Can a student get into another nursing school after not succeeding in another?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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My post title is pretty self-explanatory, really.

Can a student get into another nursing school after not succeeding in the one previously attended?

Meaning, if one failed the same class twice, couldn't score high enough on tests for remediation or couldn't maintain satisfactory GPA - whatever the case may be - will another school accept them?

I realize that many schools take this on a case-by-case basis, but I'm sure there are at least some guidelines as to how they select these students and what they look for.

Any info is greatly appreciated.

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Specializes in Critical Care Transport.

Yes, it's called transferring. Depending on the the students academic history it may be a long shot, but I am sure people have transferred before. I wouldn't think it would be any different than any other degree program.

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The answer to your question is yes, it is possible to get accepted to another school after failing out. It might be hard and you might have t o wait a while depending on where you live...but it is possible.

To get the most specific answer to your question you might try calling the schools you are planing on attempting to attend. They would be able to guide you in your next steps.

You also might find similar threads here on AN of assistance:

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/has-anyone-failed-382252.html

https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/failed-out-bsn-483219.html

good Luck!

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Specializes in ICU.

Sure. Any school can take your money and give you a degree for the right price. Will every school? No. Depends on the school.

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Specializes in ICU/ Surgery/ Nursing Education.

Overall I believe that you would be subject to the requirements of the new program in order to be accepted into their program. For instance, I believe that you would not be able to enter into the program I graduated from because they take your complete GPA into account for entry, not just the required pre-reqs. If you failed another program that would make your GPA below the required 3.0 required for entry.

You might be able to get a waiver or something, but the only other possibility would be to take more classes (and do really good in them) that would increase you overall GPA. After all of that you would still have to compete with other applicants for a spot.

I think it would be best to just shop around and see what other programs might say.

Hope everything works out for you.

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I think you already know the answer to this, which is "it depends".

It's NOT "just like any other degree program", I have to disagree with that statement. If it were, you wouldn't find colleges that would refuse entry to someone who had failed this class or that from another school; it IS normally expected that students might transfer with a less-than-stellar academic record, but the same isn't always the expectation when it comes to nursing programs.

That said, the competitiveness of the program, the ability of the school to get applicants who already HAVE a good academic hx, will largely determine how it goes. As a 'for instance', my alma mater changed its policy in recent years to disallow any student the ability to enroll in the nursing program who has failed any one course twice, or any two (or more) courses once, from another program. Being one of the tougher schools in the region, it was felt that if someone could not make the grades in another school, they were not expected to succeed in this one. And the 'other' school that made that change necessary? Continues to accept those who have failed out of my alma mater, as they are more likely to succeed (or at least graduate) there.

So.....it depends.

Careful research and perseverance, though, can make the difference in continuing on in nursing or not.

Best of luck to you.

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Specializes in Cardiac Stepdown, PCU.

Sorry I am the one to say this, but... if you have already failed twice in one program, what makes you think you can succeed in another? That probably comes off a little more harsh than I mean it to, and I don't mean to be supportive or discouraging, I'm just not good at sweet talking things.

Another program isn't going to be any less difficult than what you've already been through. If you couldn't manage remediation and tutoring in that program to turn around a bad grade, and end up failing not once, but twice... Why do you think another program will be different? What are you planning to do different that will somehow make you succeed when you couldn't before?

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Some schools have policies not to admit students who were unsuccessful in other programs. You'll have to find one that doesn't have that policy - there are four nursing schools in the general area where I live and only one admits students who were unsuccessful in other programs.

From what I understand, most will want a letter from your previous program director explaining the circumstances regarding failure.

I would also highly recommend evaluating your study habits before attempting another program, as well as taking advantage of tutoring sessions and open skills labs to ensure success the second time around.

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