Depression. I have lost faith, please help.

NICUmiiki, DNP, NP · May 1, 2012

I've heard that Cali schools are pretty tough to get in to. If i were you, I wouldn't give up. Maybe you should be willing to apply out of state too. The more schools the better.

sj20fame · May 1, 2012

You have a chance, I'm sure its difficult, but first give it a try and if things don't work out as expected than like you said, apply out of state:) sounds like your on the right path, and i think we all have bumpy roads on the way, so no worrys just keep going forward and dont look behind have a fabulous day!

mssjez · May 1, 2012

You can do anything if you put your mind to it. Look into the programs.. do they have minimum grade requirements for any classes? My ADN program requires a C+ minimum in all science classes. The volunteer hours are great! Apply to many schools! Don't put all your eggs in one basket. If you don't get in, it isn't because you aren't smart, or going to be a great nurse, it's because EVERYONE is going into nursing right now. It's the only stable job around right now. Don't let things that are out of your control depict your future. That is yours to determine and no one else'. Look into the student services at the school you're getting pre-reqs done. I'm sure they have a counselor that can help reassure you and give you advice. Good luck!

a_joy · May 1, 2012

This will be a challenging phase of your life, without question. I also struggled when I first started cc. In fact, I had such a hard time I had to give up for a while(not suggesting that of course). However you seem to be realistic about your chances and it seems that you know what your next step should be. Because of impaction at most ca schools you will have to have amazing teas scores ( no pressure) and fantastic amounts of volunteer hours, not to mention some sort of licensure/certification in a medically related field WITH a certain amount of hours worked in said field. I would also write a statement to include with your application about the mishaps on your transcript ( I'm pretty sure they don't ask for this but it might help you land the interview) and if you can travel somewhere to do volunteer work (ie Mexico) that would also give you a more of a fighting chance. About relocation; you should be very careful if you choose this route. I moved to Detroit with my fiancée when he started medical school thinking it would be easier to get into a BSN program in MI.. However alot of schools here favor their own students (people who

Have taken their prerequisites at their university) first, gpa requirements are the same, but because of the large size of application pools, the cutoff is extremely high (4.0 in some schools like UofM). Plus, you have to work diligently to transfer your units and even then, some may not transfer the way you intend. Also, out of state tuition is ridiculous, so you really have to be committed because once your graduate, the debt you incur will be in is frightening. Another thing to consider is actually moving away from your support system. Just going off what you said about being depressed for a while, the act of moving that far away from people you know may be a challenge in itself. All in all, the path to nursing school is a long arduous one and for many it can become discouraging if you're not perfect along the way. My only advice is to try to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Also try to find a mentor, whether it be a current nursing student at you're desired school, or someone on this site, to help you along the way. I hope all goes well for you and good luck

knittygrittyRN, MSN, RN · May 1, 2012

Honestly I would retake Anatomy and get a higher grade if you can. In my school (I'm on the East Coast) a C- isn't acceptable and is considered failing.

Since the withdrawals aren't in core science classes related to nursing I doubt that would be an issue but ask the schools themselves.

Don't give up hope but everything in life is a challenge, once you start nursing there's going to be plenty of times when you wonder whether you're cut out for it and if all the stress is worth it. If this is something you want do whatever it takes and apply everywhere. If you feel you'll get a better chance being a PCA go for it, it'll enlighten you to how a hospital runs and job duties associated with nursing.

Bobmo88 · May 3, 2012

Here comes my life story:

Mid-way during the fall 2007 semester, I decided that I wanted to pursue nursing as a career. I was already a certified EMT and had been volunteering at a local hospital. I had initially wanted to be pre-med, then I entertained the idea of being a paramedic and getting a degree in health care administration. I took Anatomy and Physiology at the same time in the spring of 2008 and got Bs (even though I should have tried harder and gotten As) and then got a C in Micro the following semester. I had also taken all of the other pre-reqs such as english etc and gotten all Bs (something that affected my later) I applied to the ADN program at my local community college in the Spring of 2009 and was wait listed. While waiting, I then proceeded to take classes like cardiac dysrhythmia, pharmacology etc. to increase my knowledge. I did really well on the TEAS 4.0 test and applied to a private BSN program but was denied. I became a certified phlebotomist and a soon after receiving my certificate I was blessed to land a per diem job as an ER Tech at the hospital I volunteered at. I applied to another BSN program at a state school around the same time I started my job and was denied by that one too. Realizing that I should pursue a Bachelor's in another field while waiting instead of taking random classes at the community college, I transferred to a university where I planned to study Spanish while I waited for nursing school. I still hadn't heard anything by the Fall of 2011 so I inquired about my application status and I discovered that my application had been withdrawn because I had failed to take the TEAS V test before September 2011 (they had sent a form in April which I signed promising to take the test but I foolishly neglected to keep track of the deadline) I could have started the following semester but I had to reapply. So I took the TEAS V (and did fairly well, I only took two practice tests because I ordered my study guide late and hit ground instead of rush shipping) and applied to the ADN program again and also applied again to the BSN program at the state school so I could say that I pursued all of my options. I received a letter from the state school saying that I was denied but then a few weeks later, I received an email asking to call the nursing coordinator ASAP. Someone (who I believe is a member of this board) didn’t accept the program (I believe they chose another program instead) and I was selected. I am about to graduate with my BA in less than three weeks and will start nursing school in the Fall of this year. I never imagined it would take this long (I still have 3 more years to go before I'm a nurse) but in the end it doesn't matter too much, many people start nursing school much later.

Moral of the story: Don’t give up, stay on top of not only your grades but also important deadlines like application due dates, test dates etc. Explore all of your options (ADN,BSN,ELMP etc.) and keep following your dream. Russodem has a valid point about the anatomy grade, I would look into programs to see if they would accept a C- (are you sure it's going to be a C- and not a C?, that makes all the difference) if not you might have to retake it. Keep your head up!

allnurses Guide · May 3, 2012

I know it sounds trite, but STAY STONG.

I've been there.

I no sooner got my nursing school acceptance letter when my ex-husband, who I positively adored, wanted a divorce.

The story behind it is gruesome.

So I had to get my butt through nursing school while going through a nasty divorce, moving and moving again, not seeing my children and damn near getting fired from work and losing my health insurance.

I failed twice.

It was excruciating but I dug in and held on and did not quit.

In my darkest moments, I just wanted to die.

Keeping my eye on the prize got me through.

I do know that many others overcame so much more than I did, so that helped put it into perspective for me.

Not only that, but the intense studying and go-go-go kept my mind busy enough not to dwell, but in my quiet hours, I knew I wasn't processing.

Please seek out a counselor, if you haven't already.

Friends and family are great supports, but they can only handle so much.

I wish you the best.

rn/writer, RN · May 3, 2012

I would strongly encourage you to get some counseling to help you deal with the hurts and the challenges that life has presented to you. It would be good to find someone you can trust to help you sort out damage, needs, assets, strengths, and all the rest, so that you have a clearer picture of, not only the road ahead, but also what it will take for you to navigate the way to your destination.

You are only twenty, but you had the same boyfriend for seven years. That means that all of your knowledge about relationships and trust is bound up in a single person--someone who showed himself to be unworthy of you. You need some fresh air and a better perspective on yourself and your goals before even beginning to consider someone new. Depressed people often settle for someone to help them boost their fragile self-esteem. That's the last thing you need.

It's best to be strong before looking for a partner.

Being only twenty works in your favor if you are taking full-time classes and your parents have insurance benefits that cover counseling. You might be able to get a number of visits with only a co-pay to cover.

It's really easy to put personal well-being on a back burner, especially when you're involved in something as intense as nursing school. But it's also really important to pay attention to those deep needs that can slowly work to undermine you if they're not taken seriously.

One of the functions of counseling is to borrow someone else's perspective when your own is overwhelmed or simply out of whack. You might be pleasantly surprised to look at yourself and your life through another person's eyes and see the good things that we tend to downplay about ourselves. You could also realize that what feels enormous and monumental to you in the way of obstacles is not quite as frightening when you, with the help of someone whose emotions are not running wild, break it down into smaller pieces.

I hope you will take good care of yourself. It's hard to take good care of others when we ourselves are hurting.

Shorty11, BSN, RN · May 4, 2012

I would try and apply to out of state schools. I got accepted to the BSN program at my university in Texas with not such a great resume. Our school has a min 3.0 GPA/ min 3.0 science GPA. I had a 3.25 GPA, no experience, and 5 W's and I still got accepted. From what I understand Cali is a tough place to get into nursing school! I would try your luck in other states if you are willing to move to fulfill your dream!

squeakercarp · May 4, 2012

Hello everyone,
I created this thread because I do not have the courage to speak to any of my loved ones or counselors at my community college about my situation. I thank you in advance for those who take the time to read this.
I am a 20 year old student currently taking my prerequisites at a community college in Southern California, living at home, and working part time. I am seeking help, here's my story: I graduated high-school in 2010 with aspiring dreams to obtain an Associates Degree in Registered Nursing at my local community college, transfer to a SDSU or UCI for my BSN, and further my education to achieve my ultimate goal as an FNP. The day after I graduated high-school, everything started going downhill unfortunately. My disgusting cheating ex-boyfriend of 7 years decided to end our relationship that summer. To top it off, problems at home with my parents started occurring. These two events took a deep toll on my self-esteem and urge of feeling "good enough" to succeed in anything. Depression would probably be the correct term to describe what I was going through. I did fairly well in high-school, took AP courses all throughout my 4 years there. Graduated with a decent 3.5, not too shabby. My college transcript on the other hand is mediocre though. I am completely embarrassed. My GPA is a 3.037. I currently have 5 W's (withdrawals) on my transcript, all spread out throughout 4 semesters.
-Cultural Anthropology
-Communications
-General Biology Lecture
-General Biology Lab
-and finally Anatomy
I am currently taking Anatomy for the 2nd time and will be receiving a "C-". I am also taking General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry and will be receiving an "A-", and I am also taking Spanish 202 and will be receiving an "A."
I AM SICK OF LETTING DEPRESSION RUIN MY FUTURE. From now on I will be, excuse my language, BUSTING MY ASS OFF! My heart and soul is in nursing, I want to help those in need. Especially since my sister and I grew up as patients at Rady's Children Hospital. I've known since then that my heart belonged to nursing. But is it too late?
This summer, I will be taking Cultural Anthropology, again, and Political Science. During Fall 2012 I'll be taking Physiology (Bio 220) and Sociology. Then Spring 2013 I will be taking Microbiology (Bio 230) and Communications, again. I am DETERMINED to receive nothing less than an A in my remaining courses. I am more than capable of doing so. With that being said, (if I've done the calculations correctly) will have an overall GPA of 3.4736 and a GPA of 3.3333 in my Science Prerequisites. *Keep in my mind I have no D's or F's on my transcript.
After my last semester in Spring 2013, I will have completed my 60 transferrable units. I plan on taking the TEAS around late 2012-early 2013. I currently have an interview this month for an internship at a local hospital and will be doing as many clinical hours as possible to obtain experience and volunteer hours.
What I need from you? THE BLUNT TRUTH! Do I honestly have a chance? I am willing to relocate wherever I can to be accepted to any RN/BSN program in the United States. I will even apply to LVN/LPN programs. In my opinion here in Southern California, if you do not currently hold a CNA license, have a stellar overall GPA, have a stellar science prerequisite GPA, a high score on the TEAS, have volunteer hours, and at the most 1-2 W's (withdrawals) or repetitions on your transcript then you have absolutely no chance.
PLEASE HELP I NEED HOPE. None of my family members nor close friends know about this. I have been keeping my depression, let alone my failure in school, a secret for 2 years now. But I WANT AND NEED to progress with life in a positive manner. Your input would be greatly appreciated. And thank you again for taking the time to read this. :redbeathe

I am commenting on this because I can almost exactly relate to your situation. Throughout high school I could pull pretty good grades by just paying attention, so I went into college with absolutely zero study habits. I originally wanted to become a doctor until I volunteered at my local hospital. I found that the doctors only spent about 15-30 seconds with each patient while nurses had a direct impact. Ever since I have had a passion for nursing. My depression started after the Nursing orientation at NAU my freshman year. It was led by the advisors and they told everyone in the room that you needed a 4.0 GPA and a high entrance exam score in order for them to just look at you. I now know that they were just trying to scare people away. This created not only depression but extreme perfectionism to get the grades I needed for nursing school. This also created test anxiety as every exam meant my grade and I needed to ace every exam. My school is highly competitive, mostly because they are one of the best in Arizona. NAU also likes to create "weed out" classes and have professors test us on graduate level concepts so that they challenge us and really question why we are doing this.

A couple weeks ago I just received my rejection letter from my second time applying. I had an exceeding KAPLAN entrance exam score and a 3.52 GPA. The first time I got rejected, it broke my heart and I sacrificed way too much of myself to try to apply again. But this next time will be different. I am seeing a counselor about my extreme perfectionism and test anxiety. This summer I am replacing some of my B's with A's online and will hopefully raise my GPA to a 3.8. I am also hiring a tutor to help me with the writing and science portions of my Kaplan, as those were the ones I had the lower scores on. I am not letting it ruin me because my mom told me that "you are meant for nursing. kick it's ass this next time". It's not much but it inspired me to make changes in my life to help me achieve my dream. As long as you are not a felon on the run, there is always a chance to achieve your dream. When you have a job as a nurse, nobody is going to care if it took you 5 years to get an ADN or 8 for a BSN. Find some inspiration, then make a plan, and then do whatever it takes.

I just wanted to tell you my story so you don't feel alone. Colleges expect a lot out of us because there are way too many nurses in the field right now that have a hard time drawing blood for God's sake. These high expectations are put on us for a reason, it forces us to challenge ourselves and become stronger nurses. Don't let anybody tell you you can't. I am taking my rejection as a sign that I wasn't ready yet and now I am going at it full throttle.