I'm really trying to research every available option for my wife right now when it comes to nursing. But all of the threads that I see out there right now are super discouraging. My wife already possesses a Bachelor of Arts Degree but graduated with a 2.77 GPA. She has since taken other classes at a couple colleges to grab some pre-reqs for some of the programs in the state but I don't think she is gonna top a 3.0 when all said and done.
It seems like most of you are sweating with a 3.8 GPA. Is she doomed? Is there hope? What the hell does she have to do? No offense to anyone rocking some community college classes but she has 7 years of hands on experience with patients in healthcare (most of which were during school) and a 4 year degree already. Yet it doesn't count for crap because she made some mistakes her freshman/sophomore years.
Reading all the posts about Baker's lowest GPA was a 3.6...I mean she would have to retake a year of school to erase some of the lower stuff if not more before it went up to there.
Sorry if I was a little passionate...but I just really need some help here...we live west of Detroit but I know she'll drive 90 minutes or more to attend school...any suggestions? Any cold hard reality?
For associates she could check into KCC in Battle Creek. It is non-competitive, but the wait-list is 1-2 years after pre-reqs. Also Possibly UM-flint for second degree.
From my understanding of the way nursing programs work she definitely has a shot!! Tell her not to give up!!
First of all, bear in mind that a lot of nursing programs look at only specific prerequisite courses when determining their GPA. They may more may not care about all the other classes you have taken.
Examples of this? Most community colleges.
Honestly, if your wife's gpa is that low I would give up on the university idea. A few universities may look at only prerequisite grades (I know that Wayne does but they have a ton of prereqs and are super competive) and Oakland does (but they have a long waiting list I believe and your gpa has to be cumulative over a 2.5)
Examples of programs that look only at prerequisite courses in determining the GPA are for sure that I know of are LCC (lansing community college) and Oakland community college.
Your wife may have to repeat some of the prerequisite courses if she had taken them and not done so well in her previous degree. I don't know how repeats are looked at for LCC and OCC...I am in the process of finding out. Once I do I will let you know.
I am in a similar situation, only my gpa is even lower than your wife's, and my previous gpa was in biology, meaning that I screwed up on a lot of the prereqs and i'm having to take them over. I'm not giving up because I really want this very badly and have done well in the prereq's i've repeated so far.
You just have to look very closely at specific schools. I am banking on LCC and OCC as a lot of other community colleges even have specific requirements for the overall gpa. OBviousely, those schools aren't an option.
So look at Lansing Community college and oakland community college nursing programs. Their websites are detailed.
Don't look down on ADN programs. I know it seems like you are "going a step down" once you have a bachelors to do an ADN program but it's realy not. Most places pay exactly the same for RN's with ADN's and BSN's, whereas some places have fifty cents to a dollar differential an hour.
Plus, if your wife eventually wanted to be a nurse practioner or something that required a masters degree she could always do an RN-MSN bridge program that are designed to be done while working as an RN. This is my plan.
Good luck. Please don't give up. I'm not. If I have any more information I will let you know. If you find out about any other programs that your wife is interested, please come back and post it here or message me...I'd be interested to know as well.
jm123
31 Posts
For associates she could check into KCC in Battle Creek. It is non-competitive, but the wait-list is 1-2 years after pre-reqs. Also Possibly UM-flint for second degree.