Anyone doing it? What do you think? I'm enrolling as a new student and it seems like you have to take a bunch of dumb azz tests and jump through alot of hoops. I already have a bachelor's degree and I can't get around taking the tests. Am I right, or is there some way to get around the matriculation and TEAS?

Any input is greatly appreciated! 

I am a nursing student in an ADN program (in my 2nd to last semester YAY!), not at Mira Costa, and I also have a Bachelor's Degree in another field.

There is no way around the TEAS, at any school. BSN, or ADN... it's a requirement. It's an easy test, should be even easier if you already have a Bachelor's Degree. I had no issues with it. Buy the study guide, read it and you will be good to go.

As far as matriculation goes, if you want Mira Costa to count your units from your BS degree, there's no other way to show you fulfilled the pre-reqs for the program unless you transfer them in (Matriculate). I had to do the same thing.

I just got all my transcripts, brought in a copy of my degree and everything so they could keep it on file. It was a bit of foot work, but well worth it in the end. Just wait until they start making you go all over to get a million vaccines and physical exams (you have to do this once a year). LOL. It's a pain.

Good Luck! I wish you the best. I love nursing school, it's hard, but not impossible. :) If you have any other questions about nursing school in general let me know. 

My sister is in the nursing program there. She likes it, aside from her trouble with math. 

PS, you can find a lot of information on this website about nursing programs in the local area. I used it to do my research on schools before I made my decision where to apply.

Just type in Mira Costa into the search bar and a ton of threads should pop up. 

Are you really committed to MiraCosta? If I were you, I would look into Accelerated BSN programs. In SD, the ones I know of are Azusa Pacific (I can't find ANYTHING about it in SD online, but I know it's there..), National University, or there's CSU San Marcos which is the closest. You may have to take more prereqs and it will be later before you can start the program, but IMO, it's worth it to end up with your BSN 

Azusa Pacific

http://www.apu.edu/nursing/graduate/scan/

I got my Bachelor's degree there, you can find information on the university's main web page- I just navigated through apu.edu and went to the nursing department's link to find the info. The San Diego campus is a regional center, and according to the website they do offer it in San Diego. However it is a program for second degree nursing to get an MSN, not just a BSN. They do offer an RN-BSN ( http://www.apu.edu/caps/rnbsn/ ) bridge so you could always do an ADN program get your RN and then apply for the bridge program.

Straight BSN through APU- http://www.apu.edu/nursing/undergraduate/nursing/ is only offered on the main campus and the high desert campus.

One of the benefits of an ADN is that you can get a job, and maybe have your hospital pay for your BSN to continue your education. Just because you start with an ADN doesn't mean you can't continue with a BSN later on. Although, I do agree a BSN will make you more competitive but, like I said just because you start with an ADN doesn't mean you can't bridge to a BSN.

FYI- I loved APU. I went to the main campus up in Azusa, but it wasn't for nursing. It was for business. It's a christian school so it's not for everyone, but the education there is awesome, and they have a really great reputation as a university. 

I thought had mira costa had a pretty big waiting list, has that changed? 

It does have a big list. But you can do your pre req in that time and then not long afterwards you'll be able to start.. if you work it right so that you are priority enrollment. 

has that changed? 

Not that I have heard. Last I heard (which was about 2 years ago when I was applying) Palomar was up to about 5 years and Mira Costa was at about 3 years... There's some schools down in SD though that don't do wait lists- it's a bit of a drive though. Trust me, I know. LOL.

Also a lot of the aBSN programs don't have as long of wait lists as straight ADN or BSN programs. I'm sure the OP will figure it all out once she starts doing research. :) 

My sister started in january and when she enrolled the wait list was 18 months. 

the wait list was 18 months.

That's WAY better. Extremely more reasonable. 

Thanks for the info ladies! I'm not really acquainted with the colleges here in Calfornia. I'm from Michigan. To enter the nursing programs there we had to take a test called the NET test and it was a basic comprehension test. Is that what the TEAS is? I'm not tied to MiraCosta, I'm just attracted to the location. I wanted to go to the University of San Diego and go through their program because if you already have a bachelors, you receive a masters in nursing. Not a lot of places do that. I just HATE driving and I have 2 kids so I have to take that into account when I choose a program. The only pre-req I have to take is a math class. California makes you take one more math class than Michigan nursing programs, so I just need that one class. Anyone take the drive from Pendleton to San Diego daily? How is it? 

Just looked up CSU San Marcos. Sounds good! I'll have like 3 classes to take to meet these requirements, but it'll be worth it. I've always wanted to be a nurse. I've worked in hospitals as a pharmacy tech for 10 years now, so I feel that I have a leg up in the nursing program! 

pharmacy tech for 10 years now

That's what I do :) 

Just looked up CSU San Marcos. Sounds good! I'll have like 3 classes to take to meet these requirements, but it'll be worth it. I've always wanted to be a nurse. I've worked in hospitals as a pharmacy tech for 10 years now, so I feel that I have a leg up in the nursing program! 

Good Luck!!! Nursing is awesome. I couldn't be happier with my decision to go to nursing school. :)) 

My original major was nursing but I had so many issues getting into a nursing school here that I gave up until I get my bachelors degree and move out of state. CSUSM is a great school BUT they have about 10,000 applicants a year and only accept 30 per semester (my friend who was valedictorian in high school, has strait A's from her prerequisites and works in a hospital didn't get accepted). If you have your bachelors degree I would say your best bet is National University (or Azusa although I do not know anything about thier program). National is where I am completing my Bachelors and potentially attending nursing school as well.

Miracosta and Palomar both have excellent nursing programs if you are willing to wait on the list. I know several people who graduated from these programs and were sucessful at finding good jobs right out of school. Best of luck! 

I graduated from MiraCosta last May with my LVN. I loved it!! I felt like everything was upfront and the prepared me well for the state exam. They have a very high pass rate/state board passing as well. Couldn't say enough great things about the program.

I am doing my pre-reqs for the LVN-RN bridge program and plan on taking it at MiraCosta as well.
It does have a big list. But you can do your pre req in that time and then not long afterwards you'll be able to start.. if you work it right so that you are priority enrollment

When I was in the program this was NOT the case. You have to have all pre-reqs done BEFORE you can go onto the wait list. At least at MiraCosta I believe that's still the case. 

Anyone take the drive from Pendleton to San Diego daily? How is it? 

I do, it's about 30-45 minutes without traffic and it can be an hour+ if things are really bad. I found a carpool once school started and we share the driving between the 3 of us. We always make sure that we are in the same lecture and clinical group so that we can ride-share. It really makes a difference in saving money for commuting.

Is that what the TEAS is?

Yes, it sounds similar to the NET. It's similar to an SAT but with more advanced stuff as it's for college students not HS students. 

You have to have all pre-reqs done BEFORE you can go onto the wait list. At least at MiraCosta

Same for my school down in San Diego. I think because the wait lists are so long, this is a way to cut them back a bit.