Do I stand any chance of getting in?

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Sorry if this should be posted under the 'student' forum instead, but all I could really find there was about American schools.

I'm greatly interested in pursuing a career in nursing (wish I'd just gone straight in from highschool!) but I'm desperately scared I won't get in anywhere!

I'm graduating from a BA in psychology at the University of Waterloo in 4 months. I'll have about a 73% average cumulatively, ~80% in my final year if all goes as planned. My marks haven't been spectacular, but there's been a lot of health and family difficulties I've overcome, and I'm proud I've finally finished!

My highschool average was 85.2%, my pre-req average was ~83, depending on how they calculate it.

I'm planning on applying to St. Lawrence, Seneca/York, Centennial/Ryerson, Loyalist and George Brown/Ryerson. I'm not sure if I should even bother applying to universities, as they and even some of the colleges will base my admission on my university marks rather than highschool.

Long story short, should I even bother applying to a BScN program at all? Are colleges such as these really as insanely competitive as people make them seem? Would it make more sense to apply to an RPN program and bridge later, or are they just as competitive as well?

Thanks!

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It wont hurt applying. I would also apply to RPN programs, and health sci programs.

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I will be attending - granted my marks do not drop - St Clair College for their Collaborative Nursing program September 2012. What they and many other colleges require for admittance into the BScN program is a Pre Nursing Program. Once a person has been out of highschool for x number of years, has gone to university for another program, or just simply did not have good marks in school previously, the one year program is reccommended. It was just over 3,000 dollars this year with a very small amount of textbooks and if you get the A's in the 4 required classes, you can bet you'll get into a related BScN program no problem.

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What do you mean 'required' though? I've only chosen to apply to BScN and the RPN diploma because according to the school's sites I meet all the requirements. I only graduated highschool 3 1/2 years ago, so all the prereq courses I took then are exactly what they're requiring now. I haven't read anything that even recommends I take a pre-health/nursing course.

GAH, it's nerve-wracking. I don't want to waste my application money if there's no chance I'll get in, but I meet all the requirements, have volunteer experience and have another degree that's not horrific. I thought the pre-health programs were basically for either a)when your highschool science marks suck, or b)if you didn't take them/took them too long ago...

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

Apply you never if you will get a spot or not...I did a one year General Arts & Science/ Pre health science course as my highschool marks were not going to get me in because I didnt take all the necessary courses.

It was very beneficial, if worst case you dont get in with your marks then do a one year upgrading course.

I believe that with your previous highschool marks and your degree you should be able to get a spot.. unless competition has increased more since 2009 when I applied.

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Thanks so much, heart! I've definitely got the marks and prereqs to get in for practical nursing, but the BScN threads that I've read for Ontario make it seem like it's ridiculously difficult if you're a 'mature student'... like out of a class of 180, 29 will apply and 9 will get in! I don't think that competition has increased much in the last few years, so I've got my fingers crossed!

I guess my next problem is that I only get to apply to 5 programs, which I've used up between BScN's and PN options. Do they typically offer a 'downgrade' program admission if you don't get into the one of your choice? (I know when I applied to university if you didn't get into say, coop biochemistry they would offer you biology or general science instead.)

Sorry if all my questions are annoying anyone!

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I'm confused about the 5 porgrams, is that because you are planning to apply to collaborative and PN programs?

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Yes, sorry. I figured it might be better to hedge my bets and apply to both at the schools myself and my SO are applying to.

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Have you looked at Nippissings scholar practitioner program? You stay in Toronto for this program, it is very intensive, it might be worth applying to.

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I'm actually not living in Toronto right now and none of my family is there, so it's not my first choice because it's very expensive to live there compared to other cities. I'm planning on applying to Seneca and St. Lawrence for both PN and RN programs, and then Centennial/Ryerson just to see if I get in.

My SO is applying to med. lab science programs at York, St. Lawrence and Centennial and it would be our preference to be in Kingston.

I'm just so full of self-doubts, which is really atypical for me. I wasn't anywhere near this nervous about getting into university. I'm wondering if I shouldn't bother applying to BSc. programs at all, if they're just going to reject my app. and not offer me a secondary option.

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Take a chance apply for BScN programs, the most you will lose is $125.00 in application fees and you will gain the peace of mind. If you do not at least apply to the 2nd entry BScN programs, you will always wonder if it was necessary to to take the longer way of PN bridge to BScN.

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I agree. Besides, I'm only 21 (22 in 12 days :crying2:), so I've got the time to work and take a pre-nursing if I need to. It's just that I've already burned through enough debt with one degree, so taking more loan for even an extra year makes me grit my teeth a little bit.

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