Gender = advantage?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Specializes in CNA, Nursing Student.

So I just recently graduated from a CC with my associate in science and elected to fill out the forms to declare my intent to enter Nursing School from the same college.

I've heard much about the gender disparity between men and women in the nursing profession, and I wondered, does that affect your chances of being accepted into a school? I wouldn't think so, due to the fair rights act and the like, but the thought did cross my mind. Have you all encountered favoritism in that aspect when you went through nursing school? Personally I'd much rather be accepted based on my merits and scholastic ability, but I'm kind of feeling the waters to see if that's actually the case.

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Females across the board are over represented in colleges but that doesn't affect the enrollment chances of a male. This is the way it should be, no perferental treatment based on race or sex. Let the most qualified applicants have the spot and no concessions for equality should be made. We were all given a clean slate, and equal chance when we started college, what we allowed to be written on that slate, and how we treated those chances is not a result of sex and rave but of our own free will.

I am sure some schools are set up to "promote" a minority group over a majority group (we do have HBCU for example) but across the board I do not think males have an easy in just because we wear swim trunks and urinate in the upright position.

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I attended orientation at 4 schools. At the community colleges for ADRN, approx 22-25% of the people in the room were male. At the diploma RN, it was lower, say 5-10% but that school ran more than one orientation and it's impossible to determine the % of the entire class. At the LPN program, probably 15% male. If they go by test scores and GPA, that might give men an advantage, especially if they are strong in math and science.

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There is a LOT of pressure on schools/programs to be diversified. I have frequently seen faculty and advisors reference it as a given during discussions of who is accepted or how to get accepted or about a given student's chances.

If I were you, I'd get peace of mind by making sure my merits were well into the normally accepted range and were not borderline.

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Specializes in none.

At the orientation for my program there were a lot of men, more than I was expecting. I don't think that they look at the sex of the individual that is applying for the program, only at the requirements such as grades. I could be wrong but it seemed to be a pretty good mix. :rolleyes:

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I attended orientation at 4 schools. At the community colleges for ADRN, approx 22-25% of the people in the room were male. At the diploma RN, it was lower, say 5-10% but that school ran more than one orientation and it's impossible to determine the % of the entire class. At the LPN program, probably 15% male. If they go by test scores and GPA, that might give men an advantage, especially if they are strong in math and science.

How can you just come out and say that if they go by test scores and GPA that men might have an advantage, especially if they are strong in math and science? How do test scores or GPA set men apart from women? I can see scores setting those that get good scores apart from those that get bad scores, but a male/ female disparity might be a little unfounded.

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If they go by test scores and GPA, that might give men an advantage, especially if they are strong in math and science.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're saying here...you're not really implying that men are generally better than women at math and science are you? That seems like the kind of '50s style stereotyping that we should be over by now.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

I think most students going into nursing are probably strong in math and science, it's always been my best subjects. Many of the unversity's in my area do give preference to men because they consider them a minority group as well as other minority groups. In my area these rules vary by school but if there is a preference then it states it right in the admission and application information. A good friend of mine is a male nurse and has had no problems at all so don't worry :)

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Interesting that some folks are still falling for the unfounded "men are better at math and science" garbage. Just do a google search on this issue. The truth is, that generations of female students have been actively discouraged from pursuing math/science careers - and the natural result is due to a lack of exposure and opportunity, not ability.

On the other hand, I believe that covert anti-male discrimination in nursing school does exist. Some of it is due to the mind-set of faculty (think about their average age) and the resistance to allowing male students full access to all clinical experiences, including OB areas.

FYI - I am a cantankerous, old-as-mud female and have had the good fortune to work with outstanding male nurses in my career.

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Specializes in CNA, Nursing Student.

On the other hand, I believe that covert anti-male discrimination in nursing school does exist. Some of it is due to the mind-set of faculty (think about their average age) and the resistance to allowing male students full access to all clinical experiences, including OB areas.

You know, that thought hadn't even occurred to me, but now that you mention it, it does make sense. The school I'm applying to does take men, but last year one of the students in my Micro class got in, and he didn't strike me as being the most studious scholar, which had me concerned. (Discussions of adderall to prepare for exams and the like)

Truthfully, if I had to pick between being favored and being less likely to be picked, I'd choose the latter, because it would give me the opportunity to *prove* I belong there, assuming I got in. But that's just me. Thank you for your insight. :)

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The school I'm applying to does take men, but last year one of the students in my Micro class got in, and he didn't strike me as being the most studious scholar, which had me concerned. (Discussions of adderall to prepare for exams and the like)

Not to post off-topic but you might be surprised at how common the use of ADD/ADHD medication (Adderall, Focalin, Concerta, Vyvance) is in nursing school. I know several students who, after the first exam during our fundamentals semester, went to their doctors to ask for it. And of course, with healthcare now being more of a business than anything else, the customer is always right. o_O

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I have heard that men are sometimes given preference because they are under represented. Not that they are not qualified applicants. But in a highly competitive program, where lets say the average applicant accepted might be a 3.8 GPA, males may possibly get in with lower GPAs. Of course I'm not talking about anything under a 3.

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