Advice?

[MoonlightSilhouette]

Hello,

Well, today I got my rejection letter. As devastating as it is to me, I have decided to not dwell too much about it and find a way to move on and hopefully get into the next application period (Summer of 2017). I thought I would seek out some advice from this forum. Now don't get me wrong, I fully understand and acknowledge that nursing school is highly competitive. However, I really want to pursue my passion as a nurse some day. Therefore, my heart is set on GCU's nursing school and I have been a student there since the beginning. But the problem is that I am a senior and I feel like I am running out of time. At the moment I am in the Health Care Administration program. The reason being, I have finished my prerequisites and I was working towards improving my HESI grades and getting everything ready for the application period. My goal was to transfer back into the program once I got in. Sadly, today seemed to redirect my course of life, yet again.

Anyways, I am just curious as to what to do from here on out? Any advice is welcome!

Also, my GPA is a 3.42 with a science GPA of a 3.32. HESI score is an 84%. Although my program GPA is a 3.42; since I have taken some HCA courses my GPA is now a 3.48. By the time I am finished with this semester my GPA shall be a 3.57. But I don't know if that will be taken into account.

My apologies if this was too long to read! But I really would appreciate it if you could please give me some insight.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

Look at your individual course grades rather than your GPA. Are there any courses that you could take over and replace a poor grade with a better one?

What are the standards for admission at your school? Lots of schools put higher weight on sciences than some other courses. What can you improve?

In highly competive schools, a higher GPA might be needed. Schools post the "at least" but if most have higher scores, the at leasts might be out of luck.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

In all honesty, I encourage you to widen your search. I think all nursing students should have three or four schools they apply to. It is so hard to get into nursing school you may not get into your initial nursing school.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

There's another thread on this topic...interesting reading:

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/nursing-admissions-a-1073022.html

[MoonlightSilhouette]

Hello Whispera,

Thanks for replying. There is only a limit of two retakes so that isn't an option for me anymore, as I have used it up. Also, GPA has to be a minimum of a 3.0 to apply and the minimum prereq GPA is a 3.25. Along with a certain HESi score that I have met. At this point, this particular school uses a stacked ranking of both the GPA and HESI score. Even though I meet the requirements, I feel like I have the bare minimum.

[MoonlightSilhouette]

Hello applesxoranges,

Thanks for replying. I see what you are saying but the thing that discourages me is that GCU has many locations and based on acceptance the location is determined by them. Therefore, even though I didn't get into the main campus that means I most likely wasn't considered for the other locations as well.

[MoonlightSilhouette]

Whispera,

I will definitely be taking a look at it, thank you!

[MoonlightSilhouette]

Any other thoughts?

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I hate to say it, but there could be quite a few people with ranking higher than yours, and they'll get the first slots in the school. Have you talked with an advisor to see what he or she says could help you get in?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Moved to the Pre-Nursing Student forum for more feedback.

[Cat365]

I think previous posters covered it. Apply again for spring, look at other schools. My concern is if you are getting state or federal grants and are about to get another degree you will likely no longer be eligible for them once you have that degree. Meaning that you will be on your own once you actually get into nursing school. I would seriously examine all of your options before that degree is awarded.

[rdegc]

Look into other options as mentioned above. I had a friend that was in your situation-- and even the same major. He graduated with that degree, and applied to accelerated BSN programs and he got in.

Sorry about your situation. I was also rejected from many schools, and for a long time I felt so discouraged. I had a 3.52 GPA with no volunteer experience-- just your extremely average applicant. I almost threw myself into a for-profit school at one point. However, I did not give up and I kept applying. Fortunately, I was accepted to a BSN program one year later. It's funny because upon acceptance, I emailed admissions to double check if I was actually accepted to the clinical program-- LOL. Keep trying, keep applying, keep researching, get a mentor, etc. Good luck!