Misled by Academic Coordinator/Advisor

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

Published

I know the decision to complete pre-requisites is a very important one for all of us due to time constraints and prior engagements with our lives. My intent when applying to (nameless college- you can look in my previous posts to see the college) was to complete my pre-reqs as quickly as possible and when I had my meeting with my advisor today I completely felt mislead in a direction I did not want to be pushed in. A little background on me is that I am an early high school graduate (I recently graduated a year earlier than my graduating class) and wanted to kick start my butt into gear and get as many pre-reqs completed as I could to get into nursing school (for my BSN) and complete my BSN within 3-4 years. I am a very goal oriented person, and from my previous track record in high school this is obviously evident. What it seems like to me is that whenever I speak to college advisors the only thing going through their head is dollar signs b/c of my high GPA and early graduation. It is not about me, Nicole, the future nursing student, it is all about FAFSA/ government CHA-CHING they're going to be rolling in. I think what iritates me the most is that when I researched this whole nursing thing I really had a goal in place (what pre-reqs i wanted to complete this summer and upcoming fall) and during the meeting she just shifted those aside and basically TOLD me what to take (mind you my intent was to take courses ASU - my local 4 yr university requires for their BSN program). Having left after my meeting with the advisor I completely felt she jerked me right and left and never really listened to the needs I have. I know I really have nothing to complain about, but what are my rights as a student???? I guess the worst part is I feel they were very unprofessional in the fact that they had me, an underage 16 year old minor solely sign my summer/fall registration papers without any parental regard or consent. I do not feel that I recieved the best option for what my pre-reqs to be completed and she wouldn't even talk it over and somewhat scooted me out of her office in a sense that "NEXT, I HAVE OTHER STUDENTS TO ADVISE LATER" (when there WERE NONE in her office or waiting in the lobby for advisement. I know the pathway I want to take and if she's not working with me what should I do??? Would you back away from this school and basically wait it out until fall and just go to another school or just suck it up and get an education? Sorry for my long rant but it seems like I'm reading and wanting one thing but being pushed to another due to what she believes is lack of "college smartness" /whatever it may be. Responses are welcome, thanks for reading.

Make sure you have regular gut checks and DO make friends. This is the stage in your life that you make the friendships that form your new family.

I also noticed you mention you don't have your own transportation and money is tight in the family. Been there!

Go for gold but don't feel bad if you have to slow it down. I did pass those 24 units btw and after that a normal course load was like sleepwalking but if you get the best grades you can you'll have the most options.

I will be sure to try and make some friends... join study groups, etc. I don't want to be a shut in (if that makes sense)... I don't mean to contradict myself ;)

Ahh I hope everything works out... I'm currently fighting with my financial aid to write me a refund check so I can purchase my summer books ... they're so irritating. I have to explain my situation like 100 times and still no check. It's not that hard to see ALL the grants I have and look @ my FAFSA, see my EFC, write the check, send it out... UGH I wish I was born with a silver spoon to my mouth sometimes. It's so difficult making it in a world revolved around money when you have none.... Like my mom always says though, the one thing people can't take from you is your education- so that's what I'm doing/attempting to do. better myself and gain and education ;)

Way to go on passing those 24 units.. that must have been very tough, so I commend you. BTW what school do you currently attend I saw you are an lvn student?

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

I did the 24 units at Waikato University in New Zealand. I am finishing up my LVN in 2 weeks at a trade school in LA. I paid an unbelievable amount in tuition but I'm older (30) and couldn't afford to be out of a job for more than a year.

Even though my goals are different now than when I started university 12 years ago I don't regret any class I have taken. I enjoyed being presidents of clubs and on student activities councils, running student fashion shows.

Take at least one class a semester that is plain fun. I took fashion courses for that reason and took so many I have a degree in it LOL

I hear you on the financial aid thing, I honestly think that employers like to hire college grads because they know how to jump through red tape.

DO get a job even if it s for 1 4 hour shift a week. You'll earn some money of your own and learn how to juggle more than just school. The students who did well in my school are the ones like me who have a husband or a child or a fulltime job. The students that only went to school didn't do so well. I think its a time management thing.

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I did the 24 units at Waikato University in New Zealand. I am finishing up my LVN in 2 weeks at a trade school in LA. I paid an unbelievable amount in tuition but I'm older (30) and couldn't afford to be out of a job for more than a year.

Even though my goals are different now than when I started university 12 years ago I don't regret any class I have taken. I enjoyed being presidents of clubs and on student activities councils, running student fashion shows.

Take at least one class a semester that is plain fun. I took fashion courses for that reason and took so many I have a degree in it LOL

I hear you on the financial aid thing, I honestly think that employers like to hire college grads because they know how to jump through red tape.

DO get a job even if it s for 1 4 hour shift a week. You'll earn some money of your own and learn how to juggle more than just school. The students who did well in my school are the ones like me who have a husband or a child or a fulltime job. The students that only went to school didn't do so well. I think its a time management thing.

Wow thanks for all the advice, I'm really glad I've talked to you! It's great hearing it from another person's mouth to just chill out and I'm glad I'm not the ONLY one with financial aid issues... Ugh at times I feel like I'm just pleading for my check... It's not like I'm trying to scam the system I just need the money to simply buy my books!!!! ahh (and It's rightfully mine) I will try and find a job maybe at a hospital which I'm going through nursing school (even if it's a greeting/ receptionist job) I really love people to people interaction. Unfortunately NO ONE is hiring here in AZ, it's a horrible time to be job hunting. IDK how it is in LA but I can only imagine it is the same!!! :(
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Specializes in I'm in on a floating NA team so I'm all.
DO get a job even if it s for 1 4 hour shift a week. You'll earn some money of your own and learn how to juggle more than just school. The students who did well in my school are the ones like me who have a husband or a child or a fulltime job. The students that only went to school didn't do so well. I think its a time management thing.

Couldn't agree more!!!! I know it rang true for me that's for sure!!!! My freshman year of college I didn't work all I had was school that's it!!! In high school I worked, I was captain of the dance team, I figure skated and I got really good grades. I figured going to college and just having to focus on school would be a cake walk... I was wrong! I had too much free time and I had NO idea how to balance it because I had NO ONE to answer to except for me! So the freedom of no parents and all that free time was a lethal combination for me! I ended up transfering to a school closer to home, got a job and joined a sorority! Even though I was crazy busy I managed to improve my grades. Sometimes I think I'm rather backwards, when I have all the free time in the world I can't manage to get things done but when I'm crazy busy everything gets done when it's supposed to... Gotta be the ADD!

Did you file out a 2008-2009 and a 2009-2010 FASFA? If you didn't do a 2008-2009 form you won't get financial aid for the summer.

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I'm in a little bit of a different situation form you. I'm not just out of high school. I'm 38. However, I kind of understand. I was first going into medical assisting because I was made to feel too old to go after my dream of being a nurse( I had kids early, had to wait for school). After 9 months in the RMA program, I learned my school was being sued for diverting student funds, next to none of my classes were transferable, I started looking into employment early on & was told over & over they wouldn't even consider me; due to the school. Now mind you, I did a lot of looking around before deciding on this schoolo. They were accredited & several people I knew had gone there or knew someone who had. They were shocked to find out what was going on now!

Now I'm starting my pre-req classes this fall. I'm taking my 2 years of pre-nursing & have 3 nursing colleges to apply to when the time is right.

Some of my classes did have me a little confused, they really have nothing to do with nursing. However, I understand if I want my BSN there are general requirements & electives I have to take-just like you will. My daughter is getting her Bachelor in Fine Arts/Fashion Design & she still had to take an English class, & a Psychology class last year. It's all part of deal.

I do commend you on your early graduation. Keep up the hard work in Nursing school. It is frustrating how things work out, but it's all worth it in the end. You are still young, but it won't take long for you to realize what real ife is & how to roll with puches. Good Luck:yeah::nurse:

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I understand that you need money for books and I'm guessing the check you're talking about is because your amount exceeds the cost of tuition, I was in the same situation but technically they are not suppose to give you that money until the semester has already started because they have to be positive that you will be attending your classes before they go giving you back the government's money for a school you didn't attend. My refund check didn't come until the end of Oct. It's not their problem that you need money for books for a financial aid year that your current financial aid doesn't even cover.

One thing you have to understand about financial aid is that they don't have the money when you get your award letter. If you're receiving Pell, FSEOG ect, the schools don't get that money from the government until about September or October so they probably don't have any money to give you. All grants have dates where they are applied to your tuition and none of them except for MAYBE the school's grants are released before the start of the school year which is why they don't give refund checks until the middle of the school year.

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I understand that you need money for books and I'm guessing the check you're talking about is because your amount exceeds the cost of tuition, I was in the same situation but technically they are not suppose to give you that money until the semester has already started because they have to be positive that you will be attending your classes before they go giving you back the government's money for a school you didn't attend. My refund check didn't come until the end of Oct. It's not their problem that you need money for books for a financial aid year that your current financial aid doesn't even cover.

One thing you have to understand about financial aid is that they don't have the money when you get your award letter. If you're receiving TAP and Pell, the schools don't get that money from the government until about September or October so they probably don't have any money to give you. All grants have dates where they are applied to your tuition and none of them except for MAYBE the school's grants are released before the start of the school year which is why they don't give refund checks until the middle of the school year.

I understand now how financial aid works but prior to signing up I had asked my adviser ALL questions about it and she totally misinformed me that the books for my classes were all online (not that I had to directly go to the bookstore, use my own money to buy them,etc. etc.) She was not a very good adviser to say the least. And the school now understands that SHE in fact did lie/misinform me of information so I think they're basically trying to right their wrongs and make things right (if that makes sense)?? Honestly, if I would have known I needed to purchase my own books then I wouldn't have signed up for summer school and I would have been working all summer to save money for fall.... Does that make sense? blah I sound like a broken record.
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I understand now how financial aid works but prior to signing up I had asked my adviser ALL questions about it and she totally misinformed me that the books for my classes were all online (not that I had to directly go to the bookstore, use my own money to buy them,etc. etc.) She was not a very good adviser to say the least. And the school now understands that SHE in fact did lie/misinform me of information so I think they're basically trying to right their wrongs and make things right (if that makes sense)?? Honestly, if I would have known I needed to purchase my own books then I wouldn't have signed up for summer school and I would have been working all summer to save money for fall.... Does that make sense? blah I sound like a broken record.

It definetely makes sense. I know what it's like having an advisor like that. They told me that when I met with my advisor the first semester to take a planned out mini-schedule so they could see what you had in mind. They were only allowed to help you understand but they were not allowed to tell you what to take. I wanted to take Bio and Chem together and I knew that I could handle it and I wanted to take it because I couldn't afford summer and I was already a year back on my biology. My advisor basicaly said no and registered me for some english class that I had planned to take later on. So I asked for my advisor to be changed. When I showed my new advisor she said there were plenty of students that did it and while it wasn't the best choice she could definetely understand why I needed to do it that way and that I couldn't wait to go an entire year for the biology course because they would be the only classes I need. After the first semester we're allowed to register on our own and seeing an advisor is only optional.

Point is, I understand that maybe the advisor thought you were taking on too much your first semester but if it is allowed, and obviously it was because you got it, then that should be it. The best thing about college is the classes are technically your decision. They can tell you what you shouldn't do but it rests on you. If you take them and don't do so well then that's on you and your decision to take that many classes during the summer but it really should be your choice. An advisor is not suppose to make your schedule for you, regardless how much they don't agree to it as long as it doesn't go against the program's policy.

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