting.
7. When can I start applying?
You can start collecting your application materials immediately. Application deadlines can vary by school, but generally, most schools in the US and Canada are open for submissions starting in the early fall.
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1 Comments
Precious Odinka
Please I want to know how to register for and complete my prerequisite courses for accelerated nursing program in Canada?
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