Have I ruined my chances of getting into nursing school?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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This is going to be long...but I would greatly appreciate it if a few of you would read my story and give me some advice! Thank you in advanced for all responses!!

I graduated high school in 2010 and I'm 21 now. I went to community college right out of high school and my first two years of school went really well - All A's and B's. At some points I was a part time student because I was unsure of my major, but once I decided on nursing I took some of my prerequisites and was set on trying to get into a BSN program. I did extremely well in my A&P 1 and 2 classes. I received high A's in both of them. Everything was going really well for me.

When I started my 3rd year of college things got really rough for me and my family. Right before midterm in fall of 2012, my mom declared bankruptcy and foreclosure. Her and I both had to work our butts off to be able to afford to just live. That semester went bad very quickly and I got D's and F's in all of my classes. I was embarrassed and disappointed in myself. (These were gen ed classes not prerequisites) After failing completely that semester, I retook all those classes in the spring of 2013. I got a B in one, a D in an other, and an incomplete in one other class. (An incomplete means I have a year to complete any unfinished work to pass the class and my grade will go from an "I" to most likely a "C" grade) I was at an all time low...I had never been this bad at school. I really thought that I could pull myself together and pass those classes to replace my bad grades. Thankfully, I did it with one. And the class I got an incomplete in the professor was very generous and understanding about my financial situation.

After that year of school, I really began to doubt myself. I didn't think there was any hope of me getting into nursing school. During this past summer, I began researching other career paths. I have always been great with technology and had learned how to program in high school. I decided to enroll at a small private college 15 minutes from home and declare my major in computer science. I started this semester and everything that could have gone wrong did. I have been a dedicated equestrian for over 12 years and have owned horses for over 6 years. Four days before classes started and two days before moving into my new on campus apartment, one of my horses was involved in a tragic accident that resulted in him breaking his leg and having to be put down. I had him for 6 years and I spent every moment I could at the barn with him riding and going to competitions. I was devastated. But I sucked it up, put on a brave face and started my life at a new college. I was depressed and hurting...but I was managing to do well in classes and stay busy. Literally 3 weeks after losing my horse, my other horse became extremely ill and had to be put down as well. It was shocking and devastating. I had never hurt more in my whole life. My two beloved companions were gone. I lost it after my second horse's death. It was just too much loss to handle at one time. And on top of that, my grandma had emergency surgery and my uncle had part of his leg amputated as well within days of each other. I stopped going to class and came home a few weeks ago.

To keep this long story from getting even longer...The past few weeks I've spent not in school and thinking about my life has made me realize that I need to be going to school for something that I actually love. And whenever I think about becoming a nurse, it makes me happy. I want to help improve people's lives and feel like I'm making a difference in my work. I know it will be hard, but I have no distractions now. My family's financial situation has been settled, I don't need to work my life away, and its clear to me now that I need to make nursing happen for me. The BIG question is...have I screwed up too much?? I'm not looking to go into a BSN program because I definitely know I can't get into one with my grades...But do you guys think its possible for me to get into a ADN program? Then I can just bridge into a BSN program later.

Thank you soooo much to anyone who read my long story. It means a lot! :)

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

Some ADN programs have waitlists that you would have no problem getting into, and some are just as competitive to get into as BSN programs. However, I don't think you are screwed because of grades. You have a few options. One is, many schools only look at pre req GPA. SO depending on what the 2 classes you did poorly in were, they may not even matter. If the programs you want look at overall GPA and pre req GPA, retake the courses. If they don't take redone grades, then don't transfer the transcript. You would have to start over with pre reqs, but it may be what had to be done. Don't take me wrong when I say this, as I mean no offense, but schools do not care about sob stories. So try not to tell them all about your situation when applying. If anyting it can hurt your chances because they may see you as a walking mess. Hopefully the drama in your life is over because it sounds like you have had more than your fair share and its time for things to start looking up for you. ALso remember that if you get into a program, life ma throw some more curveballs and you will need to work through them. If you mess up in nursing school, you may not get a second chance. All this being said, if nursing is your dream, go for it, be persistant, work hard and you will get there. Also, maybe contact some advisors for the programs you are interested in, both ADN and BSN programs. SHow them your transcripts, explain you had some hard times that you have worked throught to explain the poor grades, and ask what you can do to better your chances of being excepted. GL

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I don't think so. I would retake the D class and finish the incomplete. Score really well from here and become a CNA for experience and money. It helps having medical background for many schools.

I just got into a pretty competitive program here. I was an idiot when I was 18 and 19. Many withdraws, some C's, and a D. I came back in my 30's and scored straight A's, especially prereqs. I have a CNA licence and little work experience. I redid the class with the D's but the others are not part of my major so I can't really change them.

Lastly, I would look into counseling. Many out there are on sliding scale fee based on income. It will help you sort through what you have been through and help you emotionally deal with life out there. I would like to say no more bad things will come, but they will, it is life. I went through a divorce this past year and still got A's but I had the help of a counselor to talk about it. It really does help.

And don't beat yourself up. If you want to be a nurse, you can. You might have to work harder than some around you, but you can do it!

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Thank you both for you advice. I definitely wouldn't ever think about sending this sob story as a personal statement to a school describing why I had some bad grades...lol. Might be a big turn off! I actually just checked my local community college's nursing requirements and buried in a bunch of PDF files on their website I found a chart explaining their point system. It looks like they only look at your prerequisite GPA, which is good news for me. I'm going to confirm it tomorrow and email their program director. Things do look like they are clearing up in my personal life. I've never been one to have too many problems in life, but for some reason this year has been one big avalanche of them! I feel confident that I'm ready to move on without any major setbacks, but of course, you never know! I'm only four prerequisite courses shy of being able to apply for admission to the ADN program at my community college. So hopefully I can make something happen soon!

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A couple of years ago I switched my major from nursing to something else, and completely bombed almost everything. I thought I would never be able to get into the nursing program because my GPA had lowered so much. I scheduled a meeting with the nursing advisor anyway and she told me that the only classes the college of nursing even considers are the nursing prerequisites, which i had all As and Bs in. I was accepted into my BSN program for this coming Spring with an overall GPA of 2.68 and a nursing prerequisite GPA of 3.52. So, I would say that the other courses probably won't even matter.

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Specializes in Maternal Child, Home Health, Med/Surg.

The real only issue I could possibly see occurring is if those poor classes were actually pre requisites. If you haven't had issues in actual pre requisite courses, I don't really see how you'll have issues.

Just my advice.

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I don't think so! I would try to ratake anything below a D..but honestly, they mostly look at your Pre-Reqs and your overall GPA. You could also write a letter to them explaining what happened during that time, but honestly I don't think it should prevent you from getting accepted. I got a C in one of my pre-rews (Microbio), re-took it got a high B and I believe i had a B,B,C for A&P (it was a 3 quarter class combined)...I got into 2/3 programs I applied to where in live (bay area in CA) which is very competitive, as I'm sure everywhere else...so your As in A&P should REALLY help A LOT. Don't get discouraged! :)

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I don't think so! I would try to ratake anything below a D..but honestly, they mostly look at your Pre-Reqs and your overall GPA. You could also write a letter to them explaining what happened during that time, but honestly I don't think it should prevent you from getting accepted. I got a C in one of my pre-rews (Microbio), re-took it got a high B and I believe i had a B,B,C for A&P (it was a 3 quarter class combined)...I got into 2/3 programs I applied to where in live (bay area in CA) which is very competitive, as I'm sure everywhere else...so your As in A&P should REALLY help A LOT. Don't get discouraged! :)

Its nice to see that ppl get into a nursing program w/o having straight As. I have some Bs that are making me so stressed esp b/c I live in Norcal. Op I havr nothing more to add except youll get in somewhere your prereq gpa sounds really good

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Specializes in Hospice.

I'm so sorry. What a bunch of tragedies one on top of the other. I'm a horse person too and after my ex left in 2007, giving my own three horses away was necessary because I couldn't afford them anymore. I still hurt from it. I also decided six months after that to go back to school.... and I'm OLD :oldman:, so add that to the mix. Then my mom got sick, my grades suffered a little, but the following year (another year older!) I hit the books with gusto determined to get into the RN program at my community college. I was alternate listed once, denied once, and third time was a charm and I am in my first semester of NS and doing really well. Persevere. And remember that nursing instructors and advisers are human too, so I would go sit down w/ a nursing adviser and tell your story and plead your case, then do everything they tell you to do.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical/Addiction/Mental Health.

Generally when you retake a course, the highest grade is calculated in the GPA. I would retake the course in which you received the D. As for the course with the incomplete, finish it and work for the A. Some programs are different than others. Some programs look at your cumulative GPA. Others look at grades earned in specific courses. Some programs do not allow for second attempts in pre-req courses. To really know the answer to your question, contact the school of nursing and ask. Those who look at transcripts are able to identify an isolated incident. Also, check with the Registrar at your school to see if there is paperwork you must fill out in order to have the highest grade be calculated into your CGPA. Some schools have that requirement!

I don’t think this will jeopardize your chances of getting into nursing school. Just retake the one course and complete the incomplete course and keep plugging away!

Good luck!

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I failed two classes and still graduated with a 3.0 and landed a job before I graduated. And now im working towards my bachelors. Keep your head up, keep working hard and you will get there!

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Hi there OP, I can totally relate to the financial hardships. It has been my mom fighting the banks back and forth to not try to foreclose on the home I been living at for almost 20 years, just because of all the mess my dad caused by leaving and doing God knows that. I currently stopped working to focus on all my pre reqs, and just aim for higher grades. Now that I am done and just waiting whether I got in or not for Spring2014, I did a CNA course in the mean time this semester. Which I payed using my pell grant from Financial Aid. To say that I failed the skills test but passed the written because it based off a unfair proctor. I failed at taking a pulse? The most thing I felt ubber confident in! My same classmate failed 3 skills out of her 5 and yet still passed? Something seemed fishy!? Did whatever, I cried and got over it and now Im planning to retake it just so I can find a job and start helping out my mom again. Even if we end up in a little apartment I'm ok, as long as I have her and my little sister, that's all I need. I just don't wanna go through all of this in Nursing school, but everything seems never ending. But I feel all of these hardships DO make us stronger! I feel it makes a more bit human, and takes to more humbling of places. With that said, you still have an amazingly good shot at Nursing School! Like most commenters said, just re take what you may need to, If not, then just apply and hopefully you will get in sooner than what you think! You can totally do a BSN-RN after your ADN. It is a little cheaper in my opinion just takes longer. I wish you the best of luck, and even if more things hit you hard, just know it is not forever and things always turn out for the better : )

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