Discouraged undergrad student about grades

Tumbler · Jul 20, 2015

Can I ask why you're finishing a bachelor's before enrolling in a nursing program? At my college, your 2.6 is too low to apply for the nursing major, but you could sit out a year, take classes that would bring up your GPA, and apply again. You certainly wouldn't have to drop out and finish a different degree befor you could apply again.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Jul 20, 2015

Why are you taking all of these classes? You just need to complete the prereqs needed for your program. There should be 2 years of prereqs (four semesters), then apply to the program which is another two years.

Schools don't look for certain classes unless it is specifically specified for the program. Is this for a biology degree? What about your A&P classes?

Each schoolis different for their prereqs, but basically you take A&P, micro, chem (maybe), a college level math (algebra or stats, 2 English comp classes, psych 101, and developmental psych, maybe a nutrition class, and a couple of other humanities.

You do not need molecular biology or genetics. Genetics is taught in micro. This almost sounds premed, with a biology degree.

I'm not sure how you will recover from this. If this is what your advisor told you, I would find one that knows exactly what you need to take.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Jul 20, 2015

Ok, sorry, somehow I skipped a paragraph when reading. I'm on my phone. Switch majors now, no need to take premed if you don't want to be a physician. You are wasting your money and spinning your wheels. Look up on your school website and see what you specifically need.

Nursing school is competitive and you will need usually a 3.4 or above to get into one.

molllyhenderson · Jul 21, 2015

Well most nurses I have talked to/shadowed have been saying that almost all hospitals would like to see nurses with their Bachelors. I am going to try to do as much as I can to bring my gpa back up, most likely along the lines of what you suggested! Thank you very much!

caliotter3 · Jul 21, 2015

You need to start with a different advisor, preferably one from the nursing department, and/or a good look at the nursing department links on the websites of various nursing schools. You are way overdoing it and suffering for the ill advice that urged you to take molecular biology and genetics instead of something more appropriately titled, "Intro to Allied Health Chemistry", "General Biology" (sometimes a prerequisite to anatomy/physiology), English 101, or Psychology 101, the typical nursing school prerequisites. You can get back on track with some better choices and should look into your school's policy on 'renewal' or look into starting over at a different school.

bayarea123 · Jul 21, 2015

By nurses recommending a bachelors degree to get into the field, they mean get a bachelors in nursing (BSN). Looks like you have a lot of enthusiasm for the field and subjects which is good. However, it doesn't seem like you are taking any of the prerequisites to get into the nursing major (usually chemistry, anatomy, physiology, psychology, nutrition, etc.) Nursing isn't like premed where you need a bachelors degree to get into a medical school. Your GPA has taken quite a tough hit. You should focus more on the prerequisites for a nursing program, or complete the bachelors degree in another field to boost your GPA, then apply to a second bachelors degree program in nursing, an accelerated BSN, or a masters entry level nurse program. Don't give up!

molllyhenderson · Jul 21, 2015

I am taking general biology right now online so I can take anatomy this coming semester. However I am strongly considering changing my major. I've had extremely poor advising so far at my University and I'm pretty disappointed in that, so I didn't even know that classes like that was what I needed. The major I am in right now (which I've been told is a good major to choose for nursing) wants me to take math classes all the way up to Stats and Calc and go through Chemistry 2. I will definitely be calling and meeting with nursing advisors until I get an accurate and clear answer. Your response helped a lot and cleared a lot of things up for me, thank you very much! Also one more thing, why are common majors pre nursing students choose? Since the one I have now I am just now finding out it is more fit for premed. Just thought I would ask. Thanks again!

By nurses recommending a bachelors degree to get into the field, they mean get a bachelors in nursing (BSN). Looks like you have a lot of enthusiasm for the field and subjects which is good. However, it doesn't seem like you are taking any of the prerequisites to get into the nursing major (usually chemistry, anatomy, physiology, psychology, nutrition, etc.) Nursing isn't like premed where you need a bachelors degree to get into a medical school. Your GPA has taken quite a tough hit. You should focus more on the prerequisites for a nursing program, or complete the bachelors degree in another field to boost your GPA, then apply to a second bachelors degree program in nursing, an accelerated BSN, or a masters entry level nurse program. Don't give up!

LJR89 · Jul 21, 2015

For most colleges, your major should be "pre-nursing" until you apply and are accepted to a program. Then "nursing" will be your major. You do not need a degree in a different major to start a nursing program, you just need to perform well in pre-requisite courses the program has chosen.

May I ask what college you are attending? It's a bummer you were led so far off the best path for nursing. I think you're right that speaking to a nursing advisor will be critical to getting you back on the right track.

bayarea123 · Jul 21, 2015

Molly,

No problem! It's a great idea going to a nursing advisor for more direction and advice. Don't use them as your only resource for nursing though. The Internet is your best friend if you want to stay current on program changes and etc.

If you don't mind me asking, what university are you attending? I may be able to help you out by guiding you to the right resources.

For your comment about Calculus and Chemistry, there are very few cases that would require to take up to Calculus and up to General Chemistry 2 for a nursing major. The only schools I know of that ask for those classes are UCLA and UC Irvine.

Around 85+% of undergrad nursing programs that I've come across would only require you to take up to college algebra or intermediate algebra for the statistics prerequisite.

For the most part, BSN programs consist of these major prerequisite classes to apply/declare for the major:

- Human Anatomy

- Physiology

(Some universities have these two classes combined into a series as well, such as Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2)

- Chemistry (many universities have a chemistry series for life sciences instead of the general chemistry series which is usually for physics, engineers or pre-med students)

- Microbiology

- Statistics

^^^^^these are pretty much asked for by all nursing programs^^^^

These courses below are also in the curriculum, but some schools either want them done before transfer or before you graduate the nursing program:

- Nutrition

- Psychology

- Life Span/Development Psychology

- Communications

- May be a few more or a few less depending on the school

"What are common majors pre-nursing students choose?"

A better way to phrase this is, "What majors do pre-nursing students fall back on if they are not accepted to the nursing program?"

That depends on the person really. I assume many would choose another science based major such as Biology, Chemistry, Kinesiology and etc. (these majors would probably require Calculus, more Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. Those majors also can prepare you for medical school, since they usually ask for higher level math and sciences), or reapply to nursing after you graduate.

Some may decide to choose a less intensive major to complete their bachelors to boost their GPA (while also completing the nursing pre-requisites). This can be good as you would have a higher GPA when you're reapplying to second Bachelors in Nursing programs, accelerated BSNs, or an entry level Masters in Nursing program to become a registered nurses.

Tumbler · Jul 21, 2015

I took calc and gen chem II. They certainly won't hurt you, but you don't need them for nursing.

Does your college even have a basic BSN degree? Not all do. If yours doesn't, this would explain why you've received such strange (I won't call it bad) advising.

Have you looked at the academic catalog? Requirements for every degree should be found there. In the end, it isn,t an advisor, but the student who is responsible for meeting program requirements. The catalog should tell you if you can even earn a BSN at your school.

Pre-nursing students don't have a major until they are accepted into the program, but it's very normal for colleges not to let freshmen declare a major. At my school, many who don't make it in nursing wind up in the BSW program or as psychology majors. If they opt out early enough, some got for education, but that's a big major that's tough to get through in 4 years.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Jul 21, 2015

I am taking general biology right now online so I can take anatomy this coming semester. However I am strongly considering changing my major. I've had extremely poor advising so far at my University and I'm pretty disappointed in that, so I didn't even know that classes like that was what I needed. The major I am in right now (which I've been told is a good major to choose for nursing) wants me to take math classes all the way up to Stats and Calc and go through Chemistry 2. I will definitely be calling and meeting with nursing advisors until I get an accurate and clear answer. Your response helped a lot and cleared a lot of things up for me, thank you very much! Also one more thing, why are common majors pre nursing students choose? Since the one I have now I am just now finding out it is more fit for premed. Just thought I would ask. Thanks again!

As a couple of PP said, the degree you would be getting from a 4 year college will be a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. You do not need a second degree in something else, then get a nursing degree. And each nursing program has their own requirements. They do not look at how difficult or the variety of classes you took in the past. You are given a list of classes that are required, complete them, then apply to the program. How well you do in the prereqs that nursing program has set forth for you will determine who gets accepted to the program. Some schools look at a cumulative GPA, some look at certain ones and go by a points system, some have interviews and personal statements. They don't though look at who took the more difficult classes and how well they did.

Quite frankly, I am shocked that an advisor at a 4 year college told you these things. I know it can get confusing because the nursing program is different, but they should know or at least ask if they don't know. But, as another PP mentioned, ultimately it is up to you to know the requirements of your program and get the classes scheduled. But I see where you are a freshman and would have no idea what to look at, and there job is to get you headed in the right direction. Get on your school's website and see what the requirements are, see if you can drop the ones you don't need and get the right ones scheduled. You could also call the nursing dept at your school and ask to see an advisor there. I was required to meet with a nursing advisor before applying to my program. My general advisor was trying to tell me at one point the wrong thing also and was going to make me take an entire year off before entering the program which I could not quite understand. Because I knew fairly well how the program worked, I argued that I was eligible to apply and start last fall. After calling in two other advisors it turned out I was correct. That was one of the things I brought up to my nursing advisor who is also the program chair at my school, somebody needed to go up there and teach these advisors the requirements and just make sure they understand the nursing program as a whole. It's frustrating when you think they are the expert and really are not.

Hopefully, since you were a freshman, you don't have too many credits in there at this point and can fairly easily bring that GPA up. If for some chance you can't get into your program, look at others in your area. I know in the larger cities the hospitals are wanting a BSN, but that honestly depends on where you live and what the job market looks like. I'm working on my ASN right now, will hopefully end up with a job next year around this time, then start to work on my BSN while I work. I have also heavily researched my job market and know what is desired around here. I look at job listings at the major hospitals about once a month. Good Luck to you!!