Question about getting into a RN program

Nonyvole, BSN, RN · Sep 29, 2014

My GPA from my first degree was incredibly sub-par. I was still accepted to a BSN program and was very successful in it.

What did I do? I made sure that my pre-req grades were no lower than an A-. I used my letter of intent to say "yes, I wasn't a good student then. But now I know what I did wrong and I have fixed it and it won't happen again." I also took my missing pre-reqs at the school I was intending to go to for my BSN, which meant that some of the faculty knew my name and what I was capable of.

What you've done since then will also help. Are you a CNA? Have you been volunteering in a hospital or LTC?

Good luck

jyoo1017 · Sep 29, 2014

My GPA from my first degree was incredibly sub-par. I was still accepted to a BSN program and was very successful in it.
What did I do? I made sure that my pre-req grades were no lower than an A-. I used my letter of intent to say "yes, I wasn't a good student then. But now I know what I did wrong and I have fixed it and it won't happen again." I also took my missing pre-reqs at the school I was intending to go to for my BSN, which meant that some of the faculty knew my name and what I was capable of.
What you've done since then will also help. Are you a CNA? Have you been volunteering in a hospital or LTC?
Good luck

No, I have no previous medical background. I have yet to volunteer in a hospital but I plan on doing so before I apply. Also, are B's insufficient in the eyes of the committee that accepts/rejects applicants?

Nonyvole, BSN, RN · Sep 30, 2014

It will depend on the application committee who reviews your application. They have an overall guideline of what they're looking for - for example, somebody who failed all of their pre-req courses (and by fail, I mean get Ds and Fs), sent in a letter of intent written in crayon and text speak, and whose letters of recommendation all scream "danger! Danger, Will Robinson!" are an automatic reject.

On the other side, there are people who hand in a perfect application that meet every single criteria.

The vast majority of the people fall into the middle of the bell curve that take a little more assessment. They write a killer letter of intent, but...they have a C in this class. They have all As, but their letters of recommendation are just so-so. And if you've taken statistics...that's the vast majority of the population.

Can anybody here say what, exactly, the committee at the school you're applying to is looking for? Nope. Committees are amazingly tight-lipped about their decisions.

All that I can suggest is similar to what I did and what many other people do. Find someplace to volunteer, so that when it comes time to apply you can say - in a letter of intent, an interview, whatever they want you to do - that yes, you didn't take your education seriously at first, but you've learned from your mistakes. You've done your research on nursing and have seen some of the daily nursing activities as a volunteer at X facility.

SierraBravo · Oct 2, 2014

I'd venture to guess that if you're interested in applying to an accelerated BSN program you chances are slim considering it is so competitive to get into those programs. Getting into a community college for an ADN program will likely be a challenge, too, considering that many schools have waiting lists for their nursing programs. I would suggest making an appt. with the admissions person from the school you are interested in attending and explaining your situation. Perhaps they might suggest going back and completing certain courses and getting a certain GPA, which will show that you weren't serious in the past, but you are now. It's going to be an uphill battle, but if you want it then go for it.