BSN Last Minute Prereq's & How I almost got Screwed...

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Aug 22, 2007

I'm currently attempting to finish a non-nursing degree that I started more than 11 years ago. Career-wise it isn't even all that helpful, but the degree and school mean a lot to me personally, so I have to do it. The catch is that it's two hours away from where I work and live - and I had to submit an application for readmission since I haven't been there for seven years.

My plan was to rent an apartment in my college's town and stay there Monday-Thursday to attend Tu-W-Th classes, then come home and stay with family while working Fri, Sat and Sun nights. Brilliant, I thought. Just 15 hours for a BA in Psych and minor in Spanish. Two semesters part-time.

To make a long story short, there was some confusion related to my status as a readmit student and which transcripts (I've now been to four colleges) I was required to send. Ultimately, my application for readmission was rejected on this basis, so I had to submit an appeal in to the admissions office.

I feel like I have a strong case for the appeal (the admissions website says one thing and my rejection letter says another), but I'm in complete limbo for now - and classes start on Monday. I'll hopefully find out some news tomorrow. Then I need to get registered and find a place to live over the next few days.

It really is aggravating when we do so much planning for school, only to be seemingly sabotaged by misinformation right at the last minute. I definitely feel ya!

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Aug 22, 2007

You two, the right hand never speaks to the left hand even for standard operating procedures in education of all levels. So I always try to talk to the head honcho and get things in writing. I know that this is not always possible, but it is what I try to do. I love school but I hate the drama attached to administration! GL to the both of you!

faithful11 · Aug 22, 2007

You two, the right hand never speaks to the left hand even for standard operating procedures in education of all levels. So I always try to talk to the head honcho and get things in writing. I know that this is not always possible, but it is what I try to do. I love school but I hate the drama attached to administration! GL to the both of you!

Yup, I agree. I would personally have tried to make sure that we were all on the same page, no matter how many times I had to clarify "okay, so after such and such a class, is there anything MORE needed from me? Okay...so we are CERTAIN I have meet all the requirments now?" ETC.... It sucks to have to go back and forth so many times, but in some situations overkill is better than having to get f*cked in the long run, by having to then play catch up.

Hope it all works out, keep those fingers crossed. You seem very motivated, and once in the program, I am sure you will kick butt!!:balloons:

Jolie, BSN · Aug 22, 2007

The admissions office knew months ago when I applied that I was a 2nd degree student, so the fact that they waited so long to tell me about this is just infuritating:angryfire.
Okay, deep breath........more deep breaths......
I just needed to vent, but have any other 2nd degree students run into problems like this?

This is not unique to second-degree students. It is a problem all students and employees face at one time or another. I understand your frustration, but you have learned a valuable lesson early-on that will make the rest of your education and professional life go much smoother: Schools and employers will not go out of their way to notify you of changes in policies, procedures, etc. It is your job to keep yourself updated. Admission requirements, graduation requirements, NCLEX standards, working conditions, etc. ALL change, and if you don't make it a point to be on top of these changes, you will suffer.

I'm glad that you have the opportunity to correct your deficiencies without losing any time. Good luck for a successful semester!

faithful11 · Aug 23, 2007

This is not unique to second-degree students. It is a problem all students and employees face at one time or another. I understand your frustration, but you have learned a valuable lesson early-on that will make the rest of your education and professional life go much smoother: Schools and employers will not go out of their way to notify you of changes in policies, procedures, etc. It is your job to keep yourself updated. Admission requirements, graduation requirements, NCLEX standards, working conditions, etc. ALL change, and if you don't make it a point to be on top of these changes, you will suffer.
I'm glad that you have the opportunity to correct your deficiencies without losing any time. Good luck for a successful semester!

Very well said!

**new!! · Aug 23, 2007

Hey, I just wanted to say that I can totally related because, I am taking my pre-nursing courses, and it seems like every month they want more 2nd degree students to obtain more courses that I feel are not needed. I was just going to give up on the BSN degree thing and just get an Associates in Nursing. I went to Brooklyn College in New York and I just went to the SUNY Downstate Open House and the administration was so discouraging about how many 2nd degree students they wanted. (60 seats for 400 applicants) Its gotten to a point where I am in my last semester of my pre-courses and I don't want to apply anywhere, or I am even thinking of leaving New York altogether because I can't deal with the competition:uhoh3:. My partner says that I should just go ahead and apply to a private school like NYU, because the chances of me getting in are better...the problem with that is that NYU wants 30grand for their program!!! I can't afford that at all....

Sad hours seem long.

Asherah, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2007

Schools and employers will not go out of their way to notify you of changes in policies, procedures, etc. It is your job to keep yourself updated. Admission requirements, graduation requirements, NCLEX standards, working conditions, etc. ALL change, and if you don't make it a point to be on top of these changes, you will suffer.

I would like to second this point, as it seems that the requirements are changing moment by moment for some programs. It almost seems as if it is harder to navigate the specific requirements and fine details of all admissions instructions than it is to actually tackle the program once you are in. Consider all of the steps you have to take before actually starting the nursing courses as a pre-test of sorts.

For myself, as I'm starting to apply to more than a handful of schools, I'm trying to keep a unique checklist of everything required that is specific to each school, just so I don't get confused.

However, having said that, please don't give up on the fight. Everyone here in AN is here if you need to vent!

phoenixfire · Aug 23, 2007

Okay, here's an update:

I got a phone call today from the NS I wanted to get into, and was notified that the Patho class I registered and paid for two months ago has been canceled! The lady gave me a phone number for another school that has the Patho (and they accept it), but that class is full, and isn't taking any more students (and started three days ago). The Jr college has a Patho, but its lower level, so the NS won't take it. There is not a school anywhere that I can get into that class, so now I have to take that NS off my list of applications. I was totally bummed for almost the whole day, and DH came in and talked to me. I think that for right now, I'll just go with the ADN since I already have all of those prereqs done, and maybe try and do the RN-BSN program afterwards. I'm so tired of trying to fulfill all of these crazy prereqs, I just want to be a nurse.

On the brighter side, everything happens for a reason, so perhaps this is what I was meant to do. Either way, I will become a nurse, if I have to jump over a hundred hurdles!

Thanks for listening (reading) to me vent, I've totally fallen in love with this website!

justme1972 · Aug 23, 2007

I had a situation were bad advice from the Director from the Nursing Department almost cost me my entrance for this Fall. The story is long, and I won't put the details here, but it basically boiled down to I needed to take a couple of classes to finish my Associates degree in general studies and my college GPA instead of my high school GPA would have been used for admission purposes...there was a HUGE difference between the two.

I had to actually appeal this to the Dean and ended up getting in, but I had a discussion with him (which he kept private, and actually agreed with me...VERY laid-back guy), I was just like, "These people are getting paid a salary to advise correctly, the college requires us to go through the process, and when they make an error, they just chalk it up to a bad day at work?"

This policy was not in the nursing handbook and they had it set-up to where only the Director advised pre-nursing students. So it wasn't something I could have researched myself prior-to or double check.

I FEEL FOR YOU!

**new!! · Aug 25, 2007

FIRE!!!

I feel sooooooooooo bad for you because, I really think that you should go ahead and get your BSN. I am even thinking of leaving New York City because a BSN is so worth it. Damn...I am sorry that you are going through this, I don't pray, but I will keep you in my thoughts...take it easy

phoenixfire · Sep 9, 2007

Just another update:

I got my petitions back in the mail from the school that I had on my list (the one that canceled my Patho class and wanted all the extra classes). The four classes that the advisor told me would not transfer in (Pharm, 2 Stats & Nut) were all accepted! :madface: However, without the Patho class, I still can't apply. I went back and found a Patho class from the University of Iowa that I could take, only to discover that this particular NS now wants me to finish 6 cr of Sociology AND an AP test in addition to the NET. :uhoh3: So, I've resigned myself to just apply to one BSN program, and the two local ADN's. One of the ADN's has a 96.6% NCLEX pass rate, and the BSN program has an 85%. So at this point, I''ll take any advice as to whether or not to take the BSN with the lower pass rate, or the ADN with the higher one.

As a side note, I'm pretty sure I will be accepted to both, but out of the three schools, I should get into at least one. I have a 3.6 GPA and did very well on the NET. Also, this will be my third degree (1 BS & 1 AAGS), and I will have plenty of Hazelwood left over to go RN-BSN after the fact. With this in mind, is it better to go to an ADN program with a better reputation? :idea:

Any advice for me?