Sooooooo I'm a sophomore in college(university). I'm finishing up my fall semester. I already feel rejected from nursing school and i haven't even applied. My school accepts students based on test scores, gpa and the point system. I have a 2.9 at the moment but I plan on getting straight A's in my next prereq classes in spring, and retake some classes I got C's and B's in Fall17. I believe it will put my gpa at 3.5 (that's what my advisor told me). I want to apply to nursing in December 2017. I plan on studying hard to receive a 90% or higher on the HESI. Also I want to be a volunteer at the hospital this spring semester and summer. I want to do CNA classes so I can work in the hospital and gain experience during my fall semester of my junior year.
I've recently talked to a nursing student that was in one of my classes and she said they've accepted people with 3.2's and 3.3's before and that I should be fine as long as I do great on the entrance exam(HESI) but I just still feel like there's no hope for me. I feel like I'm not doing good enough.
I just had to vent to something because no one understands me I reallllllllyyyyyy want this more than ever and it's stressing me out! What do you guys think? Do you think I could possibly get accepted?
Specializes in Assistant Professor, Nephrology, Internal Medicine.
Definitely apply to multiple schools. I get that you 'plan' to get certain grades, however the best thing to do is apply to at least 3-4 different schools. Several friends of mine had to move to other states because my school was VERY competitive. They were rejected over and over again and finally applied elsewhere and got in on their first or second try.
Hey there! The goals that you have listed for yourself are fantastic, however, I hope that I can offer a small piece of advice.
Your greatest challenge and biggest focus should be increasing your GPA.
You, of course, already know this. You've met with your advisor and you've created a plan in order to perform better next semester. That's great! What concerns me is that, in addition to going from a 2.9 to a 3.5, you plan to volunteer, take a CNA course, and also perform well on the HESI exam.
If I were in your position, I would focus the majority of my time and energy on improving the GPA. I would cross CNA courses off my list. I know that is important to you, but CNA courses take a lot of time and focus and they are not necessary for acceptance. If you divide your time across many different goals, you may perform average across all areas. If you were to devote most of your time to the GPA, you may see greater improvement there, and that area is your greatest weakness at this point.
As far as volunteering goes, I would pick a few low commitment options such as food bank or visiting patients in the hospital. That way you have the flexibility in your schedule to maximize your study time, while also giving you a chance to pad your resume with commendable volunteer experience. Spend most of your time studying and then volunteer for a few hours each week at your own pace. When all is said and done, you will hopefully have a competitive GPA and a fair amount of volunteer hours.
I'm sorry you feel that way. I was feeling pretty badly yesterday, too. But I'm not going to give up - I'm going to keep on pushing until I get what I want. I'd work on that GPA above all - and the HESI practice when you have time. My school only cares about overall GPA, science/math GPA and TEAS score, so that's what I'm focusing on.
I have a 3.3 GPA, and I'm worried about it dropping once I start my science classes... I know the fear. I know someone who got into the nursing program with a 2.8
I have two Cs on my transcripts, and at my school you can't retake any passing grades, only failed courses.
Keep taking classes and put all your effort and time into them. The more credits you already have the slower the GPA goes up.
I agree that the best you can do is increase GPA and strive for excellence on that entrance exam, because the reality is that every program is different, and you have no idea how prepared others are that you are competing against (not in a negative way). That being said, you should aim for the highest scores possible.
I know how you feel! I do not have a competitive GPA (in my eyes) but I am a working CNA, I have two associates in the healthcare field, and I am working my butt off to get in. I feel like my GPA is going to kill me. I only have one school within reasonable distance and they only take FALL applications so if I don't get in I will not be able to go at all because of my husbands job. I feel defeated already and I am trying desperately to make myself stack up as much as possible. My husband is disillusioned to how competitive nursing school really is and no one else has a true grasp. I just got three of my grades for this semester and I have one final to go and unless I make an almost perfect score on my last test I will not really move the scale on my GPA and I already feel like crying. I have too many credits to move my GPA in the right direction! I feel like the admissions team, besides my advisor, will laugh at my application and then I will have to wait another 3 or so years before I can start over.
There are too many what ifs and too little definites. I don't want to say it is unfair because it is reality but it certainly feels deflating.
Best advice is to grab a martini and apply anyways because what's the worst that could come from it?!
I'm feeling this way as well. I go to an info session tomorrow, and my last quarter is next quarter. My cum gap isn't amazing (for similar reasons to yours) but my last few quarters i've really buckled down and focused on my gpa and it's moving up. I'm super scared I won't get in right away and i'll have to retake classes to get my gap up. But i'm going to try anyways.
I think thats the difference between us aspiring nurses and people that weren't meant to be nurses though, resilience and hard work.
Stay positive and just know there's tons of options and sometimes things take longer than we'd like but we just take a different road to the same place.
Make sure you know exactly how that admission GPA is computed so you won't have any unpleasant surprises. For many schools, re-taking a class will not magically eliminate the first grade... instead, the two are averaged together. Some schools do not allow (or consider) any retakes for classes in which you earned a C or better.
I also want you to keep in mind that those admission 'rules' were developed based upon an analysis of student experience. Each school looks at all the data - in order to determine which factors are most likely to be associated with student success. Schools MUST produce students that pass NCLEX... if they cannot sustain >80% pass rates, the program will be in jeopardy. So - even though it may be very difficult, try not to personalize this process. It's not about trying to keep you out of a nursing program. They don't even know you. It's all about meeting the criteria.
Specializes in Nephrology Home Therapies, Wound Care, Foot Care..
If you are retaking classes, you might want to check with a NURSING SCHOOL COUNSELOR first! In my neck of the woods, if you retake Micro, Anatomy, Physiology, or Eng, you get dinged for it. And in California, you cannot retake any class that you received a passing grade in at the same school. So if you took Psychology and got a C at College Yellow, you can't retake it at College Yellow. But you could retake it at College Purple. However, regardless you don't want to retake the "core" classes I mentioned above under any circumstances unless you failed them and have no choice. This may not apply to you, but better to know the facts up front.
I hear ya, I'm a pre nursing student as well and I'm applying to 2-3 different schools. We all worry, it's only natural. I do too, because even though I have a good gpa and have done volunteer experience I don't have a lot of the "leadership" experiences in community activities and in school that I've seen listed on the nursingCAS application. I never belonged to a club in school other than the phi theta kappa ( I never went to the optional meetings either ) because my main focus was always on my studies. That being said, being a nurse is everything to me, it's in my blood, and there is nothing that will stop me from becoming one. Have that same attitude , you've got this, you can do this, don't you dare give up now😉!
just for the record , don't be daunted by competing with students with perfect gpa's . What makes a good nurse has nothing to do with the three digit numbers on his/her transcript, but it has everything to do with what is in his/her heart. Compassion, good bedside manner, and a real love for the patients is what matters. Focus, stay strong, keep going and don't look backðŸ‘😊
Bumex, DNP, NP
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Definitely apply to multiple schools. I get that you 'plan' to get certain grades, however the best thing to do is apply to at least 3-4 different schools. Several friends of mine had to move to other states because my school was VERY competitive. They were rejected over and over again and finally applied elsewhere and got in on their first or second try.