Devastated

morte, LPN, LVN · Feb 28, 2007

hadnt thought of it till now, i think this experience behooves all students to make records of all interactions with adv. or instructors.....at least time and date and signed by said person......I HATE LIARS, could you tell? lol

CilliansMommy06 · Feb 28, 2007

I am sorry to hear this. I almost came into the same problem. I needed one credit for HS which was a basic English because I didn't do so well in my 10th grade english class. So my recruiter told me to take an online course and have it completed by feb 1 in order for them to try to accept me. Well I did it (paid 1600 for it too!) then when I was done I emailed her my grade which was a 94 and told her I was waiting for the transcript but if she wanted to get started on the next step (TEAS test) that we could do it. Well she emailed me back and said the deadline was feb 1 (but yet she told me I would be okay as long as I took the english course online and past it even though I wouldn't have my grade or TEAS done in time) so I cried for awhile and got upset then I emailed her back telling her I was confused she told me it would be okay and now after paying 1600; which I could have done cheaper this summer but then wouldn't get in until next year, that I wasn't able to attend this year! So she said she talked to the dean (or whoever the upstairs man is) and worked it through for me. Who knows see what you can do!

Amy

GottaGetIn · Feb 28, 2007

Have you heard anything yet? I keep checking back in on ya!

HikingNinja, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, APRN, NP · Feb 28, 2007

Just wanted to say hang in there and I hope it works out for you. I have a similar problems with the advising at my school. First, when I originally met with the DON a couple of years ago she granted me all sorts of exceptions (didn't have to take alot of the general ed stuff because I already had a bachelors degree and would be applying for their accelerated program). She says they will look at that GPA and the sciences I have to take to determine entrance (I had a 3.9). Well, I take my time, do fairly well on the sciences and contact her again to review everything before I apply. Now I'm told there is an actual Nursing advisor I must meet with. I go see the Advisor and suddenly all the exceptions are null and void. I had to take all these extra idiotic classes (sociology, anthropology, history...yada yada yadda). I already have a Bachelor's Degree for crying out loud. I had to put up quite a fuss and finally they found ways around some of the classes but I still have to take a couple. Well, I'm now wrapping those up and met with the advisor again. She looked at all my courses and said I was fine with GPA and that the one course I have left to take I can take this summer (its a Gen Ed elective)just to put that notation on my application. Now I talk to her again (this is just a few weeks later) and my GPA is now too low! It's the same one she saw a few weeks ago. So now I am scrambling to get into a distance learning class for that last Gen ed class because I can take something easy and get a good grade to boost my GPA. Oh, and did I mention my advisor also lost my file at least once, never reponds to email (because then she actually has to put down what she says in writing). Sorry for ranting, I'm just really stressed and needed to vent a little bit.

Dee

justme1972 · Mar 1, 2007

Well, very small update. I finally heard back from the Director of the Nursing program yesterday, she apologized for not getting back with me (from LAST Friday).

There are 3 colleges involved in this Nursing program and they call it a "Tri-College Nursing Program". Each of the 3 colleges have an "Assistant Director" (that would be the "Jane Doe" at my school), and then there is a Director over all 3 Asst. Directors.

The Director's e-mail said that she would contact my school today to see what was calculated for my score, etc. I didn't want her to think I went behind anyone's back, and just politely explained that I just wasn't sure who had the "final say", and I told her about the other 2 folks I spoke with and how I ended up speaking with them.

They are closing off the score calculations on March 5 and making them final, so I am sure the acceptance letters will be sent out right after that.

MORTE had an Excellent Suggestion! These schools should have a formal advisement form, that they give the students in writing, signed by the advisor, maybe even a school stamp to make sure students don't forge them. That way, there is no question on what was discussed.

I'm still crossing my fingers!

:sofahider

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Mar 1, 2007

So sorry you are having this trouble. The one thing I learned (the hard way) was to never listen to my advisor or at the very least triple check what they said with multiple other sources. Why these people get paid for a job they don't do very well, I don't know. Too many times I've been told inacurate information, or none at all. Information that would have been helpful. Hope you are able to iron out the problem, and lesson learned. Don't rely on what they have to say. Good Luck.

Unfortunately advisers can be like recruiters...misinformed, misguided, and often just plain mistaken. Sorry to hear about the OP's problem; I have no advice, just prayers and sympathy....

justme1972 · Mar 1, 2007

THE UPDATE.....

I heard back from the DON for the Tri-College program....I would like to see if I have just wishful thinking or if I am "reading" this right...

The DON said that she talked to the Asst. Director of my school and that an exception could not be made. She sent that in one e-mail.

However, she sent another e-mail right behind it that said, "Jane Doe said that you are a very capable student and she believes that you will be an asset to our program and do well. She looks forward to seeing you in the Fall."

I'm wondering if that was a "round about" way of telling me I was in without actually SAYING that they were making an exception, b/c of the can of worms it might open?

What do you folks think?

HikingNinja, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, APRN, NP · Mar 1, 2007

I'm really not sure how to read that comment. I hate it when people seem to indicate two different things like that. It's so unfair and it really messes with your head. On the one hand she could have said "Jane Doe looks forward to sbeing your advisor as a prenursing student in Fall" which would have clarified things. When do the acceptance letters go out for your program? If its too long a wait maybe you could call Jane Doe and say that you need to know for sure because you need to be able to set your schedule? I really really hate it when people are vague when they are trying to be politically correct.

Dee

justme1972 · Mar 1, 2007

I agree completely.

There is another Nursing program that is out-of-state, but 1 1/2 hours from where I am. It would require a move and the loss of a free babysitter for my twins.

When I met with our Assistant Director and the Dean at our School (not the DON) I said, "I know that I can get into the University in January, but I would just assume to get in here for the Fall b/c it would be more convenient for me than having to move, but if I didn't get in this Fall, at least I won't have to wait another year."

They have a large drop-out rate, not from failure, but for people just changing their minds and not realizing how hard it is and just quitting. That really hurts their graduation rates, so I know they are very committed to looking to people who are committed to the program.

They get a ton of students that got their LPN's in high school from a local 2-year Vocational Program, and most of them don't make it.

OH GOSH..I'm rattling, but like you said, vague comments like that mess with your head.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Mar 1, 2007

I'm wondering if that was a "round about" way of telling me I was in without actually SAYING that they were making an exception, b/c of the can of worms it might open?
What do you folks think?

I think I'd do a "Reply" (with this e-mail in the body section) and ask her if this means you should start planning your life to start NS in the fall?

If her reply is vague to you, you are entitled to completely clarify for her and your sake what she means in this note.

GottaGetIn · Mar 1, 2007

Maybe she doesn't want to put it in writing. Can you call?

I would be on that phone calling tomorrow to clarify. My heart couldn't take it.

bollweevil · Mar 6, 2008

I've been crying all night.
I just started this Spring, after many years of being out of school, at a local CC to apply for their nursing program for this Fall. I had attended several years before and had over 50 hours completed, but did not get my Associate degree in General Studies. I was planning on transferring to a 4-year at the time, but life got in the way.
When I met with the nursing advisor last August about attending this school, she pulled my college transcript, said, "This looks great, your grades are very good," and encouraged me to apply for Fall of 2007. She didn't say anything about high school, at all. I have a 3.4 GPA, I did extremely well on my TEAS.
Well, today I got a letter in the mail regarding my score that they use with my GPA, pre-reqs, etc for admission to the nursing program.
I about collapsed when I saw what they were using for my GPA. They used my HIGH SCHOOL GPA, which was extremely low because I had a horrible home life when I was in school and had an undiagnosed learning disability.
When I called the nursing program, they said that if I had finished my AA degree in General Studies this past Fall, they would have used my overall college GPA instead of my high school GPA. WHY DIDN'T THEY TELL ME THAT?
Guess how far I was away from finishing my AA degree? One history class, that was it! I could have taken that this past Fall if she had told me to!
I have this on appeal right now. On the flip side, a close friend of mine had a 3.75 in high school and has a 2.3 college GPA, after three years of coursework, and didn't do well on the TEAS, but she has a higher score for entrance than I do because they used her high school GPA.
I could fully accept if I didn't get in with the way my grades are now, but this faculty members is getting paid a salary to advise and she told me wrong! It was totally fixable!

You sound like good nurse material to me. You've got a good ability to analyze a situation and the ability to speak your mind. Go after them, Lioness, and hold their durned feet to the fire. Consider legal action for that inept, incompetent advising. You'll be a nurse and you'll be a darned good one. :yeah: