[Koala33]

Hi all.

I plan on applying for 2nd degree accelerated BSN programs in the fall. I'm a little concerned because my GPA was a 3.8 before my junior year started. But between both semesters, I was hospitalized multiple times for 14 days total and I consequently missed about 20 days of class and exams due to the hospitalizations and due to an appendectomy.

My cumulative GPA is now around a 3.6 because I had a 3.3 and a 3.18 for both semesters. I'm a little concerned because of the obvious drop, and because I took 4 pre-requisites between both semesters. A 3.6 isn't a bad GPA and I know that, but I feel like losing 0.2 points is going to be a red flag. I plan on getting my problems under control this summer and I'm actually going for a bunch of tests this week and next week so that I can better handle my condition. My time in the hospital is what prompted me to switch from being pre-med to pre-nursing, though, so I feel like I have to mention this somewhere and explain it. Will admissions committees be understanding of what happened should I mention it? I'm afraid that they will see it as a red flag and think that I cannot handle nursing school . Any help or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks guys.

[hikernurse]

I'd definitely mention it. Your GPA is pretty darn good for being sick that often. Most applications have a place where they ask you for anything else that you wish them to consider, that would be a good place to mention it. If not, send a letter with your application. The fact that you are being proactive with your explanation should be a good sign .

Good luck in your schooling.

[Hopefull2009]

Good lord, Don't worry about it.

If you have the opportunity to write an essay, just CASUALLY mention it without any details.

If you were able to keep your GPA that high with an illness, it shows you are more than capable of being an excellent student--

---and THAT is the only thing they care about.

Just send a letter anyway if you don't have to write an essay.

[Freedom42]

A lot of schools offer academic forgiveness if you ask for it: They agree to drop your lowest semester's grades and recalculate your GPA without it. I'd suggest finding out if the schools to which you plan to apply offer it and, if so, how to take advantage of it.

[coolpeach]

I would say you did really good. I had an appendectomy my second semester in. I missed about about a week and an half to two weeks total. I wouldn't have been able to keep my GPA, but all my professors worked with me. They let me take tests later, gave me extra time, and even let me turn in a research paper late. I didn't have any complications like you did. It was just a simple routine deal, and it turned my world upside down. I agree with the above poster that if you can miss that many days, and still maintain a 3.6 you have out done yourself.

[Hotflashn]

I agree, with the others - you are awesome to be able to even get through all that and stay in school, but completing with your grades pretty much in tact is amazing. I know it is not what you want though, and I understand your disappointment. My summer chem class awhile back was one disaster, illness and injury after another - either mine or one of my children - had 101-102 fever for my final and the effects are still with me academically - even though it was only one class. But I totally get it. Talk with a counselor to find out if there is any way you can note this.

Take care and good luck

[Koala33]

Thank you all so much for replying. My friends and family were basically echoing everything you said, but none of them are nurses or pre-nursing so I felt a little ambivalent because I wasn't sure that they fully understood. I feel a lot better now.

[caliotter3]

While explaining the circumstances might be in order, don't make the mistake of making too big a deal of it. You would be drawing attention to a "negative", rather than letting your good GPA speak for itself. I've found that every time I've tried to explain something, I got the opposite reaction from what I was trying to achieve. It would certainly be a different matter if you failed courses or went down an entire grade point. And keep up the good work!

[sschrader]

I want to agree that you don't want to draw to much attention to the illness. i interviewed for a program and am still waitng but am concerned that way to much attention was draw to something similar. I got grilled about it in my interview... nicely being sick that long could be seen as a red flag , a weak immune system perhaps? and in an accelerated program that's a liablity. there goal is to pick the 'surest' bets, the people they have confidence can handle the increadiably busy load successfully. good luck.