Did dropping out ever discourage you from a future education?

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I dropped out of a hospitality management program last year, because it was an awful fit for me. When I look back on it I feel rather ashamed about the whole experience. I resent the fact that that course will be on my college record, and afraid that it will affect my future plans for nursing. On top of that, it has also hit me pretty hard financially, and I am in debt because of it. I now feel like going to college is also a risk, and if I fail at nursing, it will hurt me again.

I have wanted to go into nursing before I ever signed up for hospitality management, but I didn't pursue it. To be honest, it is rather intimidating to sign up for it, even the pre-req.

Our college is rather large, and my experience left me feeling completely invisible in college.

I want to go back and start pre nursing, but I'm scared of a repeat experience. I'm up for an academic challenge, but I went to college to get an education. I feel like my school focuses too much on advertising and making money. They accept anyone into their school, even if you are not a right fit for the program. The staff is also terrible at answering student's questions. I feel like they stop caring about your education as soon as you pay them.

Despite that, I'm willing to go back, but I just want to be prepared.

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Have your thought about signing up for one or two classes at a local community college? I changed majors after 1 year at a large university. I felt out of my element and alone at the large university. Even though studying nursing had always intimidated me, after one year at that big school I knew I could never let myself get that unhappy again. I transferred into a local smaller community college and started taking pre reqs. It has been almost 2 years since that and I could not be happier (in my last semester of pre reqs). Do not let the fear of failure or a crappy school hold you back, especially since it sounds like nursing is what you want.

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Specializes in APRN, ACNP-BC, CNOR, RNFA.

I recommend applying to a LVN program. It's a very structured program, usually Mon-Fri, 8am-3, or something like that. I didn't become a LVN first, but I know a lot of people who did, and they were intimidated just like you. It was perfect for them, and after they graduated from the one year LVN program, they took classes to become a RN, while working as LVNs. Check out a program at a community college, and consider it. Good Luck!

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I'm in Canada, so our community college equivalent is the college I took the hospitality management program in. The thing that worries me about that school is the classes are so large. In the pre-nursing class there is around 300 students per teacher. I can't handle that. When I pay for my education, I expect to be able to rely on a teacher. I don't want to compete for their attention. Since I've already been in a large class environment before, I'm intimidated by them, because I know that their structure sets you up for failure.

I have tried researching other colleges in my area, and some offer classes that are similar to nursing, but it is not nursing. Many private, small, colleges offer Personal Support Worker, Massage therapy, and Pharmacy Assistant. However I have had no luck finding a nursing program other than the University in my city, and the "community college" (that I've already been to).

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I've never heard of a LVN program before. What does that stand for? Is that related to Licensed Nursing rather than Registered Nursing?

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In Texas & California, LPN's are called LVN's. It is the same thing. Same education. Same qualifications. Instead of being called Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), in Texas & California they are called Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN).

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Oh. Thanks for the explanation.

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I withdrew from another program about 2 months ago and have just started my new journey into nursing and I am beyond excited to get everything started. Leaving the other program was depressing but the program was an awful fit for me as well and I ended up realizing that it was not the profession for me. That's life though. Things change. You win some, you lose some. Take the good out of bad experiences and move forward. You can only make yourself a better, stronger person. Good luck! You will succeed in whatever you choose to do.

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Thanks, it helps to hear that someone has had a similar experience.

I also spoke with the university regarding whether total GPA is considered for nursing admission, or just pre-nursing GPA. They told me that that they look at pre-nursing grades. So all and all I feel very relieved by this.

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