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can you get into nursing school without any prior relevant experience ?

I want to apply to nursing school to earn my associates degree. However, I’m 23, have only worked in retail, and I currently volunteer as a tutor for children.

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Thank you comment icon Yes you can Karla Green
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Raquel’s Answer

Yes you can get into nursing school without experience. The main thing schools are looking at are your grades on the required prerequisite courses and how you do on the entrance exam. Some schools may look at volunteer/work experience but don't require medical field experience. If you find the schools near you, you can find their individual entry requirements online. Most schools will post their average GPA and entrance exam scores so you can find the school that fits you best.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Raquel! Nallely
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MARY’s Answer

You really don't need experience but it's better to search for the requirements of schools you have in mind and work and prepare towards it. Good luck.
Thank you comment icon Thanks for the help. Nallely
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Colleen’s Answer

Absolutely! However, nursing school is intense. I would highly recommend getting some experience in the field prior to starting school. Volunteering at a blood bank or hospital is a good place to start. I would also recommend considering going for your BSN instead of stopping at your associate's. There is a large difference in opportunity and salary. Also, many hospitals no longer higher ASN nurses.
Thank you comment icon Thank you for the advice. Nallely
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Rita’s Answer

Yes, you can. However, if you work as a medical assistant first it helps to get into school and it helps when you are studying.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Rita for the advice. Nallely
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Suzanne’s Answer

Hi Nallely!
I agree with all the above answers. This is Sue and I have been a nurse since 1983. I was actually a musician prior to becoming a nurse if you can imagine! I did work as a nursing assistant in a nursing home to determine if I had real interest and capacity to deal with ill patients. I learned very quickly that I loved the role and went on to complete my degrees.
If you can volunteer first it would be very good for your application process. Make sure you work carefully with the nursing school of your choice to ensure you are taking the correct prerequisites.
I am wishing you all the best. Nurses do make a real difference in this world. I never regretted my decision to enter the nursing field.
Sue

Suzanne recommends the following next steps:

Work as a nurse's aid if possible
Develop an entrance strategy to the nursing school of your choice
Do well in your prerequisite courses
Volunteer in the healthcare field if possible
Thank you comment icon Thank you, this is really helpful. Nallely
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Cynthia (Cindy)’s Answer

Great question. It really depends on the school and their entry requirements. You can usually go on their website to find out the school’s particular requirements.
Thank you comment icon Thank you! Nallely
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Valerie’s Answer

No medical background, nor experience is necessary. You will need to check entrance criteria for the college or university you want to attend.
For an associates degree, you should be a high school graduate with at least a 2.5 GPA, and have taken either the SAT, or ACT college entrance exam and passed with a satisfactory score.
If either your GPA, or exam scores are low; you might consider doing a year at your local Junior college to show your ability to become enrolled, and successfully pursue the associate’s degree in nursing.
Thank you comment icon Valerie, thank you! Nallely
Thank you comment icon If you never took SAT or ACT exams must community colleges have an entrance exam that you can take to start classes Marie Enos MSN, BSN, RN-NIC
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Yvette’s Answer

You don't need prior experience to apply to nursing school.
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Annie’s Answer

No experience is needed but it doesn't hurt! Nursing school can be competitive. You could try volunteering at a local hospital or clinic to show your commitment and interest in the medical field. Even finding an opportunity to shadow a nurse could be helpful so you're able to articulate what specifically interests you about nursing and show you understand what the profession entails. Getting good grades in your prerequisite courses will also help a lot. Different schools require different prerequisites so make sure to check their websites.
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much, Annie! Nallely
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Ivey’s Answer

Yes, you can still get into nursing school with having no experience in the medical field. I was your age when I applied to nursing school and I was currently working as a golf course manager with no medical background whatsoever. Speaking from my personal experience, I found that I benefitted more from not having experience than those who did. The reason I say this is because those that had experience being a CNA or medical assistant struggled because they tried combining what they already knew with what we were learning and it actually became a problem for them when it came to testing. I would check into different schools and see what their requirements are, but I think you will be fine applying with no experience. Best of luck!
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Ivey! Nallely
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