3.50 GPA transfer BSN Admission

Nienna Celebrindal · Jan 9, 2015

Well you didn't actually tell us where you live so that is far to broad of a question to answer.

When you do tell us if you are willing to relocate either in state or out of state.

Truly your best bet is to go to your BRN site and look at the approved programs near you and start researching. It's time consuming yes but this site is never going to review all your options for you. It may require calls and emails. Once you have some schools in mind then search the site and make some new posts.

I do believe some states are less impacted. Also rural schools can be easier to get into but just as good.

Good luck, I know it's an arduous task.

Btyner21 · Jan 9, 2015

Thank you for the quick reply!

I'm sorry I forgot to put that info in. I live in Southern California in Orange County, and I am definitely willing to transfer out of state. I've tried to enlarge my chances of find a school by looking at pass rates and enrollment numbers for each school on different BRN sites, and researching the ones that have the highest amount of students enrolled with a decent NCLEX pass rate.. I figure that would give me a better shot at acceptance... Is this a logical way to go about it?

Nienna Celebrindal · Jan 9, 2015

Oh apply EVERYWHERE with a good pass rate. It's tough here in socal!

Btyner21 · Jan 9, 2015

Do you think its possible to receive acceptance to a school in socal at all with such a lack of healthcare exp and a low GPA? Also you believe that it is not a waste of time to apply to schools that have a small enrollment number?

Nienna Celebrindal · Jan 9, 2015

Well you have plenty of time to start volunteering before applying so start asap. That will help. As far your GPA maybe. From what I see you will have a tougher time in this state than others. Best of luck!

ThatBigGuy · Jan 10, 2015

The easiest way to figure this out is to Google the phrase "state-of-your-choice nursing school NCLEX pass rates". The first Google result is usually that state's BON listing of schools' pass rates. This is true for Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico, three states that have multiple schools with 85% or higher NCLEX pass rates in 2014. Each state's BON will give you the most honest NCLEX pass rates in one location.

California, as is well known by now, has a ridiculous nursing school situation. What should take 3 years can easily double to 6 years or more. With your current GPA, assuming you can get all A's in your last few pre-reqs, you're still behind the curve, not because you're a bad student, but because when schools have 1000 applicants for 40 positions, they can afford to only take 4.0 students with years of medical experience.

That's the bad news. The good news is that there are 40 other states in the US that would love to accept a 3.5 GPA. Since you're willing to move, look up which states and cities you'd like to live in for 5 years (school plus first nursing job). When you have 5 or 6 states or cities on your list, look up NCLEX pass rates via those states' BONs. That should give you at least 2 schools per state with excellent pass rates, which means you'll be looking at 10 or 12 schools overall.

This will take perhaps a couple evenings, or a weekend afternoon. In less than a day you'll at least have an idea of all the options available to you.

When you decide on a group of schools, double check your pre-reqs against what each school requires, then call each nursing program and make sure your credits will transfer. Get this in writing before you move. Then submit a ton of applications. Work on an excellent entrance letter. You'll have to cough up a few dollars worth of application fees and entrance test fees, but you'll make this up by earning an RN salary years before a comparable California nursing student.

I guarantee that if you submit 10 applications, you'll be accepted into at least 2 of the schools. Then it's a matter of choosing the school based on cost of living and lifestyle. Do you want low cost of living? Try San Antonio, or Las Cruces, New Mexico. Want the big city accoutrements? You might like Phoenix or Dallas/Ft Worth. Want night life, craft beer and foods, and live music? Look at Austin or Denver. Oklahoma City has a growing scene for young people.

You'll spend more money up front, considering the multiple application fees, etc, plus the cost of a cross country move. But you're much more likely to begin earning an RN salary YEARS before a similar nursing student in California. Not only will you begin school sooner, but you're more likely to get a new grad job quicker, too.

Use Google to search different states' BONs for school NCLEX pass rates, then whittle down to a few states or cities. Call those schools to make sure you credits transfer. Finally, submit a bunch of applications. You're pretty much guaranteed to be ahead once you get out of California.