Are A's Impossible at Ivy Tech?

k1emt · Dec 23, 2009

I agree that a B in A&P is a good grade. I was just saying what was told to me by a professor, and that was that A's are supposed to be really hard to obtain. I think if this is the case, then why do they turn people away from the nursing program for having a B? At the campus I go to, there are way to many people trying to get into the nursing program. When I started all this prereq and coreq stuff in the Spring of 2009, even then there were too many students going for the few openings in nursing. Now there are at least double the amount of students attempting to go for nursing at Valparaiso and probably at Gary too. Lord knows how much increase in students the other Ivy Tech campuses across the state have seen. We were told in my Exposition and Persuation class that enrollment was at a maximum and that there were no seats left in most classes. I find that to be true now also. I had to enroll for two classes at Michigan City because there were no openings at Valparaiso. I am very worried what I am going to do with all of these credits I accumulate if I do not get into the nursing program once I get done with A & P one and two. I had major surgery, so I only enrolled in 9 credit hours for the Spring. The assistant Dean said that I would not lose financial aid or be reduced because of this. I hope she is right. I am on Salle Mae loans, I don't get any grants or free moniss because I am married and my husbands income exceeds any guidelines for getting grants. I do hope to apply for scholarships becasue I have good grades, but I haven't had a chance to see if there are any out there that I qualify for. I guess if Ivy Tech becomes impossible to tet into for nursing, I will have to think about going somewhere else. Hopefully all my credits would transfer.

k1emt · Dec 23, 2009

Which campus is everyone else going too? Maybe there isn't as much problem getting needed classes at other campuses.

kgle · Dec 23, 2009

I go to Indy. While the program is competitive, I think they over exaggerate when it comes to getting in the program. Every person I know who has received all As and a good TEAS score has made it in. Surely a lot of people have to be applying with grades much lower than that.

k1emt · Dec 23, 2009

I guess it just depends on how many people are trying to get into the program. At Valparaiso someone I know checked and was told that 600 people are now trying to get into the program each semester due to all these people transferring to Ivy Tech. I don't know if the number of students is truely that high, I sized it down to saying 400 for purposes of commenting on how many people are competing to get into nursing. Last Spring, I was told that over 200 people typically apply to the nursing program each semester and that only around 50 will get in. Now in August, all these new students transferred over to Ivy Tech and all the classes are filled to capacity and they are building new parking lots, but new parking lots will not get people into the nursing program. They need to add to the nursing program if they have this many people trying to get into the program now. Why would I want to waste my money getting all the prereq's and coreq's done and then not ever get into the nursing program. I am scared because in my psychology class, it is difficult to get an A and I am pretty sure I will not get an A. I hear that even getting one B will mean that you have no chance of getting into the program because surely at least 50 people would have had all A's.

MISSY_RN_STUDENT · Dec 24, 2009

Unfortunately, the campus that I am attending (Valparaiso, Indiana) has too many students and a majority of the students in all of my classes were headed for nursing when asked by the professors. I got a B in one class so far this semester and it is the required 1 credit hour class (Health and Wellness). I am not sure why I got a B, so the teacher says she is looking into it for me. I had major surgery at the very end of October, so I took a medical Incomplete in Psychology because due to being legally blind in both eyes at present (even after surgery) I did not have the 5-7 page paper written yet that my psychology professor required. I also have some tests to do that the professor has to put in the testing center. I am scared because I know if I get a bad grade in Psychology, I will never get into the nursing program. It is near impossible to get an A in the class I am in, there was no homework or extra credit and all tests were 20 questions and quizzes were 10 questions. I heard that over 400 people are competing on this end of the state to get into the nursing programs due to all other colleges ending the 2 year associate degrees. So many people enrolled at Ivy Tech in Valparaiso that they didn't have enough parking spaces. They just broke ground on two new parking lots. All classes are filled to capacity for prereq's for nursing. I had to take one class online for this coming semester and two classes at Michigan City because nothing I needed was available at Valparaiso. Some of us think that if Ivy Tech is allowing so many people to come into the college to take all the prereq's and coreq's for nursing, the campus should add more nursing programs. I heard only 50 people get in every semester, that means that the other 350 anticipated students would not stand a chance even if they had all A's. I am wondering what other people are doing about this problem and if anyone has any suggestions. I still have A and P one and two to get through, but by the time I finish them, all of my other coreq's and prereq's will have been done.

This is the problem that I have with Ivy Tech. They advertise the Associates program as two years when in fact, it is three. That is not a problem for me because I understand that the math, english, etc. add on an additional year. However, no where in the Nursing brochures or mandatory Information sessions did anyone mention that you could wait years to get into the clinical programs. Basically, when you think about it, the school gets you to a certain point in your education and then you are left to fin for yourself. You can either wait or you can make the decision to get your BSN. I am going to finish as much as I can at Ivy Tech and then I am going to transfer to a 4 year program and hopefully be able to get into clinicals there but I have heard that 4 year programs can be just as competitive. I don't know that I would have gone into nursing if I had known that by the end of the year I will be at a standstill. This is unfair to the students and that is what I talked to an advisor about. She did not have any info to add just kept saying, I know, I know. At this point, I am getting very discouraged because it does not seem that I will be able to repeat my ANP 1 class. Also, the advisor said that if you get a B in this call, you cannot repeat it. A's and B's stick. Other grades do not. If you get a B you will have to just accept it and wait until your turn comes up for clinicals whenever that may be. If I were you, I would probably repeat Psych online. Good luck.

sunnysideup09 · Dec 24, 2009

Are you speaking of the Indianapolis campus that there is a wait for clinical spots? There is only a wait in Indianapolis if a student fails or sits out a semester for health related or personal reasons. That puts them off track. And yes, there are students who are off track for whatever reason; I know several who had to take a semester off and luckily were able to get right back in for the Spring semester without a wait. They have to wait for someone else to get off track in order to take that person's spot. Clinical spots are found for each cohort every semester so as long as a student stays on track, then there shouldn't be a problem. Instructors can only have 10 students per clinical and that is not by their choice. That is mandated by the Indiana Nurse Practice Act.

MISSY_RN_STUDENT · Dec 24, 2009

I agree that a B is a very good grade but unfortunately, because of the competitiveness of such a small overwhelmed nursing program, it just won't cut the mustard. You MUST have all A's and a high TEAS if you even expect to have a slim chance of getting into clinicals. If there are 200 people applying for clinicals, and only 50 spots, 150 of them will be left out in the cold, starting with the B students. This seems to be the problem at multiple campuses. Unless something drastic changes, I don't see things improving any time soon.

Based on some of the comments I have heard, the B student will not make the final cut. My lab teacher told me she has been there for 15 years and has noticed in the past few years that the B students don't make it which even she agrees is very unfortunate because what happens is that you are left out in the cold, waiting, waiting, waiting.

I have begun to think to myself why am I doing this if there may not be a prize at the end of the finish line. If I sound discouraged, it is because I am. I have student loans up the butt because I don't qualify for any grants or free monies either. I am just stressing over knowing that I have to repay this money and I may not be able to finish the program or worse yet, may have to transfer to a 4 year program to advance and still may face this same problem.

IMHO, all in all, yes A's are necessary for the Ivy Tech program.

The bottom line to this is that there aren't enough clinical spots. I am not sure why but if something drastic does not change, I don't see this situation improving any time soon.

Pat_Pat RN · Dec 26, 2009

I went to Bloomington, and granted, I graduated in 2008, so the prereq.'s were actually 2 years worth. I was on the waiting list, but got in the first semester I applied and had some B's and even a C (from transferred credits). But I got a 99 on my TEAS.

Good luck to you all, I remember when I was thinking the same way you all are.

Pat

kgle · Dec 27, 2009

I agree that a B is a very good grade but unfortunately, because of the competitiveness of such a small overwhelmed nursing program, it just won't cut the mustard. You MUST have all A's and a high TEAS if you even expect to have a slim chance of getting into clinicals. If there are 200 people applying for clinicals, and only 50 spots, 150 of them will be left out in the cold, starting with the B students. This seems to be the problem at multiple campuses. Unless something drastic changes, I don't see things improving any time soon.
Based on some of the comments I have heard, the B student will not make the final cut. My lab teacher told me she has been there for 15 years and has noticed in the past few years that the B students don't make it which even she agrees is very unfortunate because what happens is that you are left out in the cold, waiting, waiting, waiting.
I have begun to think to myself why am I doing this if there may not be a prize at the end of the finish line. If I sound discouraged, it is because I am. I have student loans up the butt because I don't qualify for any grants or free monies either. I am just stressing over knowing that I have to repay this money and I may not be able to finish the program or worse yet, may have to transfer to a 4 year program to advance and still may face this same problem.
IMHO, all in all, yes A's are necessary for the Ivy Tech program.
The bottom line to this is that there aren't enough clinical spots. I am not sure why but if something drastic does not change, I don't see this situation improving any time soon.

What's your definition of a high TEAS? A friend got in with 4 As and an 87 on the TEAS. I guess to me that isn't really high. Its not a matter of all As. To be safe you should probably achieve 208 points. Which equals out to either four As and an 85 on the TEAS or three As and one B and a 95 on the TEAS.

There have been students with a B and higher TEAS score (90s) that have made it into the program. Not many, but a few. I will be one of those hoping on that.

4 year programs aren't as bad at private universities mainly because of the cost associated with it. Even IUK offers a 4 year and is cheaper than IUPUI but easier to get into. Its more competitive at Ivy Tech and IUPUI because of the central location and low cost of tuition.

I am retaking APHY 101 next semester and while I have heard that we cannot retake courses if you received a C or higher, I am still enrolled in the course. They have not made any mass announcement and honestly, the policy would affect a LOT of students retaking courses the final time in the spring semester attempting to get into the fall program. I would assume (and hope) that they will be grandfathering students in and making the policy universally effective at a later date. However, in the future it should start making it a little less competitive. Not much, but probably enough to the point that a student with one or two Bs can actually get in.

k1emt · Dec 29, 2009

Hello, that does not appear to be the case in Valparaiso. I would like to see what happens for this spring semester now that tons of students have switched to Ivy Tech in August. At Valparaiso it seems to be as most people have written, that you must have all all and even then you could be left out in the cold. If say over 200 people are going for maybe 50 spots each semester, then even some of the people with all A's will be left out. I was told that the difference between someone getting in and not getting in may only be a few slim points and that they both were probably deserving to get in. The problem is that until the program is beefed up to meet the demands of enrollment, a lot of people will be left out. I am 41 and do not qualify for grants or free monies either. I am very concerned that I am wasting my money and will have to start all over again somewhere else. Already, this semester when I am finally ready to Anatomy, I had to put my class at Michigan City since Valparaiso had no openings. Also, because I was out of school for years, I ended up starting over at 044 in math which slowed me down. I am now done with 050 math and headed into math 118 (scared to death of this one). I had surgery, so I am going to be completing an incomplete I took in psychology within 2 weeks. I sometimes feel like I am wasting my time though. I just got a B in a class that I heard doesn't matter, but what if they look at every single grade? After all there aren't enough slots for the nursing program at Valparaiso and I heard the same is true of Gary campus. I think I will call and see how many people applied to these programs in fall and now for spring.

dass4 · Jan 3, 2010

I kinda have this problem as well. I am retaking a class just to get an A so I have all A's before applying to nursing school. I find it hard to understand the process at Ivy Tech because I have heard the exact same issue....if they have approximately 300-400 applicants and only take 50 or so, how are they picking from all the applicants? Surely a large percentage have all A's as well as decent TEAS scores. How are they picking who gets in and who doesn't? Is there an interview process? I guess my problem is that straight A's does not make you a good student all the time....it really just makes you good at taking tests!!

kgle · Jan 3, 2010

There is no interview process that I know of.

A. Rank order of applicants

(1) Applicants will be rank ordered (highest to lowest score) by summing the following scores:

a. The TEAS “Adjusted Composite Score”

b. Points allotted to the grades of the completed general education prerequisite courses

c. Points for region of residence

d. In the event of a tie score, one (1) point for each ITCC completed general education prerequisite course will be added to the total score

e. If #4 does not break the tie, the absolute TEAS scores (not rounded) will be used and if necessary the date of program application will be used.

Lawrence takes 60 students each cohort. A bunch of friends applied and were accepted for both this past fall and this coming spring semesters. It really wouldn't surprise me if a lot of applicants didn't have all As. It would be quite coincidental that I knew many of the accepted nursing students if every single person had four As and an awesome TEAS score.