Questions concerning Victorian convents

Assume, for the sake of it, that I know very little about organised religion. All my memories of Sunday school involve colouring in Joseph's coat.

So how long would one spend in a convent before one could take holy orders? What might the preparation involve? Could anyone point me towards a URL or book on life in mid-Victorian nunneries? My google skills seem to be failing me tonight and I want to get back to the writing.