Do you think I have a chance?

JALEXSHOE · Jul 19, 2007

The thing about hope is that one must try in order to fulfill its requirements.

If I had not done things in my life that so many before me had said to not do ( I am not talking about the bad things I shouldn't of done) due to poor chances or not having a precedent, I would still be in a rut I am sure. My very best advice is that if this is your dream, then you got to try, or you will never know...

One bit of sensible advice is to contact the schools admission or guidance officer. They will review your materials and give you guidance. They will tell you if there is no hope yet. But can give you good advice on how to make the app stronger.

If you think you can overcome this, then research what makes you a strong applicant for the position, and be sure to address this in your admission statement. Stress your positives, state your strengths in relation to the field you are applying to. Persistence can pay off sometimes.

And know that is not the only school... Sometimes we are led to a different path.

Think of a map. Think of the points on that map. All of the have different ways to get to the point, either by land, air, or sea, there is more than one way to get there. The important thing is that you get to that destination. Would you say that if a detour would occur, and you wanted to get that place badly, that you would not take it? Of course, not. Life is like that, sometimes we get the highway and sometimes we get detours. It more important to know that is why there are maps. There are others out there that want you to get where you are going too. You may not know them, but to each of there is a destiny. We just don't always know what it is or how we get there. But how will you know, if you don't leave, you don't take that first step, and try?

Good luck!

Beggar♂ · Jul 19, 2007

Regarding your grades:

Are your undergrad grades spread with A's and C's or pretty much solid B's? Or, C's in your first years and A's in your latter years? What kinds of classes did you not do so well in? And the big question: why?

I think you should be OK but how many units made up your MS? Some schools will give weight to your last 60 or 90 units.

I was just admitted to a DEMSN program and my undergrad grades were 3.0 but I went back for a second degree in chemistry (minor in biology) and held a 4.0 which carried through the nursing pre-reqs.

My take on it is that your grades are competitive. The teaching experience is valuable, too.

Joe NightingMale, MSN, RN · Jul 19, 2007

You sound like me: MS molecular biology, 10 years in research, former teaching assistant, 3.0 undergrad GPA.

I applied to two direct-entry MSN programs, and got into the less competitive one right away, no waiting list. So I would think your chances are pretty good.

squirt28 · Jul 19, 2007

Wow! Thank you all for your advice and encouragement. I did get five C's in my first two years of undergrad and they were in core science courses. One that I got a C in, I went back and got my MS in that subject so I should be fine. The others were like Stats and Organic Chemistry... I did really great in my last 2 years and in grad school. I am only applying to Marquette since it is the only program that I currently meet the prereqs. If I don't get in I guess I will evaluate other routes and it will take some more time and planning. All worth while! Thank you all again!

Beggar♂ · Jul 19, 2007

I think you're probably OK. Lots of people stumble out of the gate.

One concern, though, is with chemistry. I think my program required B's in the prerequisites. If you took the chemistry series in pursuit of a science degree then you probably did one year of general chem and one year of O' chem so your C in organic might be a bit of an issue. On the other hand, though, the depth of chem study in a BA/BS program in science is much deeper than the chem required for nursing programs.

I'd talk to somebody at Marquette and make sure that you don't need to retake chemistry. The good news is that if you do, it'll probably be the nursing chemistry which should be easier for you.

BerkeleyMom · Jul 27, 2007

DE programs get such a wide range of applicants. At my group interview, which only was a small group, there were 22-yr-olds and people in their late 30s/early 40s. There were also all different levels of education--BAs only, Masters, and even PhDs. Everyone had completely different work & volunteer experiences, some in the medical field, and some had no medical experiences.

My point being, there is no one way to know what the recipe is for being competitive because there is none. Each individual must tell their own story in that application packet.

If someone were 22, fresh out of undergrad with under a 3.0, no work/volunteer history, he/she may not be that competitve relative to that applicant pool. However, if that same applicant aged a few more years, did some additional work (or academic work), and gained experience and maturity, he/she may become one of the most competitive applicants in that same pool. ... Maybe that 3.0 in undergrad demonstrates growth and character when compared to the recent work ...

I am a firm believer in the personal statement. Spend as much time on it as possible. A beautifully written statement can speak for itself.

You sound like a great candidate. Good luck!