Do I have a chance?

Dec 04, 2008 09:29 AM

by helpfulhusband

I'm really trying to research every available option for my wife right now when it comes to nursing. But all of the threads that I see out there right now are super discouraging. My wife already possesses a Bachelor of Arts Degree but graduated with a 2.77 GPA. She has since taken other classes at a couple colleges to grab some pre-reqs for some of the programs in the state but I don't think she is gonna top a 3.0 when all said and done.

It seems like most of you are sweating with a 3.8 GPA. Is she doomed? Is there hope? What the hell does she have to do? No offense to anyone rocking some community college classes but she has 7 years of hands on experience with patients in healthcare (most of which were during school) and a 4 year degree already. Yet it doesn't count for crap because she made some mistakes her freshman/sophomore years.

Reading all the posts about Baker's lowest GPA was a 3.6...I mean she would have to retake a year of school to erase some of the lower stuff if not more before it went up to there.

Sorry if I was a little passionate...but I just really need some help here...we live west of Detroit but I know she'll drive 90 minutes or more to attend school...any suggestions? Any cold hard reality?

Thank you for your responses.

cwa82 · Dec 04, 2008, 09:54 AM

Re: Do I have a chance?

Tell your wife to keep trying! Has she applied anywhere yet? I can't give you advice on specific schools in your area since I am in Virginia, but I think my path was similar to your wife's.

I have a B.A. in Italian and a few years after graduating, decided to try for nursing. Needless to say, Italian isnt that impressive to nursing schools, and I had to take a lot of prerequisites at community college to get my requirements to apply. My GPA was about 3.0, on the lower side due (like your wife) to some mistakes I made early in my first degree.

I applied to two schools the first time and got rejected by both. I think the reason for this was my lack of health care experience, so I think your wife is ahead of the game in that regard. Second degree programs do like that, I think. I also didn't want to go the community college route on account of already having a bachelors degree. I wanted the BSN.

Long story short, I decided to give it one more try. Instead of just blindly applying, I set up a meeting with the nursing and admissions departments of a local university. They ended up having a spot open for that semester - I applied, was accepted and started a week later. The point? Your wife should do whatever she can and get a meeting if possible - it really helps when you are not just a piece of paper in a pile. It got me in! Good luck to both of you!

Imagine.Peace · Dec 04, 2008, 10:40 AM

Re: Do I have a chance?

Also keep in mind that Schoolcraft College in Livonia is one of the only schools left in Michigan that doesn't go by (an extremely high) GPA. Basically she needs a minimum overall average gpa of 2.5, a 2.0 or better in BIO050 and CHEM050 (or high school equivalent) and a 3.0 or better in Anatomy & Physiology 1. Along with the NET test, that's about all she has to take to get into the program. There is a wait list but they've restructured the program into a ladder style now so they accept 120 students each Fall instead of the 70 or so they accepted before. Plus, it's way cheaper than a university!

I'm not sure how far West from Detroit you guys are but if she can she should set up an appointment with a guidance counselor to see what classes she'd need to take along with what credits will transfer from her other college.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Imagine.Peace · Dec 04, 2008, 10:43 AM

Re: Do I have a chance?

Here's a link to the Schoolcraft Nursing Program and Application:

http://www.schoolcraft.edu/pdfs/admissions/nclc.pdf

CorazonDeOro · Dec 04, 2008, 10:53 AM

Re: Do I have a chance?

I am not positive but I think Oakland University's second degree program is based on a waitlist for any qualified applicant, meaning GPAs are not ranked. I am not sure what the GPA requirement is (somewhere around 3.0), but if she is willing to be on a waitlist for a year or so, it might be an option.

John20 · Dec 04, 2008, 12:00 PM

Re: Do I have a chance?

I had a Bachelors of Science and experience in the medical field. A lot of my community college (MCC) classmates had Bachelors degrees as well. Your degrees don't impress the schools. I had a 2.9 GPA from a university ranked in the top 75 by US News and World Report. I had to go back and get a 4.0 over 12 credit hours in order to get in. MCC just looks at your last 12 credit hours.

I thought my degree and experience would mean something when I decided to pursue nursing as well. You need to forget that thought right away because it will do you no good. Adjust to whatever it is the school requires.

mybrowneyedgirl · Dec 04, 2008, 12:57 PM

Re: Do I have a chance?

HFCC doesn't require a high GPA either. www.hfcc.edu is their website. Check it out. It has an amazing nursing program.

parris · Dec 04, 2008, 01:35 PM

Re: Do I have a chance?

I would definitely tell her to go the way of an accelerated second degree program. They seem to look at more than just GPA because most applicants are in a similar position as your wife. I know it is very expensive (there are grants to help) but has she looked at University of Detroit Mercy, they have a 12 month accelerated program. Also if she does well in some of the prerequisites such as anatomy and physiology it will look very good. I have applied to UofD, UofM, and MSU so if you have any questions about their accelerated programs feel free to ask.
Good luck and don’t let her give up. I have been applying for a long time with a lower GPA and finally got in at MSU so it will happen, just not always how we plan it out in our head.

jabraham99 · Dec 04, 2008, 01:37 PM

Re: Do I have a chance?

Originally Posted by helpfulhusband

I'm really trying to research every available option for my wife right now when it comes to nursing. But all of the threads that I see out there right now are super discouraging. My wife already possesses a Bachelor of Arts Degree but graduated with a 2.77 GPA. She has since taken other classes at a couple colleges to grab some pre-reqs for some of the programs in the state but I don't think she is gonna top a 3.0 when all said and done.

It seems like most of you are sweating with a 3.8 GPA. Is she doomed? Is there hope? What the hell does she have to do? No offense to anyone rocking some community college classes but she has 7 years of hands on experience with patients in healthcare (most of which were during school) and a 4 year degree already. Yet it doesn't count for crap because she made some mistakes her freshman/sophomore years.

Reading all the posts about Baker's lowest GPA was a 3.6...I mean she would have to retake a year of school to erase some of the lower stuff if not more before it went up to there.

Sorry if I was a little passionate...but I just really need some help here...we live west of Detroit but I know she'll drive 90 minutes or more to attend school...any suggestions? Any cold hard reality?

Thank you for your responses.

I agree with John20. Your wife's degree unfortunately means nothing. For those rocking at community colleges, advice your wife not to look down on that. Get into a program, anyway you can, whether it be community college or university. Because of the economic situation in Michigan, nursing schools are more competitive than ever before. Only the best of the best are getting into the programs. By that I mean 3.9 GPA or above and high entrance test scores.

TheSeeker · Dec 06, 2008, 08:44 PM

Re: Do I have a chance?

your wife's best chance is to look at the courses required for a second-degree program, see what they look at in terms of entrance requirements, and go from there. Some schools, like MSU, look at GPA, especially the grades in prerequisites. Some schools, mostly community colleges, look at a points-based system, where residency, volunteering, and experience count. Find a place she's most likely to get in, and work towards that program. It may take a year or two.

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Do I have a chance?

Do I have a chance?

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