just beginning - nursing school ???'s

twarlik · Oct 21, 2003

I have a previous degree and when I decided to go back to nursing school I had to take 30 hours of pre-reqs. I took them all in a year. I guess it depend on your schedule and the schedule of classes at your institution on how long it will take.

From what I've seen on this forum and others, nursing school is very competitive. I'm in my first semester. There were around 200 applicants and 74 spots. I've read on here that some people are waiting up to two years on waiting lists. Personally, I wouldn't wait that long. I'd find another school.

GPA is important. It seems that a lot of schools rank you based on GPA and go from there.

My suggestion would be to go to the school you're interested in and sit down with a counselor. They, better than anyone else, will be able to give you the most accurate information regarding the school's admission policies.

Good luck with everything!

wonderbee, BSN, RN · Oct 21, 2003

The year will go faster than you think. I know a fellow classmate who rushed the prereqs. She took micro with lab, A&PII with lab, and sociology all in one 6 week express term. The result was a dropped A&P course and she barely passed micro. She didn't get into nursing school because she lacked points from not having finished A&PII and not being able to study for the entrance exam yielding her a poor score.

Take your time with the prereqs. They lay a necessary foundation for what lies ahead and are just as much a part of nursing school as the program itself.

And no, a year of prereqs, full time, is pretty standard among ADN programs and is not considered unreasonably long. As for your past problems, it depends on whether you want financial aid and whether your program selects based on GPA or some other criteria instead. Like Todd says, it's very competetive to get into a program.

Good luck.

Ruylupez · Oct 21, 2003

I also started college years ago and screwed around and got bad grades, I had a low C GPA.

I took a year of prereqs with a mid A GPA at this school before applying to the nursing school.

They looked at the classes I had taken there and my score on the nursing school entrance exam.

If I had not taken a year of prereqs first they would have looked at my old grades and I probably would not have gotten in.

Now some of my classmates jokingly tell me they are jelous that I don't have to work so hard because I have all those prereqs and coreqs out of the way already.

Jrnalist2RNinOR · Oct 21, 2003

Ruylupez - thanks so much for your words of advice....that sounds just like my situation....I think that my GPA is a high C or a low B....assuming c=2.0 and b=3.0

bigmona · Oct 21, 2003

schools are different when it comes to entrance requirements. one school around here bases entrance solely on GPA - so basically you can take fluff courses like art or whatever and ace those, but do not so well in sciences, and still get in if your GPA is high enough.

other schools focus more on your pre-req grades, so it's not such a huge deal if you have a not-so-competitive GPA as long as your pre-req grades are good.

i am in a similar situation where 6-7 years ago, college was a joke and i did horribly my first two years. i turned it around in the end, and managed (with MUCH effort) to graduate with a 3.0, which is not very competitive. however, now in a&p and micro and other pre-reqs, i'm consistently getting the highest grades in the class on exams. i hope schools recognize that people's attitudes and focus can change and take that into consideration when looking through applicants. if you do interviews with schools, that's something you can present to them, but you should get through a few pre-reqs first to be able to back up what you say.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Oct 22, 2003

You mentioned that they said it would take a year but some people had them done in two semesters- well 2 semesters *is* a year. Just in case you didn't know that. Each semester is 16 weeks. There are also 8 week classes, online classes, etc But the standard semester is 16 weeks and it will go be a LOT faster than you think it will.

Every prograsm is different and you need to start researching about them all in your area. Ask students, go to all the schools and talk to the nursing department, etc. You will be surprised at how different they are all. Some schools go by point sysem, some by GPA, some go by GPA and points, that is stuff you need to find out with the different schools. Most can mail you info if you call them about it.

Good luck!!

Marilyn

JenNJFLCA · Oct 22, 2003

I have a BS too and I had to take a year and a half of prereqs. It goes by fast and I'm in the program now! The CC I applied to didn't take me, even with my 3.28 GPA in the 4 classes they look at. I got into a private university that only took 40 people, so I think they looked at my more recent grades. It is competitive to get into. At HCC there were 300 aplicants for 144 spots the last 2 semesters. I don't know how it was at UT, but I'm guessing at least 100 for 40 spots, if not more! Just make sure to keep your grades up. Grades are everything, as I have learned the hard way.

KristinWW · Oct 22, 2003

I have both BS and MA credits and I didn't even apply to the CCs - my GPA from the "early years" would clinch it. I'm finishing pre-reqs now, begin a BSN program in January, and taking a few co-reqs in the program. Speak to the nursing departments, take whatever sciences you need first, and go! Best of luck!

Jrnalist2RNinOR · Oct 22, 2003

Thanks everyone, sounds like if I do well in my prereqs (of course) I shouldn't have any problems...

I'm sure they will fly by...I don't know where the last few years of my life went during school........maybe it's in Kansas