Anyone else really hoping for a 2nd chance? Need advice...

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As I'm awaiting the decision to an RN program I've applied to, I'm starting to wonder if I'm the only one... I would love to hear if anyone else has made the same mistakes and, if so, how they are approaching school the 2nd time around.

I graduated high school with a 4.3, awesome SAT scores & got a full-ride to college. Got to college & decided that just getting my degree was good enough b/c I "never" wanted to go to grad school. (I know, I know, awful.) So, I received a BS in Exercise Science with a fantastic (insert sarcasm here) GPA of 2.77, got into the real world & decided that field wasn't for me. It didn't challenge me enough & I decided to go for nursing, which is what I wanted to do from the start, but just got lazy.

I have taken pre-requs to apply to programs in my area (and wasn't lazy this time- have gotten A's), but do not stand a chance at an accelerated 2nd degree option b/c of my undergrad GPA. So, I applied to a community college ASN program in my area, which is actually a really great/competitive program. I'm really scared I'm not going to get in and not quite sure how to approach applying to other places after this. (I live in CT and all the programs have very different pre-requ requirements, so I could end up spending 2 more years taking pre-requisites for a different degree & not get in again... assuming I don't get into this one.)

Does anyone have any advice on how to start over if I don't get into the CC program here? Has anyone else gone through this? I feel like it's almost harder to get a second chance after screwing up in college than it would be had I screwed up in HS instead.

I would really, really, really appreciate ANY advice or encouragement from anyone who has been in a similar place. I know nursing is what I want to do, I just can't see the forest through the trees on how to get there.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!:)

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Specializes in School Nursing.

You may not be able to get into an ABSN but have you considered trying for a generic BSN? They may calculate your GPA differently or have different requirements altogether. In fact, they may not look at your overall GPA (someone correct me if I'm wrong) from your actual degree but will include the classes you've taken since into it (thus raising your overall GPA).

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Hmmm, I will definitely have to look into that. TY!

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Hey Rooskenator,

You are not alone. I'm actually in a similar position as you right now. I too did well in high school. Got to college "lacked off" and pulled myself together toward the end, with a decent GPA, but I could have definitely done MUCH better.

I'm also applying to CC-Nursing programs and im very anxious about it too.

just to give you a bit of hope and a stress reliever, a couple of schools I'm looking into do not look at the cumulative GPA but are focusing more on the pre-req courses and the grades/GPA in those classes. So dont worry too much, as you still have a great chance at making a good impression, at least GPA-wise! Soooo good luck and do well in those pre-req courses!!!

And thanks for posting this! I can totally benefit from responses to this post as well.

:cheers:

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Sorry- didn't get a notification that anyone replied! Glad I am not the only one :)

I actually looked into some other options & I found out that there is one school by me that, just like pp said, I can apply to their generic BSN program and then transfer in credits. It will probably take a bit longer, but if I don't get in I am SO doing that! I'm also applying to another one that only counts your most recent 60 credits & I'm just going to take a few classes over again this summer & replace my lowest grades calculating into the GPA. I want to do this & if I don't get in I'm just going to try harder!

Best of luck to ya on your route to getting there! Have you applied to any programs yet?

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Wow, sounds just like me. I graduated years ago with a 2.8. Now that I'm trying to go back for nursing, it has come back to haunt me. Like you, I have all A's in my classes now but it is still impossible to apply to some programs because of the "All College GPA" requirment. I have just applied to a BSN program that I barely qualify for. If I do not get in, then I will get an ADN and then do a RN to BSN bridge which has not so strict requirments (plus by then all of my nursing classes will raise my overall GPA).

I feel for you. It just goes to show that we should have listened to our parents....grades DO matter :-) I'm trying to tell that to my teenagers and hopefully they are listening!!

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Thank the LORD I am going to be able to get around the GPA requirements bc I was such a slacker in HS!! I will be attending NCTC if all goes right and I make an awesome grade on my NET!! Do you know of any childcare or travel costs assistance? The school I am attending will be a 25 mile drive one way. I have two children in school and will need before and after school care and I have a 7month old baby that will need full-time care and going to school full-time will have me strapped for money so I need help finding any type of assistance. I am willing to payback as long as its not during my school year. Any solutions or answers???

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