i'm afraid i won't be accepted!

Fun2, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2005

Hi Amber, and welcome to AllNurses.com.

Are you currently taking the classes that you think will raise your GPA, or are those the classes you plan on taking for Spring '06?

Have you checked out all the possible schools around where you will be moving? Are there any you could choose from that doesn't have a residency requirement?

Are there any with wait lists?

If I had to deal with this, I would take, maybe 2 classes at the college where you want to go.

Try talking to an advisor at the school in Illinois. Find out what your choices are. Are your parents in Illinois? Are you young enough that your residency could count as your own?

3.3 could get you in, 3.5 is an even better chance, but it all depends on the school's acceptance requirements. Is it GPA based only?

I really don't have any great advice because I've never dealt with a school that takes residents first. All I can say, if this is what you really want to do, don't give up!!!!!!!

stpauligirl · Dec 11, 2005

I currently live in Florida and am taking the pre-requisite courses now. (A&P I and II, Micro, Psych. . .) Anyway, I'm planning on moving back home soon, which is the Chicago area of Illinois. I'm finding out that most community colleges, and universities for that matter, accept residents first and THEN out of state or transfer students. Given the HUGE number of applicants, it seems impossible that I'll be accepted! Especially since my GPA isn't that great, 3.3. Hopefully by the time I'm done with A&P II and Micro, it'll be up to a 3.5 but I still have to deal with the whole not being a resident thing. And also, 3.5 isn't that great either even though I feel pretty good about my 3.3. Has anyone else had to deal with this? Am I making it more of a big deal than it is? What should I do? Should I wait to take the rest of my pre-reqs at the community college I ultimately want to get my nursing associate's from? That way I'm a resident, and have already taken coursework there? HELP!! I'm getting very discouraged.
I've also just found out that they look at if you've dropped and retaken any courses. I never really had an academic advisor and before I knew I wanted to be a nurse I wasn't really that great of a student. Just last semester I dropped microbiology and I'm going to retake it next semester. This is bad too! Apparently I need lots of help here! And I really want to be a nurse, even though I just figured it out, I really do! So finding another field really isn't an option. I know I've asked a lot of questions, but any input would really help me out.
RECAP:
I'm mostly concerned with:
- getting into a school as a transfer or non-resident
- how they're going to view my dropped and retaken classes
- my low 3.3 (hopefully soon to be 3.5 GPA)
Thank you so much!
Amber

I am discouraged also, retakes and repeats are a problem here also at our school....just read an article again today that the reason why qualified people get turned away from nursing programs is that they don't have enough nursing educators!!!!! You still have a chance to raise your GPA....just hang in there and give it your best :wink2:

Nursing Eyes · Dec 11, 2005

Come to Palestine and study here in Gaza I will help u and make u accepted from all ppl here

:kiss :balloons:

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Dec 12, 2005

I am discouraged also, retakes and repeats are a problem here also at our school....just read an article again today that the reason why qualified people get turned away from nursing programs is that they don't have enough nursing educators!!!!! You still have a chance to raise your GPA....just hang in there and give it your best :wink2:

You are right

To the OP, we were all terrified and afraid of not being accepted. Give it your best shot, and see what happens. ALways stay positive though.

Maisie · Dec 19, 2005

My school stopped taking transfer students a few years ago even though their catalog has not been updated. The problem is the number of students attempting to get in. Residents have priority. We still have out-of-district students trying to get in. They are waisting their time for the most part.

Retaking classes is up to the school. My school does not allow it. They always look at the first class. My school gives points for GPA. The highest get in first.

Catsmeow · Dec 20, 2005

Hi!

Email the few colleges that you are interested in taking the program at- I write the nursing advisors and ask my questions directly to them. Try and be *super* concise because I notice half the time they don't answer questions they overlook. For instance..

1. What is the minimum or average GPA accepted for the nursing program for the previous semester?

2. Are non residents penalized in the application process?

3. Will taking some of my nursing program pre-reqs at your college help me to get into your program?

Alot of the answers may already be on their website (with probly the exception of the GPA, they tend not to publish that I notice, they list the MINIMUM but not what's generally accepted into the program.) Get those answers and go from there. :) Every nursing school is a little different in figuring this stuff out.

Good luck!

Cats

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Dec 20, 2005

My school stopped taking transfer students a few years ago even though their catalog has not been updated. The problem is the number of students attempting to get in. Residents have priority. We still have out-of-district students trying to get in. They are waisting their time for the most part.
Retaking classes is up to the school. My school does not allow it. They always look at the first class. My school gives points for GPA. The highest get in first.

My school is similar. It goes by a point system and lots of points come from classes take THERE. If you transfer in, you chances are slim to none. It is a very expensive private college. I took everything there and got accepted on my first try.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Dec 20, 2005

Don't make mountains out of molehills. There have got to be a whole bunch of nursing schools in the Chicago area. Like out here in L.A., Chicago encompasses a huge metropolitan area. Do a search of the state board site to get the names of the nursing schools and start checking out their web sites. I think a 3.3 GPA is pretty good. I'd be proud to have that. Anyway, back to what I was saying. The more information you have about a nursing schools' entrance requirements the better you are going to know what you are really up against. There will be a school for you. There are schools that only require a 2.0 to get into their nursing programs. They are around. I've moved back and forth across the country a couple of times and went to nursing schools on both coasts (for my ADN and BSN) and never had any problems. I was also told by counselors years ago that just because a college says they will only take a student with a 3.5 GPA doesn't necessarily mean they follow that rule. Sometimes they are looking for and put more emphasis on other qualities besides high grades. The thing is, you, the applicant, just don't know that unless you apply anyway. In the end, what often gets you into a highly competitive nursing program is your personality along with other attributes. In general, most nursing schools would rather take a student who is gung ho about being a nurse with a bit of a lower GPA than someone who waltzes in, says here's my 4.0, I want in to your program and displays a hoity-toity attitude. The worst part of the whole process of getting accepted into a school is the waiting for a decision.

prinsessa · Dec 20, 2005

I plan on transfering to a nursing college in Chicago, so I hope that is not a problem. The school I really want to go to is UIC and from what I heard they actually encourage people to take the pre-reqs at CCs. I know they are very competative (one of the top ten nursing schools in the country) and it is hard to get in with a GPA below 3.6. There are lots of other really good nursing schools around here though. I would either email or call them to see if you would have problems getting in because you aren't a resident. Your GPA is pretty good, so you should be able to get accepted to one of them. Good luck!

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Dec 20, 2005

I plan on transfering to a nursing college in Chicago. . .and from what I heard they actually encourage people to take the pre-reqs at CCs.

Actually, I think there is a trend lately for this. I keep hearing that out here in California, both the California State Universities and the University of California colleges would prefer that students start in the community colleges and then transfer in as sophomores. I haven't actually checked any of their web sites, but I heard a rumor that some of the universities were going to stop admitting freshmen! That may be a new trend, as I said, that may catch on over the country. I suspect that it has something to do with money, budgeting, and the high attrition rate among first and second year college students.

smilin_gp · Dec 22, 2005

Interesting trend. My BSN program in Oregon just eliminated freshman admission this year.