Applying as undecided to NURSING SCHOOL??? Just to get accepted???

COMPLEXBeautyy · Nov 12, 2012

I graduated with an AAS in Criminal Justice. My GPA is 2.61. I'm currently working as a Home Health Aide and I really want to go to school for Nursing. 4 year schools want a 3.0. Can I apply to a private Institution (College of Mount Saint Vincent) as undecided? I want to get in. What are the pro's and con's of applying as undecided? Staying focused and bringing up my gpa wont be a problem. I really don't want to go to a community college to then transfer.
Thanks in advance

P.S. The GPA requirement is lower (2.0-2.5) when you apply as undecided.

Klsana00 · Nov 12, 2012

Hello,

I am assuming you are in NY. Nursing schools in NY and around the US have become very competitive. You need to not look at the minimum requirements because those getting admitted are well above it. I know Pre- Nursing majors with 3.8 GPAs getting waitlisted. I would go to the 4 year school undecided and take the pre reqs you need and the Nursing entrance exam to see how it goes. I wish you good luck with you journey...

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2012

You can certainly apply undecided but it's not likely a simple process of switching your major to nursing. Most nursing programs within a college have a separate application and acceptance process. So when you want to get into the nursing program you'll still have to apply and meet their GPA requirements like you do now. But you can certainly take some pre-requisites first and try to get your GPA up.

COMPLEXBeautyy · Nov 12, 2012

Thank you for the information.

elkpark · Nov 12, 2012

I agree with the comments above, and would caution you that you should not take the published minimum GPA (for the nursing program, specifically) too seriously. At the last BSN program in which I taught (a decent state uni program, but nothing to get excited about :)), all the nursing program literature said that the minimum GPA to be considered was 2.5. However, the school got so many applicants every semester that the reality was that no one with less than a 3.7 got in. They had so many well-qualified applicants with GPAs higher than that that they were able to fill each new class without seriously looking at anyone below that level. I'm not saying I think that's a good idea, but that was the reality of how that program (and lots of other nursing programs these days) operates.

x_factor · Nov 12, 2012

I agree with the others who posted above me. You need to contact the schools you are interested in and schedule an appointment to speak with them. This way you can talk to them about average entrance scores, average test scores, ect. The school I am taking pre-reqs at states that they require a minimum of a 2.8 GPA in order to apply for their ADN program. However, the average GPA of those accepted is between 3.6 and 3.8. And they only take 60 students with the highest score, so anyone with just a 2.8 doesn't stand much of a chance. Another school I am looking to apply to also requires a minimum 2.8 but their average is a 3.7.

You can enroll into many schools as an undecided, but that's not really affecting anything. With nursing, you must take the required pre-reqs, and meet all of their entrance requirements for that school's specific nursing program, which are different requirements than the ones just to actually enroll into the college itself.

I would begin taking your pre-reqs and either increase the GPA you have, or enroll into an ADN program (or find a BSN program) that looks at only your pre-req GPA, not your cumulative. My school where I am applying for an ADN program, and a university where I am applying for a BSN program, only look at pre-req GPA, not cumulative.