[ksincali]

I'm going back to school after 15 years. I'm going in with 30 credits under my belt. My last semester in school was pretty bad as I did not withdraw from classes properly and went from being on the Dean's List to a 1.7GPA.
I figured I'd take some easy classes and 'ace' my way back to a 4.0 to get considered into a nursing program. Of course I was wrong to think this way. Apparently, I NEED to have an A in my core classes to even be part of the consideration pool for the nursing program. These core classes are Eng101, Psych101, and Human Biology. I have taken all these already, but I got B's in them--and that just won't cut it. So I am doing them over again.

My question is for private schools. Are they the same way? Will they make me take my courses again too?

[HM2Viking]

I think tha A's in everything canard is overstated. I think a meeting with the Nursing admissions counselor from several schools would give you a better idea about what you need to do to make yourself competitive. (Its not always where you've been but where you're going thats important.) Check on the possibility/probability of being admitted from the alternate list. HTH

(Make sure you do your very best from now on...)

[april&em]

I am discovering that every single school has different requirements. I have a notebook for each different school that I'm applying to because otherwise I'd go crazy trying to keep it all straight.

Have you looked into academic forgiveness? Most schools have some form, particularly if you are returning after a long break (usually more than 5yrs) and you can have one, two, or sometimes all semesters of your grades "forgiven". Of course you lose the credits for those classes, but if it's something that will keep you from getting in to NS at all, it could be worth re-doing it. Your original grades still show when looking at your transcripts, but they don't count when factoring your GPA I'm trying to get two bad semseters (my brother died that year) forgiven so I can be competitive for the programs I want.

One of the private schools in my area has no waiting list for the nursing program, you just have to have an overall gpa of 3.0. If you do the ABSN program, then you have to have b's in your sciences.

[nurz2be]

I commend you on your return to school. I think that it is all dependent on the institution. I personally go to a private University. We have to have a 3.0 in all pre req classes to get to go onto the nursing classes. At least at my school, when you start your pre reqs you already have a "tentative" seat in a nursing class. IF one is able to keep their grades above the 3.0, in you go. Then the rules change, of course. I did make all A's, but several of my nursing classmates did not and are doing ok with the nursing classes.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU

Originally Posted by ksincali

My question is for private schools. Are they the same way? Will they make me take my courses again too?

[TerpNurse21774]

Im going back to school after 7 years out. I got a BA in Political Science and my interestes have just totally changed since I was an undergrad. I think its totally worth it to go back. Its never too late to learn new things/change your career!

[JustinTJ]

My GPA for my first degree was 2.31, and I was young and drunk most of the time. Did enough to graduate.

Now I'm back 9 years later and pulled a 3.93 last semester, most schools are willing to look at recent work if there has been a signifigant break in time. However, I am retaking my 4 Ds and one F because I plan on going to graduate school and want to show a strong performance this time around.

[ksincali]

thanks for all the replies. It helps a lot. So what I'm understanding is that it's the grades I received for my core classes that will count as opposed to my last semester in college, right? If that's the case, then I totally hold a 3.0 and better!

I hate the idea of having to take classes OVER again that I've already done. Its so expensive in New York! I just enrolled at a local Community college out here and I paid nearly$1000 for 3 classes I've already taken! That doesn't even include Childcare or parking! Ouch!

[april&em]

no. it varies program to program so you have to find out the specifics of the program you want to get into. In my area some include your gpa from every class you've taken, and some only for classes pretaining to the degree, and others will fogive bad grades depending on the circumstances. Do check in out though, because I noticed that some school will only accept classes you re-take if the grade was a c or less, and some only let you re-do a few classes.