Trying to get into nursing school with a less than perfect educational record...

[frenchtoastwaffles]

Hey all,

I graduated high school in 2006 when I wanted to be a nurse. I got accepted into a great university that didn't offer a BSN program. I went anyway. I became a history major while fulfilling pre-med requirements. I had to get a job to pay for things and moved off campus, where my grades began to suffer. I didn't admit to myself that I couldn't balance both at the age of 19 and continued to register and subsequently withdraw from classes, tarnishing my record. I took some time off, and am now 25 years old and still pursuing my first bachelor's. I do regret not going to nursing school like I wanted to straight from high school, but I'm glad I finally got my wits together to take some time off giving me the chance to go for the degree I want.

That all being said, my transcript doesn't look good. On and off, it's been 8 years since I started trying to get my bachelor's. I have a lot of UW's and attempted credits on it, all of which bring my GPA to around a 2.6. The grades I actually earned are all A's and B's. I have too many credits to earn an ADN at this time, it would just add yet another year and a few thousand more dollars to my path to the BSN so unfortunately, it's not really a feasible option.

Has (or is) anyone else ever been in this situation? I kick myself every day for it, but that won't get me far. I re-enrolled in school last semester where I started taking nursing pre-reqs. This semester I'm taking A&P 2 and Microbiology, both of which I'm doing well in. I'm prepping for the TEAS V right now and I've also reached out to some local schools, but I'm hoping someone here knows the shoes I'm walking in and can offer some words of wisdom.

I live in the NYC/Tri-state area, so if anyone has been in this situation, where did you end up going to school?

[frenchtoastwaffles, BSN, RN]

The only thing I worry about as I consider applying for ADN programs is what will happen to the credits I've already earned towards a Bachelors? I have Junior standing right now, I don't want all of that to go to waste- it was expensive! Does anyone know what happens with those credits?

[Kandy83]

Since you don't have a degree, the rule for science courses is 5 year expiration, so your previous courses may not have a bearing at all; they may look at your high school and/or current grades.

At this point, cast your net wide for your BSN, especially if you have no family ties in terms of responsibility.

That isn't true for all campuses, OP please speak to your counselor about this. The program I'm in doesn't have this rule.

[frenchtoastwaffles, BSN, RN]

Thank you for the reply! All of my 60 credits are liberal arts, humanities, and core. I'm taking my sciences now so they're all recent! I just don't want to risk lose the credit I've already earned. I'll still apply to a few BSN programs and hope for the best.

[SleeepyRN]

I was academically dismissed from a university because I stopped attending classes and went to work instead. Then I tried ged-eds at a community college, and again, due to certain life circumstances, stopped attending classes leaving me with a bunch of F's. 4 years later when I lived in a different town, I decided I wanted to be a nurse and attended that school district's community college. I obtained my CNA, worked as a tech in a hospital, and aced my pre-reqs. We had a point system for getting into our program, and after having failed miserably before at school, I was first on the list to be accepted into a very competitive program. Granted it was at a different school than I attended before, but my past did not matter. Only the grades from the prerequisites mattered (and the nurse entrance exam,) many of which I had taken years before when I actually attended class and aced.

Now that it has been 10 years since I was academically dismissed from the University, they wipe my slate clean GPA wise, and I'm completing my RN - BSN with an awesome GPA. :-) There's hope.

[frenchtoastwaffles, BSN, RN]

Sounds like I'm wearing familiar shoes, I am so happy for you!! Thank you for sharing, you're a beam of hope right now ?

I'm still working on my pre-reqs, have an A- in A&P 2 right now so hopefully that will give me a little bit of rope?

When do you finish your program, sleeepy?

[mzrainydayz, BSN, RN]

Don't give up you will get into a nursing program. I know most schools only look at the prereqs needed for the nursing program and use that as your GPA to get in. I have taken a lot of classes before realizing nursing is what I wanted to do. I started out as a business major I changed my major like four times. Some classes I withdrew and some I failed, but my school only looked at the classes needed for the ADN program. Good luck with everything and keep us posted.

[SleeepyRN]

Sounds like I'm wearing familiar shoes, I am so happy for you!! Thank you for sharing, you're a beam of hope right now ?de0a

I'm still working on my pre-reqs, have an A- in A&P 2 right now so hopefully that will give me a little bit of rope?de1b

When do you finish your program, sleeepy?

I completed my RN in May 2012. Then I took almost a year off and worked. I now have only 6 more months :-)

[frenchtoastwaffles, BSN, RN]

So close!! Good for you :)

I am still busting my booty to earn a seat in a program, but so far no news. The PAX exam is next Tuesday but I haven't heard anything back from the BSN program I applied for.

Time will tell...