are NS admissions really objective?

[grownuprosie]

If a school states that admissions are based solely on an objective set of numbers and a finite set of rules, (GPA, or the TEAS, or a point system, etc.) can you be dennied on any other grounds?

**I understand that at universities and some community colleges are still doing interviews and using subjective things like references for entrance for the nursing programs. This questions does not apply to those schools.

Here is my issue: 5 years ago, i was a little mixed up kid with a very permissive school counselor and no parent while i was in high school. This led me to take some of my pre-reqs and either fail or get dropped from the courses(i took them at a Community college which was allowed in my district to high school students). In the past 2 years (post high school with a full time job in the healthcare field) i have retaken all of the pre-reqs and passed. I have conformed to every rule and restriction of the program admissions and scored higher on the TEAS than all of last years admits (They use teas score to rank students not GPA). There is nothing on their info sheets about retakes or previous failures, but i know that other schools have such rules. all of the paperwork is in and accounted for and i am waiting to hear back. I have been denied from a few schools already and am terrified to get my hopes up if i have no chance anyway.

My question: Should i be worried about this application? Have any of you gotten a "not qualified" letter for something not on the info sheets/ web site/ info session? am i over thinking it?

Thanks for reading. Sorry for the long post and if i sound dramatic

[SugarNSass]

Kinda yes and kinda no. I haven't gotten anything that said I was not qualified, but I did get a rejection letter due to "lack of space in the program," and when I went to speak to the director of the program, she informed me I was definitely qualified (her exact words were "You look perfect on paper") and even more qualified than some students who were selected, but the selection committee took into account the number of times a person had applied and how close their sciences were to expiring (in CA you have to have taken your pre-req sciences within 5 years of applying for a program or you will have to retake them and essentially start all over again). The program requirements stated in the packets and in the information sessions did not include "You need to have applied several times before and be nearing science expiration in order to qualify," but it is something they look at.

Part of you is right to want these committees to look specifically at your credentials and not consider any possibly subjective factors, much like I did not want to be passed over simply because this was my first time applying and my sciences are relatively young, but the truth is sometimes those subjective may be necessary in order for selection to be fair to everyone who has worked hard. It's a bummer when those measures don't work in our favor, but I am sure somewhere down the line they will.

[grownuprosie]

Thanks for replying!

Your situation soulds good and bad to me. Your odds of getting in increase as time goes on so eventually you will get in, but the wait time is gonna be no fun. Plenty of time to save up for school!

My issue here is that all but one of the CCs in my area are objective admission based on GPA, or have specific rules about re-takes. The top 30 GPA get in and the rest of the apps are trashed. I know imy 3.2 is not competative and i dont stress when i get the rejection letters from GPA based schools. I actually have a chance at this one if their admit criteria is truely what is stated in their info.

Good luck to you! sounds like eventually you will get in! and maybe i will get lucky and i will too. :)

[SugarNSass]

I think you'll do great either way. If selection is based on TEAS score you're in good shape and if they do look at your academic history they should see that you took a couple lumps but you got back up and moved forward, so to speak. You're covered on both ends! Good luck! :)

[nabwami]

hi grownuprosie!

i have read many of your posts and it has given me so much hope! i have a 3.5 gpa and even with that i felt as if nursing school was only a dream for me because i didn't have a 4.0! my school story is similar to yours and has been a long road. i am taking the teas at bellevue on february 1st and was just wondering if you had any advice or study tips seeing as you did so well on it? please help!!!!!