Advice: Current undergrad, low gpa, accel-BSN program?

[HoneyOats]

I'm en route to getting my BA in Spring of 2009 and have been loooking into accelerated nursing programs. Problem is, I have a 2.5 gpa, and am not too confident in getting into an accelerated program. Should I just continue onto my graduation plans, and focus on the pre-reqs for the accelerated nursing programs, in hopes that it'll be good enough to get in? Or, would it be better to stay an extra semester and graduate Fall 09 to repeat courses? Would it even make a difference?

Honestly, I'm so disappointed in myself, I regret so many of the decisions I've made while in college, and I don't even know if there's anything I can do about it now.

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

I don't have a particular nursing program that I'm eyeing. I live in California, but I'd really like to go to nursing school out of state just for a change of scenery.

Have you looked at tuition out of California? It is extremely expensive. Schools in California are affordable because they are substadized by the state; not so in other states. When my cousin from the Mid-west found out how much I was paying for college her jaw dropped. You may find that you are going to be paying top dollar for a "change of scenery" California is a big state, apply for schools out of your area.

[starmickey03, MSN, RN]

There is a school in Oklahoma that accepts EVERYONE as long as they meet the requirements. Its called Oklahoma City University (http://www.okcu.edu). They have some type of agreement with the government to decrease the nursing shortage. They have BSN, ABSN, MSN, and doctoral programs. They only turn people away for the doctoral programs. Of course its pricier than community colleges but if youre really discouraged then you should give it a try. I looked at their ABSN program and its around $43,000. Im in the same boat youre in. I have a 3.37 and thats not good enough to get me into any schools in MI, so Ive been applying to schools in Ohio and Indiana instead. If I dont get accepted into any of those programs then Oklahoma will be my LAST resort. But when you want something bad enough you have to do whatever it takes to get it. If I do have to end up going there the only thing I wouldnt like is the lack of diversity I hear the state has especially since Im black and in MI we have people of all the colors of the rainbow here

[iPink, BSN, RN]

The best advice I can give is look at the schools offering the Accelerated BSN program in Cali that interest you. It's important because different schools have different requirements. I'm going into an Accelerated BSN program as well and 3 schools I looked at in my area will NOT accept under a 3.0 GPA from your first undergraduate degree regardless if you have a 4.0 GPA for the prerequisite courses they require.