Advice on getting accepted into a RN program

[Kaybrand17]

Hi everyone,

I am posting this because I am in a moment where I do not know what to do. I've wanted to be a nurse since I was a kid. I've done all my prereqs and took the TEAS last Oct. Since then I have applied and applied to programs with no luck. My GPA is quite good but the teas I feel I must blown my chance with a 72%. I am now having my second child and ready to start my career already but it seems I may never get into a program to become a nurse. Not wanting to pay all that money for a LVN school just to go through many other years of school for my BSN. I don't want to change my my future career, but i feel I almost have no choice at this point. Anyone have any ideas?

[lehaley1989, ADN, RN]

Do the schools that you have applied for limit the number of times that you can take the TEAS test? If they don't and you think that is impacting your applications, you should probably start with re-taking it. Maybe switch up how you are studying. I bought the official TEAS review book, took one of the practice tests, then focused most of my time on the areas where I needed improvement.

Something you may also want to consider is reaching out to the admissions teams of the programs that you tried applying to. Ask them what you can do to make future applications more competitive. Most programs are happy to give you that kind of feedback, plus it shows them that you really want to attend their school.

[mstaurus2016]

I was accepted into nursing school with a 72% on my TEAS exam. My advice is to retake the TEAS exam, if permitted, and set up a meeting with admissions at your school and ask them their opinion on what to do to increase your chances of being accepted. Best of luck.

[Kaybrand17]

Most of the schools will only take a first attempt score. Some will let you retake after a year which means the next round I should be able to retake. I will try setting up a meeting with them thank you!

[neogirl]

Go to the schools, meet with admissions and talk to them about their requirements and what you need to be a well qualified candidate. Do you already have a degree, you mentioned GPA?

[Kaybrand17]

Yes I have an associates for liberal arts and social science and GPA is at a 3.5 which i dont think is horrible. No retakes for the prereqs and straight B's in all my sciences. I know they aren't the highest grades but I would have thought after a year of applying to schools I would have been accepted by to now to one.

[neogirl]

Have you gotten any feedback from the schools as to why?

[Kaybrand17]

No just rejection letters, which is why I think the teas must be holding me back. Plus one of the schools said they received over 300 applications. I don't want to retake classes becuase i feel a retake would look worse than my first attempt grade.

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

I don't know where you're located, but I'm going with CA or TX since you said LVN & not LPN.

If the schools you're applying to take 300 applicants; a 3.5 GPA, straight Bs in the sciences & a 72% on the TEAS isn't that competitive. You've got to realize there are people applying with near 4.0 GPAs, close to all As in the sciences (if not straight As) & really high TEAS scores.

If you have kids I would highly suggest applying to an LVN program, we are still nurses ya'know! Then you can bridge while working & earn your BSN online.

[Ambersmom, BSN, RN]

This may be an option, many universities will allow you to transfer into the nursing program if you take so many credits as an undeclared major. Meet with an advisor and a nursing advisor and see what you need to do to get accepted. Good luck.

[Nightmaren, BSN, RN]

Apply broadly since your stats are kind of on the fence. At some schools, they may be fine, at other schools they will not be very competitive. Explore the schools' TEAS retake policy and look into programs who use the HESI-A2 as the entry exam -- who knows, you might be better at one exam than the other. You are in no way out of options, so please do keep at it!