Seeking the truth about Nursing School acceptance...

racing-mom4, BSN, RN · Jul 14, 2008

So what's the truth? Do you really need a 3.9 or a 4.0 to get into nursing school? If this is the truth, then why don't these people just apply to med school???
- Sam

Maybe they want to be nurses--not Drs.

my school also had the 3.0 GPA requirement to apply --but you basically had to have at least a 3.5 and have almost all of your pre-reqs finished before you could even think of getting in. Reason being, more people were applying then they had seats for, so all the 4.0 all pre-reqs complete got in 1st. then what ever was left down the GPA chain got in next 3.9's, then the 3.85's etc etc etc. if that is the case at your school like it as at many others, then yes you will need to re-take chem and shoot for an A.

Keep your grades up and it will happen. I spent the 1st year getting my pre-reqs done. Then when I had just a few left, I got in the nursing program. I felt like I won the lottery!!!

I know it doesnt seem like it now, but time will fly by.

Annisme · Jul 14, 2008

Some schools use a lottery system for selecting students for admittance and some use a point system based on grades. The CSU I'm attending uses the point system. The points were based on overall GPA, grades in the nursing program prereqs, how you did on the TEAS testing with some minor points (1-2) for things like living in the county or surrounding counties, having taken classes at the university before, etc. Most of the horror stories I have heard in our area are from students applying to the ADN program locally that uses a lottery. As for retaking classes, I would ask someone in the nursing department at Weber State if that would help you.

Good luck!

Ann

MBA2RN, BSN, RN · Jul 14, 2008

It's the #^$%^&* lottery system which trips you up. I had a 3.7 gpa, 94% NET, CNA, and was #187 on the waiting list at a local community college. I applied to 20 programs in CA, and got accepted to 3. Got in and haven't looked back since.

FA to CRNA2b · Jul 14, 2008

My school's cut-off was at a 3.7 GPA. The slots were filled with enough applicants down to that point. Good luck, you will get in--hopefully soon.

Music in My Heart · Jul 14, 2008

You hear a lot of rumors and a lot of people speaking with dubious authority. The reality is, beyond what's published, most people who are not part of an admissions committee don't really know what that committee values and how they view repeated classes, an outlier grade, etc. Some schools do publish such information but most that I've looked at do not.

I'll also point out that a "4.0" alone doesn't tell the whole story about ones academic performance. Are you talking in just nursing prerequisites or for a whole degree? Are you talking about Recreation Administration or Particle Physics?

Work as hard as you can and do the best that you can and then be persistent.

hbgwan, LPN, LVN · Jul 14, 2008

Not sure about your school but my school had a 2.75 cut-off. I had a 3.3 and got in. The only thing about my school is that you take prereqs after being accepted to the nursing program. My 3.3 was from another BA program.

I know the world of nursing is highly encouraging males to get into nursing. I don't mean for this to be a sexist comment but I believe since you are a male you have a high chance of getting in to some program or another, as long as your grades are half way decent.

Good luck!

whodatnurse · Jul 14, 2008

I'm one of "these people" with a 4.0 and I didn't "just" apply to med school because I don't want to spend the next 7-9 years of my life in school and residency before I'm able to begin a new career. I'm starting a 12 month BSN program next month.

Shortly after hanging around this site I came to the conclusion that the people who go into nursing are generally pretty darned smart, not to mention well educated (you can tell from the way people use language to express themselves in their posts). I used the term well educated, rather than highly (although many, many nurses are that too or planning to become so), because I see that to be not so much a consequence of formal education, but the self-motivation to pursue lifelong learning. That trait of 'applying oneself' seems to be common (at least among the people who come around here), so it isn't surprising to me that so many end up with high GPAs.

I think you're well positioned to get accepted, but...if it were 'me', I would do everything I could to maximize the number of points possible for the various criteria. One thing I was uncertain about was how they would regard how old all my pre-requisites are. I was fortunate that my school didn't 'require' that they be taken within a certain number of years prior to application, but nonetheless, the counselor did strongly encourage me to brush up on A&P. So I spend six weeks this summer taking a combined micro and A&P course to bring myself back up to speed on those subjects. (Glad I did too...some of that bio stuff showed up on my TEAS last week that I wouldn't have remembered otherwise.) I found out mid-way through the course that I had gotten accepted, but I also had taken it with the intention of having recent science coursework under my belt in the event that I had to try again next year.

Good luck!

allnurses Guide · Jul 14, 2008

All I can tell you is in the DFW area, the ADN programs take about 40 students twice a year and each time there are about 300-400 applicants. If 60 of those 400 have 4.0 GPAs, then 20 4.0 GPAs are not going to get in. The bare minimum requirement to apply is 2.5. The truth is though, you will never get in down here with anything even close to that due to the high number of motivated applicants seeking to become nurses. So yes, its true, you can have a stellar academic performance and sadly still not be good enough. I lose sleep about it every night it seems.

iteachob, MSN, RN · Jul 14, 2008

The truth is not all schools use a lottery system. The school I teach for does not. I can't speak for all schools, of course, but we have a point system that we stick to (for the most part.....which I'll explain in a second) and take a total of 30 students per class. The 30# is determined by faculty available to teach in the clinical setting (each state has a ratio of faculty to student that they allow).

Like I said, our school has a point system. You get points for your ACT composite, grades in supporting science courses (the higher the grade, the more points), NET score, and GPA. CNA status will get you 0.5 points. It's very objective. However (here's where the "for the most part" explanation begins), when we see multiple repeats (more than 2) of science courses in order to achieve a passing grade......well, we sometimes will take a candidate with no repeats (but lower cumulative points) instead. If it sounds capricious, it really is not. We have members of the math and science faculty on our admission committee and consider their input......they have already had these students.

Our school (ADN program at a 4 year college) is not hard to get into (academically), space is limited, though. The college itself has an open admission policy. The nursing program only requires a composite ACT of 19, a GPA of 2.0 (yes, I really do mean 2.0). There is no particular NET score required. I think some of the requirements I've read on this thread are a bit steep (3.7 GPA). Somehow we graduate students that manage to pass NCLEX:nuke:.

WhoNeedsaShot? · Jul 14, 2008

I will be attending a local vo-tech starting in August, (12 month accredited LPN program) They work on the point system, and take 50 students. Usually have about 200 apply. First I had to pass the Net test, (which is very easy IMHO) They assigned a certain # of points for your score on the net, Then they called me in for an interview. At the interview, She assigned points for my High school GPA, as well as my college GPA. (a 1 was 1pt, a 4 was 4pts) Then she assigned me 10pts for having experience in the medical field. I think I has 37 out of 50 points. And even though I applied early, she seemed very certain that I would be accepted, and told me not to worry. I recieved my acceptance letter 3 months later.

Not sure how other systems work, but as for here, I think if you make good grades and have prior med experiance that if you apply at a local vo-tech that you prob. wont have any problems getting in. I think they just want to make sure you can understand they material, and pass the exams.

good luck

J.Q.

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Jul 14, 2008

They only require a 3.0 but when everyone applying has a 3.5 and higher and they go by merit, those with 3.0 really don't have a chance. I had a 3.8 pre-req GPA and a 3.56 over all GPA and my first semester teacher told me everyone had my kind of grades or better coming in. The state university programs require a lot more than the ASN degree program. In my program you could only re-take your pre-req once (I am not sure if the mean only one pre-req once or all re-reqs only once...I never had to do this). I don't think it is frowned on, my friend re-took one of her chem (my school requires organic, inorganic and biochem) and got and A and is now in the class behind me....

I got into a state university program so they did a point system:

I. Prerequisite GPA (55 points possible)

GPA of 3.70 or higher

55 points

GPA of 3.30 to 3.69

45 points

GPA of 3.00 to 3.29

35 points

GPA of 2.70 to 2.99

25 points

GPA of 2.50 to 2.69

15 points

A=4.0

C+=2.3

A-=3.7

C=2.0

B+=3.3

C-=1.7

B=3.00

D+=1.3

B-=2.7

D=1.0

II. Overall GPA (15 points possible) - Computed on work completed prior to the November 30th (August 31) XXX deadline.

GPA of 3.70 or higher

15 points

GPA of 3.30 to 3.69

12 points

GPA of 3.00 to 3.29

9 points

GPA of 2.70 to 2.99

6 points

GPA of 2.50 to 2.69

3 points

III. TEAS scores- "Percentile Rank - Program" (20 points possible)

75 or greater

20 points

55-74

15 points

40-54

10 points

16-39

5 points

15 or less 0 points

IV. Health Related Experience (5 points possible)

Paid employment or volunteer experience in a health care setting providing direct patient interaction:

Fill out the Health Care Experience form and attach documentation by employer or volunteer coordinator, on letterhead, describing the activities performed.

1-2 points

30-60 hours of work experience with no certification or special training, or volunteer experience

3-4 points

Training or certification of 150 hours or less (e.g. CNA, EMT, HHA, Phlebotomist ) and no work experience; or 60-150 hours of work experience with or without certification or special training, or volunteer experience

5 points

Training or certification of greater than 150 hours (e.g. LVN, Psych Tech, Paramedic) or greater than 150 hours of work experience with or without certification or special training, or volunteer experience

V. Second Language Proficiency (5 points possible)

Language proficiency in English and one other language (including ASL). Proficiency in second language may be documented by 3 years of high school, 2 years of college (ASL only 2 semesters required), or letterhead from a professional who is fluent in the language. These courses must be completed at the time of your application.

VI. Local Applicant Additional Points (5 points)

Local service area residency documented by mailing address in XXXX County.