I've been reading so many posts and decided to finally join since everyone seems so helpful :) I've just decided to apply to the Accelerated BSN programs a few months ago. My GPA is embarrassingly low and am very worried that I won't have a shot at anything anywhere (I was really looking into NY because I've always wanted to go to school in the NE and I have a really strong support system over there). My cumulative Undergrad GPA is a 2.9. I majored in Biological Sciences at a UC and minored in Education. I went to grad school and got my MPH (Masters in Public Health) with a focus on Nutrition - that GPA is 3.4. I have As in Nutrition, Micro, Phys, Stat and I will be taking Anatomy and Psych this semester in January but am pretty sure I can knock out As in those 2. Undergrad was just a really long time ago and I just didn't know how to study back when i was a teenager (I'm 26 now).
I volunteered at a free medical clinic almost all of undergrad. I also worked/shadowed a nurse at an endocrinologist's office for the past year or so. For my field practicum for grad school I had to develop and implement a nutrition education tool and did so for the Hispanic population at high risk of developing DMII. So that was about 4 months.
Do I have any chances to get in ANYWHERE?? My undergrad GPA is haunting me and I feel like I won't get in anywhere b/c of it Is there anything I can do to beef up my application or will it just be thrown out b/c of it being
I say go for it. I also graduated from a UC with a 3.0 but I have a Masters and a 3.93 in that. I lack health experience which is my only concern. I heard that Yale weighs the essay pretty heavily and you need the GRE. I'm actually taking the GRE in a couple months and may apply to Yale for 2012.
I plan to pay for school with savings which is one reason I'm hesitating about Yale for 2012.
Like many of the people who have posted before me, don't let anyone / anything discourage you.
I graduated from a UC, with a fairly low GPA (just barely higher than yours), and I was accepted into a very competitive, top 5 nursing program (I was subsequently admitted into their BSN-MSN program as well). It was also the first and only school i applied to. When I was in the process of applying I read about all of the people who had much higher GPAs than I did, and had a much more impressive CV than me, but in the end it all worked out. So rest assured that there are plenty of people with your GPA, if not lower that have gotten into great programs.
The best advice I got was, don't let the things you can't change affect you (i.e. "low" GPA), but concentrate on what you can do to make your application stronger. Since you already have your MPH, there are a lot of nursing programs (ABSN) programs that are really focused on public health, etc, so maybe look into those programs.
If you need any more info, don't hesitate to PM me. and Good Luck, you WILL get into a great program.
Hey I saw your post, I was wondering if you could help me out with different school programs. I've read so much posts on these forums that I can't tell what is really true and not. I would like to apply for the Fall 2012 Accelerated BSN programs for which I can still apply to. Any schools you can suggest would be wonderful! I reside in California but I know the schools here are extremely hard to get into so anything would be accepted Thank you so much in advance.
(Sorry I didn't know how to PM..so quoted you instead.)
I'll give my two cents regarding accelerated programs - feel free to keep scrolling. I am NOT in your part of the country so region may impact the line of thinking a bit.
I am a 2nd degree student. Not so great a gpa but I have a BA in English Lit. from LSU. When I decided I wanted to go back to school I was he**bent that I wanted to do an Accelerated BSN or direct entry MSN program.
I know everyone's thought process is different and this is such an individual thing. In the end I decided that the cost to benefit ratio just isn't there. The biggies for me were - cost of attendance, burden it would place on my family, and benefit in the end when I'm looking for a job.
I decided to pursue admission to a traditional BSN program which I will begin in just over a month. My prerequisites were exactly the same for the traditional BSN program as the aBSN and the MSN only added a couple of extra classes. Because I already have a BA I didn't have to retake any general ed classes or jump through any hoops. The application process is very similar for all programs as well. I have no idea about the competition factor but if I had to guess I'd say it was a bit easier to get a seat in the BSN program because there are more seats to be had.
Not only will it work out better financially (to the tune of 40K better) but this is a better fit for my family as well. Yes, an aBSN program would have gotten me working sooner BUT at what cost to my family? The decision for me was between finishing in five semesters (2 1/2 years - summers off) or finishing in 4 semesters (1 1/2 years- with no breaks at breakneck speed) - makes a big difference to me because I have small children. If you're a single person with no kids maybe that's not so much of an issue.
I really don't think employers look at your resume and say "Wow, she/ he did an accelerated BSN program I MUST call them right now." Certainly if it's an Ivy league school that's another story but that isn't because of the accelerated part. As for the direct entry MSN programs - I was hung up there a while thinking I didn't want to "back track" and get another Bachelor's degree. I ultimately decided that with the fact that most of those programs don't prepare one for advanced practice and the feeling that the degree essentially functions as a BSN once you seek employment that I would pocket that extra 50K and get a BSN.
Where I do see the cost to benefit shifting is if you are discussing an ADN program vs the aBSN - please don't flame me people it's just my opinion. I'm not bashing the ADN just looking at the big picture. Now from that perspective I would really have to look long and hard at the options. Because you already have a Bachelor's degree so much of the work for the BSN is already done (the gen ed classes, humanities classes, electives . . .). This is especially true if you eventually plan to pursue a BSN or think there's the slightest chance the BSN will someday become the entry to practice.
Hi AggieEMT, I'm very interested in community/public health but haven't found ABSN programs with that sort of focus--can you suggest any to look into? Thanks!
cbrubaker - I'd talk to the various schools and look at their websites, you can generally get an idea. Johns Hopkins is one that seems especially focused on community health but they aren't the only ones. Ask what opportunities are available and such if that is your interest.
Like leenak said, if you're interested in public health Hopkins is a great school for that. I graduated from Hopkins about a year ago and really enjoyed my public health / community health program.
The unique thing about Hopkins (at least from talking to other nurses from other programs) is that you can do your public health rotation and your final senior practicum abroad. For public health a group went to Haiti, and St Croix.
There are other programs that I'm sure focus on pub health, but I know Hopkins the best. PM me if you have any specific questions.
RadBSN, I just had a quick question for you, I'm applying to the GEPN program at Yale. My undergraduate GPA was low but I did some prereq at a few community colleges and went to a radiation therapy at a community college in which my GPA was higher then my bachelors. I'm interested in being an Acute NP specializing in Oncology. If I get a good GRE score and have a good essay and recommendations would they consider my application or throw it out. I really liked the information meeting I went to want to apply but I'm afraid they'll throw out my application.
Is there anything I can do to beef up my application or will it just be thrown out b/c of it being 
danceluver
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Good question!