Anybody else doubt they would ever get accepted into a nursing program?

L_Y_J_0 · Apr 16, 2013

Has anyone here ever doubt that they would ever be admitted into a nursing program?? Im currently 21 and I'm about to finish all my pre requisites in one more semester. I just went for advisement with the counselor today and for some strange reason, i felt discouraged. She said not everyone makes it in and thats why its good that I have a plan B, but to me there is no plan B, this is what I want to do. I can only apply for this once a year, and It feels like a long shot, my gpa is probably around 3 or 3.1, but i have a few more classes to take to try and bring that up. Did you ever have these feelings and how did you overcome them? Just looking for some advice, thanks =]

Where there's a will, there's a way :) You can do it!Apply to multiple schools & you'll get in somewhere. I started a BSN program in my small hometown, but due to lack of jobs I had to move to a bigger city and start over. I got into an ADN program here and will graduate in September, finally :)

Smith5 · Apr 16, 2013

congratulations =D....but I have most of my basics, I really wanted a bachelor since I have every requirement for it. Thanks for your optimism =]

bigsick_littlesick · Apr 18, 2013

Don't give up before you've started! I didn't have the best GPA either; before I was able to "erase" some of my old F's and W's from my transcript, I think I recall my GPA being around 2.5 or 2.7. After they were erased, it went up to 3.2 or somewhere around there.

I applied everywhere in CA, although my GPA did limit my choices somewhat. I was willing to move if I got in somewhere down in the LA area as my dad lives in Chino. Finally, after 4 years of waiting, I got into a local JC. I was working on a back up plan just in case because 4 years is a ridiculous amount of time to wait. I got myself on another JC's xray tech program waiting list and I was taking a couple more pre-reqs to gain entrance into yet another JC's new ultrasound tech program so I don't think it's a bad idea to start other avenues just in case you end up waiting as long as I did. On the first day of nursing school, the profs asked who waited the longest to get in - guess who won?

BUT, I didn't even need to go there because I finally got in and here I am two years later, a newly minted RN (albeit unemployed as an RN). You mentioned you want your BSN which is smart, I wish I would've had the forethought to get better grades to make it into a BSN program. Unfortunately for me, to get into my local state college (Sacramento State), I would've had to have darn near perfect grades and TEAS score to get accepted.

Good luck to you! Don't give up and really, really try to hang in there. If you put your mind to it, it will happen one day but you have to be hungry for it!

sr20alex · Apr 18, 2013

At first, I wasn't too worried. I applied to CSULA's nursing program. I decided to drop by the campus and visit the nursing department. After having a few words with the Head of the nursing department, she told me to change my major and look into something else since my grades aren't good enough. I was shocked I stood up and left. Then again my grades aren't great; gpa of 2.8 but I have finished all my pre-reqs and GE all I have to do is wait to get into a program. I've been rejected at csula, csulb, gcc so far. Its kinda depressing, but I won't give up. I'm going to an adult school tomorrow morning to take an assessment test for their LVN program. Hopefully I do well and get accepted!

Don't give up if you truly want to become a nurse.

TNT365 · Apr 18, 2013

Dont give up. Especially if this is your passion. I have been in the medical field since I was 18 years old. I knew then I wanted to be a nurse:nurse:. But life happens:o . Since then I decided that I need to obtain my goal by any means!!! So last year, I buckled down and finished all my pre-reqs with A's and B's:cool:. Trust I had to take some classes over. But I did it because this is what I wanted and nothing was going to stop me this time. And now I am finally in school where I wanted to be. I dont think some of us realize when the schools have their requirements, thats the minimum of what they accept. Nursing programs these days are very competitive and you have to do better than what they accept to get in.

Please dont give up!!! Nobody never said this would be easy!!! Good Luck!!!

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Apr 18, 2013

There is a significant waiting list for the nursing program in many, many colleges just about everywhere!!

Since you have all of your core classes, if you do not get into the nursing program, I would ask about what credits are transferrable.

Then, and this is thinking totally outside of the box here, since you would have to wait to get into their nursing program anyways, take a year and get your LPN. Then, you could do a bridge program. I do know of an online BSN program that requires one to have the core courses completed, and an LPN license. You are ahead of the game in that respect, and at least you could complete a BSN in a bridge program. Also, I would look at the websites of some local colleges and see if they have bridge programs. And perhaps be able to work in the nursing field for some experience while you are doing this. I had many LPN classmates whose goal was a ADN or a BSN. But because of the tremendous waits, and for some unobtainable GPA's, they went this route.

Best of Luck!!

Kvedaa · Apr 24, 2013

DONT GIVE UP! I was 21 the first year I applied, I had my associates degree and only one B. I spoke to a few advisers at the schools I applied to after not being accepted. I don't know where you are from but I live in Oregon and like most places it is highly competitive. I actually went back to school and got my Bachelors of Science in Sociology with a minor in biology and just last wee (Im 23 now) I was accept to Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) which is one of the top 5 nursing schools in the country. Don't give up you will get it, until I got that acceptance I thought the same thing but it will happen!

Smith5 · Apr 26, 2013

thanks guys, your comments are very encouraging. I will continue my goal to be a nurse :)

barcode120x, RN, NP · Apr 30, 2013

First, apply everywhere. My GPA limited me to only 1 local JC and after 2 and a half years, I got in, fortunately. I could have went to a university or cal-state straight out of high school for a BSN, but I didn't want to rack up such a large bill so I went straight to a JC nor did I want to build and crappier bill at a private so I decided to pick a JC.

Prior to finding out that I got in, my back up was the RT program at the same JC. That had a wait list too, and I think other JC also have a wait list but I don't think it was as long; however, I ended up getting into the RN program.

If you're looking to get into an ADN program, be prepared to wait at least a year, maybe 2 years minimum. Find a back up educational career you can do in the mean and/or find a job that's related to the hospital while you wait. I'm a lift tech at a nearby hospital and it definitely gave me an upper hand in theory and clinical. You can always go out of state as well. My coworker just decided to through out his application to a JC in Oregon since he has family out there and got in.