Any of you have a bad past?

Nursing in 09 · Nov 4, 2005

I graduated high school in the year of 1992 and went straight onto college. I only lasted a year and did not pass even one class. I had no interest in it and did not know what I wanted to do with my life, so I just goofed off.
I have been back in school for about a year and a half now and I am doing really well. This time I am very serious about getting my education and making something of myself. My question is do you think that this one year will kill my chances of getting into NS?

My school spells out exactly what you need to get in, before you can get on the 2-21/2 year waiting list. It is a community college, one of the most respected nursing programs in Illinois, often a 99% pass rate. I too have haunting grades from younger days, but am doing well (34, married, 2 kids) and am very focused because I know exactly what I must do. I was just told by the Director of the nursing program that I may get in in the fall of 06. I am so excited, because I just got on the list in Jan 05. The GPA requirement is 2.5? I think overall, and 3 for all nursing classes (out of 4). They specifically say a perfect GPA does not make an excellent nurse, a lesser GPA may be as good of a nurse and skills and compassion along with life lessons are important. I am so thankful I am 4 miles from this school. The program has other requirements, too confusing to list, but doable even with a bad version of a younger me hanging over my head!:) The list moves quickly because some people don't get the prereqs done or meet the GPA.

Fun2, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2005

I am in the same boat. I graduated in 2002 with a 2.691cumulative and 3.0 in my major. The nursing school I want to get into has a 3.0 minimum to be competitive. I joined the Army 3 days after graduating and have served 2 combat deployments in a little less than 4 years.I hope they take these things into consideration. If I get an A in every pre-req available, I will still only have 2.9. I am thinking about just going back for my ADN and then trying for a bridge program.

I'm sure this will come out rude, and I apologize in advance, but you wouldn't get anywhere close to being accepted for an ADN program, at least not at the school where I applied in North Texas!

The only people accepted for Spring '06 at the school I applied were 100 students that had 4.0's! There were 115 students with 4.0's, so even students with 4.0's got denied!!! The prior two semesters it was 3.77!

So, you may want to think about retaking some of your classes. I'm not sure where your train of thought came from, but ADN doesn't mean easy way out. It is highly competitive, and the program is hard as hades.

Ok, now off of my high horse....lol

Does the school you're looking at look at all of your classes, or only the ones that will apply to the program?

Thanks for your Army days, and I wish you the best of luck wherever you get in. :) (I am going the ADN route, then getting my RN-BSN because my scholarship is for ADN.)

BTW, welcome to AllNurses.com, please don't let my high horse rant scare you off. We are good people here. lol :)

Fun2, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2005

The GPA requirement is 2.5? I think overall, and 3 for all nursing classes (out of 4). They specifically say a perfect GPA does not make an excellent nurse, a lesser GPA may be as good of a nurse and skills and compassion along with life lessons are important.

The GPA requirement is 2.5 where I applied as well, however, only 4.0's were accepted. There isn't a waiting list, so who knows how long they will be accepting 4.0's only. ugggh

I have heard a rumor of them changing the way they accept students b/c they didn't think it was a good idea to only have 4.0 students in the program.

Towards my nursing program, I have 30 credits completed with an overall GPA of 3.8.

I applied with my 4 pre-req classes complete, and all 17 credits of the support classes complete as well. (3.77 on the pre-reqs, 3.82 on the support classes.)

The lowest GPA accepted for Spring '06 was 4.0 on the pre-reqs, with 6 credits of support classes complete with a GPA of 2.5!

So, what this says, there B and C in 19 credits BEAT OUT my B and B in 30 credits!!!!!!!

Things have to change! Bad grades from the past can be retaken at most schools, but overall, more instructors need to be hired to allow more students in.

If students need to take english, humanities, etc to be a "well-rounded" student, then the program needs to be a "well-rounded" program and accept a variety of GPA's. (IMO)

Good luck to you all, we will get in somewhere SOON!!!!!

Nemhain · Nov 4, 2005

Yep! I graduated high school more than 10 years ago and while I didn't do too bad, I didn't do to great; I mostly got C's. My grades are much better now.

The school I went to just a requirement of a 2.25 and it's a first come first served bases (yippee!). They have since raised the GPA to a 2.5 and they said they weren't gonna raise it anymore 'cause it doesn't seem to be making a difference (they've had people as high as a 3.8 flunk out). The waiting list is officially 3 years, but so many people drop off that no one has ever waited more than 1 year! There really is a school for everybody.

traumaRN1908, RN · Nov 4, 2005

I'm sure this will come out rude, and I apologize in advance, but you wouldn't get anywhere close to being accepted for an ADN program, at least not at the school where I applied in North Texas!
The only people accepted for Spring '06 at the school I applied were 100 students that had 4.0's! There were 115 students with 4.0's, so even students with 4.0's got denied!!! The prior two semesters it was 3.77!
So, you may want to think about retaking some of your classes. I'm not sure where your train of thought came from, but ADN doesn't mean easy way out. It is highly competitive, and the program is hard as hades.
Ok, now off of my high horse....lol
Does the school you're looking at look at all of your classes, or only the ones that will apply to the program?
Thanks for your Army days, and I wish you the best of luck wherever you get in. :) (I am going the ADN route, then getting my RN-BSN because my scholarship is for ADN.)
BTW, welcome to AllNurses.com, please don't let my high horse rant scare you off. We are good people here. lol :)

Well if you thought that you would come off rude perhaps you should not have made your post. Please do not try to smooth it over by saying thanks for Army days either. After your other comments it seems a little patronizing like "thanks, but no thanks". Unless you are a RN you do not have much room for a high horse, because even with the best planning, you do not know what will happen between now and the time that you: A. graduate B. Get a Job or C. actually take the NCLEX.

traumaRN1908, RN · Nov 4, 2005

To everyone else, in no way was I trying to slight ADN programs, or ADN nurses. However, IMO it is easier, in relation to time not actual study hours, to take the pre-req's and the 12-18 other hours over for admission to an ADN program than to complete all of the courses associated with a Bachelor's Degree.

Fun2, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2005

I'm sure you are correct, maybe I shouldn't have posted. Thank God we live in a country where we are free to say what we want, and again, I do say thank you for your Army days. That was in no way trying to smooth anything over. I am very appreciative of what all military people do for us, and civilians as well that are currently working in dangerous areas....my cousin included. My father was also in the military, and his father, as were his brothers, and that's only on one side of the family.

I will not apologize for saying that you will probably need to take your classes over. Many people have to do that. Your degree was before your service. I agree that something should be paid back to you for your service, like free education. If you learned any medical training while in the service, yes, I think that should be reflected on your entry. Unfortunately, most of the time it does not.

I do have free speech, and it doesn't matter if I am an RN or not. True, I don't know what will happen in my future, but I do know that the competition is extremely fierce where I live. Anyone who has tried to get into nursing school has a right to comment on how the competition is.

For that matter, if you didn't mean any negativity towards ADN programs, then why would you feel the need to explain yourself to everyone else? At least I apologized because I knew it would sound rude. You are still trying to deny the fact that your post was criticizing as well. Did you not think that post would upset anyone? There are people on here who have ADN's and get into heated debates protecting their degree. I could really care less whether someone has an ADN or a BSN because I am currently working on both.

My ultimate goal is a BSN. I know it takes many hours of studying, and you have to take more classes as I am working on my RN-BSN concurrently while I work toward my ADN.

Well if you thought that you would come off rude perhaps you should not have made your post. Please do not try to smooth it over by saying thanks for Army days either. After your other comments it seems a little patronizing like "thanks, but no thanks". Unless you are a RN you do not have much room for a high horse, because even with the best planning, you do not know what will happen between now and the time that you: A. graduate B. Get a Job or C. actually take the NCLEX.

momof3heathens · Nov 4, 2005

Couple options to look at...the University where I used to work in the Nursing Dept had a couple of things available for generals...Depends on how many semesters you need to get rid of....They have something called "Academic Forgiveness" where you can get either one semester or one year (can't remember which) completely wiped off yor transcript when there is a situation like yours (Old, bad grades). Also, if you have any reason at all that you might be able to do a retroactive Medical Withdrawal, you might look at that too.....

Good Luck! I was in the same situation....

Fun2, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2005

Good point. My college also offers Academic Forgiveness. You can get rid of anything over 10 years old.

There is a negative to this in my case. If you chose to utilize it, you couldn't pick and choose. For myself, I would have had to redo a bunch of classes that I had completed.

It would be an awesome thing for someone who went one semester, over 10 years ago, and "forgot" to withdrawal and has F's (or whatever.)

This is definitely a good thing to look into for those with an bad academic past. Thanks for adding it! I forgot all about it! :)

Couple options to look at...the University where I used to work in the Nursing Dept had a couple of things available for generals...Depends on how many semesters you need to get rid of....They have something called "Academic Forgiveness" where you can get either one semester or one year (can't remember which) completely wiped off yor transcript when there is a situation like yours (Old, bad grades). Also, if you have any reason at all that you might be able to do a retroactive Medical Withdrawal, you might look at that too.....
Good Luck! I was in the same situation....

traumaRN1908, RN · Nov 5, 2005

I'm sure you are correct, maybe I shouldn't have posted. Thank God we live in a country where we are free to say what we want, and again, I do say thank you for your Army days. That was in no way trying to smooth anything over. I am very appreciative of what all military people do for us, and civilians as well that are currently working in dangerous areas....my cousin included. My father was also in the military, and his father, as were his brothers, and that's only on one side of the family.
I will not apologize for saying that you will probably need to take your classes over. Many people have to do that. Your degree was before your service. I agree that something should be paid back to you for your service, like free education. If you learned any medical training while in the service, yes, I think that should be reflected on your entry. Unfortunately, most of the time it does not.
I do have free speech, and it doesn't matter if I am an RN or not. True, I don't know what will happen in my future, but I do know that the competition is extremely fierce where I live. Anyone who has tried to get into nursing school has a right to comment on how the competition is.
For that matter, if you didn't mean any negativity towards ADN programs, then why would you feel the need to explain yourself to everyone else? At least I apologized because I knew it would sound rude. You are still trying to deny the fact that your post was criticizing as well. Did you not think that post would upset anyone? There are people on here who have ADN's and get into heated debates protecting their degree. I could really care less whether someone has an ADN or a BSN because I am currently working on both.
My ultimate goal is a BSN. I know it takes many hours of studying, and you have to take more classes as I am working on my RN-BSN concurrently while I work toward my ADN.

For the respect of more courteous posters I hope this can be the last I hear from you on this matter. I am sure that fear of being jumped on by someone like you is what prevents a lot of people from posting...

Yes thankfully we live in a country where we all have the right to practice free speech, so say what ever you want.

I do not think that I posted any reference as to how my schooling was going to be paid for. As I made allusions to in my first post to you, please do not jump to conclusions as to what my meaning or intent is. If you need clarification please PM me in the future. The justification of my post regarding ADN programs is so that anyone else who read my post could be clear what my intentions were, and to hopefully prevent any misunderstanding.

As to you specifically, how can you be on a high horse when you do not have both feet in the saddle so to speak? It sounds as if you are looking for someone to vent on, and all to ready to jump into the ADNvsBSN controversy instead of using your experience and background to unite nurses regardless of educational experience. If it makes you feel better to attack someone without provacation, then by all means have at it. I have heard far worse from better.

NNEKA RN · Nov 5, 2005

Let's not continue to beat ourselves up for the past. I suggest that you retake all the classes you failed and your chances of getting into NS would be much better.

The school i went to would erase the bad grade and add the better grade.

Also, i suggest that you need to go talk to the Nursing Advisor about your plans of retaking the classes. Believe me, the Advisor will have much respect for your courage.

So consider yourself busy for the next few semesters. My friend did the same thing and it worked for her.:)

NNEKA RN · Nov 5, 2005

Regarding the ADN/BSN controversy. I personally know that the ADN program is harder than the BSN. I know that because i have an ADN and currently working on a BSN (Spring '06 completed). The ADN program teaches you to be a well rounded nurse, hands-on, and also applies your book knowledge to the unit you work on.

A friend of mine (BSN) and i started working at this hospital together. SHe could not apply her book knowledge to the unit at all. It was terrible. She got fired after 3 weeks of orientation!

The BSN program is all about research if you want my opinion.

One BSN nurse at my job does not know how to suction. I had to go suction her patient the other day.

So please, do not get in the habit of knocking ADN's.:)