Hello All - I am searching for an honest opinion!!
I am currently in the process of applying for a few nursing programs around the Kansas City area! I have a BA and an MBA (neither related to nursing).
Upon applying to these programs, I worry that my gpa for my BA (3.2) may hinder my ability to get in! My MBA gpa is 4.0. Anyway, im hoping to get an interview with the schools I apply for, just because I think I can explain my desire to become a nurse a lot easier in person than on paper! But I am a little worried about going in for an interview!
I am an African American female, and I'm really not sure if that could potentially be a disadvantage. Just want to hear opinions. I am asking because one school I looked up was the University of Kansas nursing program. I would love to attend this one as I have heard it was a great school, but even just looking at the photos online of their nursing program, I don't see much diversity at all. It can sometimes be a bit discouraging.
I really think finding a program that values diversity not only with race but gender, previous schooling background, work experience, etc. would be beneficial! Any ideas on this? Thoughts? Advice on schools?
Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed today.
No, Dogen. I'm just tired of race being injected all the time, and in this case, before the fact. The OP has a Bachelor's and a Master's. Obviously her race didn't hurt in those two endeavors. After looking at the school's pictures, she decides it's not really diverse enough for her. Is diversity really necessary for a good education, or is a good school necessary? What are the demographics of the school's local community? That could be why she sees a certain proportion of whites, blacks, etc. How many years worth of pictures did she look at, or was it just one? How about this one? Is the university one that is not often picked for nursing over other schools in the area? And here's the big question- has she looked in the hospitals and seen the diversity she is wanting? Go in any hospital and see the diversity of sex, race, sexual orientation, age, etc. I'm sure that the University of Kansas is plenty diverse as it is a state school and I haven't heard of any racial bias lawsuits launched against the school.
The atrocities that Jews have suffered because of who they are/were spans centuries and countries.
Germany and the Holocaust are only one of the more recent calmatites.
I could write some testimonial about being Jewish but that doesn't add to the conversation at this point.
Suffice it to say, that for most Jews, being Jewish is a core identity and experience as powerful and meaningful as any ethnicity.
I have to say, your post talks about how you say that non-blacks don't get the impact of slavery on black people. I would point out that you don't get the Jewish experience.
I will clearly admit I don't know the black experience personally because I haven't lived it. I have learned somethings that I didn't know about and have begun to see things in a different light. I have learning to do as does all of us as a society.
I am shocked that you throw out the nose job or name change comment as justification.
That is on par with telling someone to bleach their skin or straighten their hair.
It can be construed just as racist and bigoted as to what you are crying foul about.
We all are on a learning curve and no one is 100% right nor 100% wrong.
Not to mention that blacks today have no personal experience with slavery either. Just as I have no personal experience of the slavery and institutional discrimination that my Irish ancestors endured. And yes, the Irish were enslaved.
Specializes in Critical care,legal nurse Consulting.
Focus on getting into the program and applying yourself once you get accepted. Don't create roadblocks for yourself where non exist. You will see and hear many things that will distract you. Just look forward, not to the left or right. Too many potential distractions.
I find it funny that Arizona has this terrible reputation nationally, yet Phoenix Metro is literally the most diverse place I've ever lived. And I was raised in Southern California and went to college in Chicago. We all rub along pretty peaceably 99% of the time. I've worked with everyone from Mexican and south American immigrants (both legal and otherwise) to Southeast Asian immigrants and their American-born offspring, native born black Americans from all over the country and African immigrants to a Bosnian refugee nurse, from the most flamboyant gay male to the most right wing Christian, from a Hindu bindi-wearing Indian nurse to the most atheist possible.
In reading some of the descriptions here of the diversity status (or lack thereof) of many places, I feel pretty proud of where I live.
As some have stated before with your good grades and credentials you should have no problem with getting into a program.
The census states individuals classified as Black make up roughly 13% of the U.S. population. Caucasians make up around 69%. With those odds you're more likely to have a larger number of Caucasian classmates than any other race by default. I agree diversity is essential in healthcare because it caters to the diversity of our patients in many aspects.
I have only been working in healthcare pursing nursing for a short while but I've been around healthcare all my life growing up. All the women from my mother, sisters, aunts, cousins are either RNs, a Pharmacist and a Cardiologist. I'm first generation American born from Nigerian parents. If you have the qualifications and the passion for this nothing should stop you. It's not about what you look like on the outside but what you can contribute to the field of healthcare itself. Good luck to you.
ajmclean
123 Posts
No, Dogen. I'm just tired of race being injected all the time, and in this case, before the fact. The OP has a Bachelor's and a Master's. Obviously her race didn't hurt in those two endeavors. After looking at the school's pictures, she decides it's not really diverse enough for her. Is diversity really necessary for a good education, or is a good school necessary? What are the demographics of the school's local community? That could be why she sees a certain proportion of whites, blacks, etc. How many years worth of pictures did she look at, or was it just one? How about this one? Is the university one that is not often picked for nursing over other schools in the area? And here's the big question- has she looked in the hospitals and seen the diversity she is wanting? Go in any hospital and see the diversity of sex, race, sexual orientation, age, etc. I'm sure that the University of Kansas is plenty diverse as it is a state school and I haven't heard of any racial bias lawsuits launched against the school.