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Discussion

career change!

Hello everyone,

I am a recent grad with a degree in biological sciences. However I have to admit that I didn't graduate with the highest GPA and it wasn't just ONE semester of bad grades, but more like 2 years (but I am even more motivated right now to turn my life around). I know the most popular option for degree holding people looking to go into nursing are those accelerated second degree programs. Yet I understand that I am not competitive enough to get a spot in one of those programs.

The dilemma: Since I know I don't have the greatest grades, I'm planning to apply first to LVN/LPN programs and hopefully make my way up from there. I'm also planning to retake some of the science pre reqs to get higher grades. I just am worried about applying later after becoming an LVN to programs like a BSN. I am hoping to do well in LVN school, but I don't want my previous college work to be the only thing that schools look at. A lot of the BSN programs say that they look at ALL previous coursework, but my question is...will a strong performance in LVN school even matter if I did poorly in undergrad?

Anyone with experience with this sort of thing?? Help is greatly appreciated! all this worrying is making me kinda depressed :(

THANKS FOR READING!

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    Why not try for an ADN? They are only a little longer than LPN programs and then you could do an RN-BSN program. If you retook your sciences and did well you probably wouldn't have any issues getting into an RN program.

    And yes, strong performance in your classwork from here out will weigh more than classwork you did previously - a lot of us goofed up undergrad and then matured/grew/whatever and went back to school. Nursing welcomes a wide variety of people and this is just my opinion, but I think schools take into account more the person you are NOW than who you were way back when. So don't allow poor performance in the past to get you down - just set your sights on what you want and do what it takes to get there. Strive and move forward.

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    Hello,

    I was in a very similar situation!! How frustrating it is! I didn't do very well in my first undergraduate degree--and so I chose the ADN route, because I was able to still do all the pre-reqs and get very good grades in them! And most ADN programs only calculate the Pre-req GPA. I plan to do a bridge program ADN-BSN, when I finish with my Associates in Nursing. I know it is a longer route to a BSN, but that is the way I am going to achieve my goal of being a Nurse. But yes how frustrating it is --when you finally figure out what you want to do, and you can't get in--because of a previous degree that has nothing to do with nursing?! Anyways good luck to you!!

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    Are you sure you're not competitive enough for the ABSN programs in your area?

    When I decided to do a career change, I first looked into LPN. Well, the LPNs that I spoke to said if they could do it all over again, they would have gone the RN route. Now, they are married with children and finding it difficult having the time and energy to go back to school for their RN.

    I'm going the ABSN route, however, if I don't get in, there is an Accelerated RN program at my local CC I want to do. Then I'll bridge to an RN-MSN program later.

    If I were you, I'll first make sure I don't qualify for any ABSN programs, then if not, I'll would look into ADN programs.

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