BSN hopeful... USF, UNF, UCF, FAU...

U.S.A. Florida

Published

Hello Online world!

I am currently a freshman at USF, and am a hopeful nursing student. However, I feel very discouraged already and am trying to get a grip on where I stand in the FL BSN competition.

Some stats on me... I had a 3.85GPA for the past 3 semesters, with 5's on my AP Language/Literature exams. But then, I failed (with a 57%) pre-calc. I only took this class for Pre-Vet work and regret not dropping it, but that was not a option.

Right now, it looks like I will finish up this semester with a overall of a 3.37. And HOPEFULLY by the time nursing application time rolls around, be around a 3.5-3.7.5, with a pre req GPA of 3.7-3.85

I will most likely have all As in prereqs with a B+ in Chem Intro, Chem Lecture and Intro to Ethics. I am taking a few online classes and boosters to get the cum. GPA up, but don't see much of a difference.

As for experience, I will have (by application), nearly 2 years as a CNA at a big hospital, working nights and days on several floors and some volunteering time in pre-nursing specific internships. For extracurriculars, I ride horses for USF competitively, volunteer at a disabled children's ranch (Autism mostly, however, we receive trauma and amputee cases), was a Officer in the school's Biology Club, and participate in the pre-nursing meetings. I also have worked in a Veterinary hospital for two years, if that counts.

I would love to get into USF's Upper Division sequence, but my F and not 3.8+++ in GPA is scary. It's amazing how one mistake messes you up... I will be applying to USF, JU, UNF, UWF, UCF, FAU, FSU, and UT.

If I don't make it in any of those, should I start another major (Psychology, Public Health, Health Sciences, Education) and keep applying and then reapply to a Second Degree Sequence, or get my AA from USF and go to a ADN program?

Should I retake pre calc (USF has a complete grade forgiveness... My F would show up, but not be put in USF GPA, where my new grade would.)? I just don't know if I would do any better or if it would sway my performance in other classes.

I am looking for advice on what to do to improve my chances, if they are good, and what next... Thank you!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Have you done research on the programs you are interested in? I know for some, you have to have a certain baseline GPA but then in a handful of specific classes (AP1, AP2, etc etc) those are the classes they count your GPA for when doing admissions. So the F you got could not matter so much in that situation. Some schools give points for experience, others don't. What I personally would do is make a list of requirements for each of the programs you are looking at and see where you stand with each of them. You will likely find that you meet one program's requirement better than another and that can help you narrow down. You also might find that you are missing a class that 3 of the 5 programs, for example, require and you can take that to help you work towards admissions.

It's my 2c (for what it's worth LOL) but you should go for what you want. If you want nursing, go for it. Pursue it 100%. If you find yourself only working 75% or 50% towards it, then maybe you should look at another avenue. But if you KNOW it's where you want to end, go for the BSN. You'll never be sorry you worked hard for something you want!! Good luck :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I definitely have studied and almost memorized the pre-Reqs and minimums for these programs! I will have the classes done for all of them, it's just the GPA that scares me. Though they basically all say minimum 3.0, we know that the average acceptance is a 3.7 cum, and a 3.8+ pre-Req GPA.

I want to do this 100%! It took me awhile to figure that out, and now I feel behind a bit. :/ I am hoping to get in to at least one of them first round, but who knows... I have the lists and know which I seem to have a higher chance of getting into, though I will still apply for all of them, just to be safe (and keep applying!)

If it gets to the point I'm not in by junior year, should I just get minors, or try to get a BA in something else?

More so, should I continue horseback riding if I could use that time to work/volunteer or study? :/

Any advice on anything? Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

One thing to think about - if you are receiving financial aid, once you get that degree, you are often less eligible for certain types of aid. So it may be to your benefit to take a semester off or take a light load 1 semester while you're waiting to see if you are accepted to a program vs just getting a bachelors and go back. I have not used FA myself, but from what I've been reading on this site, it's a problem for some.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That's a good point to think about. I will keep it in mind! For overall GPA, is it worth it to retake precalc, you think?

Anything else?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

USFEli- I'm not sure if this has changed, but on the USF website it says they only accept first attempt classes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Since pre-cal isn't a requirement, I wouldn't worry about it. I also had one F on my transcript (it was one of those teachers who made 2/3 of the tests AFTER the withdrawl date, which is so unfair to the students.) I still got into USF: but I had an overall 3.7 with 3.9 nursing pre-reqs.

There were over 400 applicants for 96 spots for this summer. There are only 36 spots for second-degree, so don't waste your time getting a bachelor's and then coming back, unless that degree will raise your GPA a lot. There's nothing wrong with getting an ASN and returning to USF to do RN-to-BSN.

After this semester I will have hit 180 credit hours (first degree + a whole bunch of nursing pre-reqs adds up) so I have maxed out federal financial aid, even though I didn't use financial aid for a good 20 of those credit hours. They don't care. My family is lending me money to get through USF. It stinks, because if I were getting a master's I could borrow money. Why not a second bachelor's??? Our country doesn't want to help us fund education: you better get the right degree the first time or else you'll be dealing with loan sharks. You can't get rid of student loan debt. Ugh this is a whole 'nother rant!!!

Good luck!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hey USFEli I am a upper division student at USF College of Nursing. I was accepted back in Fall of 2011. I will be graduating this August. Yay!!! :woot: Some stats on me I was admitted with a 3.9 overall GPA and close to that for pre rec GPA. I had some volunteer experience in a hospital and worked in a law office. I had no healthcare experience.

I think you have a good chance of being accepted into the program. Yes a lot of students have a 3.8 GPA or higher but they do not have the experience that you do. GPA is only part of the review process a personal statement is also looked at. So I would definitely include your extracurricular and healthcare experience in your personal statement. If you have an awesome personal statement, that can give you the edge over someone with a higher GPA with an average essay. I think horseback riding is a positive point about you. I know of a student that was a professional golfer and was accepted. There are many qualities of an athlete that translate into nursing. I would include it in your personal statement.

As for financial Aid, USF has been very helpful in finding aid for me. The CON (College of Nursing) has their own scholarships that they give out every spring and sometimes summer. I do know that the second degree students have a harder time getting aid.

Hope that helps ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment