Opinions and advice needed please!

Bobmo88 · May 4, 2012

I'd recommend applying to as many places as you can just in case. For example, if your ADN programs have wait lists, go ahead and apply as soon as you're eligible and then finish up the BSN pre-reqs. If for some reason you are unable to get into a BSN program the first time around, reapply or if you get accepted to an ADN program you could go that route but you would at least have alternatives. It's always good to have back up plans, I had many and when plans A-D fell through I went to plan E, even though it isn't what I wanted to do.

Congrats on getting an A in A&P 1, I don't think the B in Biology will look bad but just try to do your best because science pre-req GPA is super important. If I had tried more in Anatomy and Physiology I would've gotten As but then I slacked off towards the end of the semester and was content with the Bs. I also got a C in Micro and I honestly think I'd be in Nursing school already had I done better in those three classes alone. I finally did get accepted to a BSN program but I had to get points in pretty much every other category (work experience, speaking Spanish, high scores on TEAS test, earning a Bachelor's in another field) to be competitive and I barely was accepted after someone else who was accepted in my program chose another school. Save yourself the trouble and the stress and do well the first time around!

brenay · May 6, 2012

Thanks for the advice!! I'm going to apply everywhere!! At the nursing school that is my top choice, 350 people applied last year but only 140 got accepted. I know that sounds like a good majority of people got accepted but 210 people didn't.

ixchel · May 6, 2012

Brenay, if there is anything I've learned with my short experience with nursing advisors so far, it's that they shouldn't be advising. My first semester was my first semester in school in 11 years. They green flagged me for 15 credits which included 2 sciences (a&p was one of them) with no warning whatsoever about how hard it was to do well in a&p. I got a C in it, As in everything else. The following semester I decided to do bio and chem 101 because I realized in a&p that I needed them to refresh my memory. The advisor didn't spare 2 second to talk to me- they just gave me the classes I wanted. During that semester I realized I wanted to do BSN, not ADN, so I told my advisor I wanted a specific list of classes that had nothing to do with pre-nursing stuff at that college. She spent literally about 10 minutes trying to talk me out of those classes because I would be stressing myself out unnecessarily. I guess she wanted me to stick with ADN?? I almost got up and walked out. I was so mad! Thankfully I haven't had to schedule classes with an advisor since then. Now they have a bio 096 class that gives the basics of chemistry and biology for nursing applicants to take before a&p, but the advisors recommend to new students that they not waste their time on it.

The school I'm about to start seems a lot better with their advising, but I'm also at the point that there are no choices. I start the BSN program in the fall and they have a set order that you do things. Advisors are there to give you their opinions.....but they shouldn't judge your decisions and tell you half way through your gen eds that what you have chosen for yourself is wrong. Definitely apply everywhere you can and want to, but if your preference is BSN, try your best to stick with that. The last thing you need is to look at your degree 3 years from now and regret it. That's a whole lot of work to do only to wish you'd done it differently.

brenay · May 13, 2012

Brenay, if there is anything I've learned with my short experience with nursing advisors so far, it's that they shouldn't be advising. My first semester was my first semester in school in 11 years. They green flagged me for 15 credits which included 2 sciences (a&p was one of them) with no warning whatsoever about how hard it was to do well in a&p. I got a C in it, As in everything else. The following semester I decided to do bio and chem 101 because I realized in a&p that I needed them to refresh my memory. The advisor didn't spare 2 second to talk to me- they just gave me the classes I wanted. During that semester I realized I wanted to do BSN, not ADN, so I told my advisor I wanted a specific list of classes that had nothing to do with pre-nursing stuff at that college. She spent literally about 10 minutes trying to talk me out of those classes because I would be stressing myself out unnecessarily. I guess she wanted me to stick with ADN?? I almost got up and walked out. I was so mad! Thankfully I haven't had to schedule classes with an advisor since then. Now they have a bio 096 class that gives the basics of chemistry and biology for nursing applicants to take before a&p, but the advisors recommend to new students that they not waste their time on it.
The school I'm about to start seems a lot better with their advising, but I'm also at the point that there are no choices. I start the BSN program in the fall and they have a set order that you do things. Advisors are there to give you their opinions.....but they shouldn't judge your decisions and tell you half way through your gen eds that what you have chosen for yourself is wrong. Definitely apply everywhere you can and want to, but if your preference is BSN, try your best to stick with that. The last thing you need is to look at your degree 3 years from now and regret it. That's a whole lot of work to do only to wish you'd done it differently.

Thanks Ixchel!!! I really value your advice!!!