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?
Yes and yes. If your point is, "it's racist to assume that's a black name," then you missed the point. The use of stereotypical names was the point. Can Jamal only be black? No, obviously. Would someone who harbors a racial stereotype be more likely to assume a stereotyped name (without other evidence) was a person of color? Yeah. That's why they picked it. If you want more information on the research, I'd be happy to find the article (or articles, since I mentioned several). I didn't work in this particular lab, but the lab next door to the one where I worked did a lot of research on racism, so I can put my hands on it if you want to know more.
I think we're done here. I could go into how I've already covered that anyone can find one example of a person being badly treated, and how that one person's experience isn't necessarily representative of the whole... which is why we have inferential statistics to begin with... but the highlighted portions above are in stark contradiction to one another. And my family always said you can't use logic to dig someone out of a hole they didn't use logic to get into. So, I'm not interested in talking to you about this.
I actually read the research you are referring to a few weeks ago…no need.
The system of our government and free enterprise business, not overseen by the government, are not one in the same. My two statements have separate angles and are both true. It is far more complex than stating absolutes. But logic is needed to understand what I am stating. Stating simplistic statements as to why we need statistics is pretty insulting. Correlation and causation, as you should know, is much deeper than a simple one angle study.
I am not disputing the results of the research, I am just stating majority with inherited power will always rule any given culture. If we lived in a culture that was predominately intelligent black/indian/jewish, etc (you pick) people, then we would see the exact privilege we see in the white privilege in the US. (And the system has a tremendous amount safeguards in place to protect minorities from the majority.) I am hoping you understand free will of americans and the "system" are two different things.
It is human nature to lean toward the comfort of familiarity, that's why business chains are so successful in our society. (Maybe a new direction related to the study you are citing? Maybe leaving out racist assumptions would make it more credible?) I could give even more examples of how my minority wife has been treated by my own family, and going on to state once they became familiar with her the prejudices disappeared….but maybe that's too circumstantial to be credible right?
I am not denying there is favoritism and privilege. But I am also saying this double standard has to stop. It is not always about race. It is a culture issue, not a race issue, as a whole. I Know racism exists from ALL sides, and will continue as long as people persist on relying too much on believing they are victimized based on their race alone. it is far more complex than skin color.
Now if you don't comprehend what I have stated, I sorry it would take too much time to simplify it to a lower comprehension level.
I actually read the research you are referring to a few weeks ago…no need.
The system of our government and free enterprise business, not overseen by the government, are not one in the same. My two statements have separate angles and are both true. It is far more complex than stating absolutes. But logic is needed to understand what I am stating. Stating simplistic statements as to why we need statistics is pretty insulting. Correlation and causation, as you should know, is much deeper than a simple one angle study.
I am not disputing the results of the research, I am just stating majority with inherited power will always rule any given culture. If we lived in a culture that was predominately intelligent black/indian/jewish, etc (you pick) people, then we would see the exact privilege we see in the white privilege in the US. (And the system has a tremendous amount safeguards in place to protect minorities from the majority.) I am hoping you understand free will of americans and the "system" are two different things.
It is human nature to lean toward the comfort of familiarity, that's why business chains are so successful in our society. (Maybe a new direction related to the study you are citing? Maybe leaving out racist assumptions would make it more credible?) I could give even more examples of how my minority wife has been treated by my own family, and going on to state once they became familiar with her the prejudices disappeared….but maybe that's too circumstantial to be credible right?
I am not denying there is favoritism and privilege. But I am also saying this double standard has to stop. It is not always about race. It is a culture issue, not a race issue, as a whole. I Know racism exists from ALL sides, and will continue as long as people persist on relying too much on believing they are victimized based on their race alone. it is far more complex than skin color.
Now if you don't comprehend what I have stated, I sorry it would take too much time to simplify it to a lower comprehension level.
I don't think your getting the point . Are you a minority? If not, then how do you know the challenges they face? The racial disparity in America cannot be denied .
Definitely a good idea to visit the school and get a feel of what the classes are like! I appreciate everyone's feedback/opinions. Always interesting to hear peoples points of view!
Alright, I'll bite. I joined about six months ago, and lurked for two years before then, but this I just can't resist. I hope you're honored OP :)
*Full disclosure - I am not a nurse, nor in nursing school. I will be starting my senior year this fall where I primarily focus on Endocrinology, but I've been fortunate enough to sit on a variety of committees that have put me in contact with the folks who are in charge of freshman admissions, the head of nursing school admissions, and a couple of people from the med school admissions.
What most people here are saying is true - my school does favor minorities. By that I mean the average white student that applies to our school and gets in has an A average from high school, while the average African-American or Hispanic student that gets in may have an A average, but could also have a B average and maybe a couple Cs on the transcript (bear in mind this is general admissions, but nursing school). The head of admissions at our nursing school did tell me that they actively try to promote diversity, so for nursing school I think that's not an area you need to worry about - jobs may be an entirely different story.
For those of you that are frustrated with AA, please allow me to explain the rational behind it in today's culture. I'll admit that I don't believe that it is constitutional, but that I also support it currently. The reason why diversity is favored so heavily is that it brings someone with a different perspective to the table. In general, my school is primarily made up of white, fairly affluent students that are typically straight and have lived in the state their whole lives. While there is nothing wrong with that, the problem is that everyone shares the same mindset, and having everyone be the same only reinforces those beliefs. By actively recruiting diversity (race, ethnicity, social class, different states/country, sexual orientation, etc), it allows new opinions and ideas to be brought to the table, with the intention that these different ideas from diversity will ultimately benefit everyone, not just those that are the minority. While I can't speak for other people, I personally have found that to be true - coming from a podunk town, so many of the stereotypes I held have been dismantled from interacting with people outside of my comfort zone - i.e., not exactly like me. And i think if we look at the business world and how there is more and more talk about the importance of diversity for innovation, I don't think it's a bad thing for nursing to recruit as well.
And I'll stir the pot - if you think AA is bad for white students, tell that to the international students from China who take way harder classes, get much better grades, and still aren't accepted into schools here because then the school would be overrepresented with international students from Asia. If we truly made it just about grades, there would be less general diversity yes, but there would be a whole lot less white kids too.
If your race is an issue let me tell you IT IS POINT BLANK DISCRIMINATION. I don't post often but I had to on this one. It's a sad shame that such a question even has to be raised. God made us all beautiful!
As an AA, I don't think color should make the OP not apply to nursing school. However, once you get in, that's a whole different story. Many of my AA friends and myself have experienced discrimination on some level while in nursing school. Nursing is a great career, but it's not above racism.
I have found this attitude ALOT with black skinned people who immigrate to the US. It never even dawns on them that the Civil Rights Movement is what allows them to come here and be successful. To even have the chance to show their great merits. To be johhny come lately into a situation and judge when you are benefiting from it reflects poorly on those people.
Really? If he has the grades, he has the chops needed to excel, but wasn't here at the time of the Civil Rights Movement of the 60's.....but wants to be recognized as having EARNED his achievements rather than have the assumption be it was handed to him because of his skin color....THAT reflects poorly on him? Absurd.
I think that if those who are benefiting from "preference points" REALLY wanted to be seen as equals, then they'd not only expect but DEMAND that the bar/standard be set for them exactly as it is for their non-minority (read: white male) counterparts. The fact that the white male is a minority when compared with all the rest of the "minorities" population is another story, but...it's there.
Why be ok accepting that the bar is lower, that it's ok to be 10-15 points less on anything, and it's ok "because they're black"? PrincessBride, who obviously worked her butt off to get the grades and merits she did, is pissed to discover that people do assume she got where she did because she's black. And rightly so...but until AA is repealed in EVERY State, and the standard is EQUAL for EVERYONE applying for enrollments....that doubt will ALWAYS be there.
You can't change people's minds to view Equal Opportunity as being equal simply by making it unequal in the OTHER direction.
People have posted examples of someone not getting a job because he's black, although he deserved it. Ok...how about my husband not getting a job because he's white? You heard me right: he deserved the job, but found out from the same kind of 'inside' track in that other story that it HAD to go to a black person. Male or female, they didn't care, but most definitely not white. How is THAT ok with anyone? That ISN'T racism of the very worst kind....qualified, but he's got the wrong skin color? Disgusting.
And why is it that only ONE race is the one to specifically benefit when it comes to 'minority' preference? Asians are most definitely a minority....but they have the same admission standards (grades/scores) that whites do. But not blacks. How are blacks not enraged at this? Well....some of them are, because they DO understand they will always be thought of as 'less than' because of that. And others are happy the way it is, because "hey, I got mine". Never mind someone else more qualified didn't.
People face discrimination everywhere. Whites, too, so I'm not interested in hearing about all the "preferences" of the past. How about "Irish Need Not Apply" and "No Jews Allowed"? White....but clearly not "preferred". No one is going to guarantee you a prejudice-free America, not going to happen. But why is it ok to only make it better (MUCH better) for this very specific group? Asians face discrimination, bigotry...but they don't have a special lower-aptitude bar to meet on their applications. No, they have to be the best to get in. But not the black applicants? How is this NOT disgusting?
AA will become a thing of the past, there is no doubt. But until it does, the answer to "does my race and/or gender matter in my consideration for college enrollment?" will always be YES: blacks preferred over whites, women over men.
Here's a thought: nursing is primarily women. It's a mix of races, of course, but overwhelmingly women. Is everyone here who is female and earned a spot in a competitive nursing program by having great grades, recommendations, etc willing to give up that spot to a male because...you know...there are far fewer of them in nursing? That if there are 100 applicants for 20 seats, and 10 of those applicants are male, that 10 seats should go to the males and 10 to the females? Don't take the highest scores, no....take the gender consideration first. Fair....right?
What most people here are saying is true - my school does favor minorities. By that I mean the average white student that applies to our school and gets in has an A average from high school, while the average African-American or Hispanic student that gets in may have an A average, but could also have a B average and maybe a couple Cs on the transcript (bear in mind this is general admissions, but nursing school). The head of admissions at our nursing school did tell me that they actively try to promote diversity, so for nursing school I think that's not an area you need to worry about - jobs may be an entirely different story.
For those of you that are frustrated with AA, please allow me to explain the rational behind it in today's culture. I'll admit that I don't believe that it is constitutional, but that I also support it currently. The reason why diversity is favored so heavily is that it brings someone with a different perspective to the table. In general, my school is primarily made up of white, fairly affluent students that are typically straight and have lived in the state their whole lives. While there is nothing wrong with that, the problem is that everyone shares the same mindset, and having everyone be the same only reinforces those beliefs. By actively recruiting diversity (race, ethnicity, social class, different states/country, sexual orientation, etc), it allows new opinions and ideas to be brought to the table, with the intention that these different ideas from diversity will ultimately benefit everyone, not just those that are the minority. While I can't speak for other people, I personally have found that to be true - coming from a podunk town, so many of the stereotypes I held have been dismantled from interacting with people outside of my comfort zone - i.e., not exactly like me. And i think if we look at the business world and how there is more and more talk about the importance of diversity for innovation, I don't think it's a bad thing for nursing to recruit as well.
Diversity is good. Diversity at the expense of a strong academic front, of a strong business front, and at the expense of a competitive college graduate front is not. And this is what happens when you take in those who are not qualified for enrollment over those who are. You water down the quality, make "less than" an acceptable standard. The US struggles to maintain (although we are ever-falling behind) in the global business community. We fall behind others when it comes to every academic pursuit, because we are "ok" with keeping down the best in favor of the 'almost good enough' in the name of diversity.
Do you honestly believe that those countries who are cutting us out of the global market and will continue to do so at an alarming pace are terribly interested in diversity? Forget China. Let's talk Scandinavian countries, primarily white, primarily blonde and primarily interested in putting the best first, regardless of what color that person happens to be. So yep, far less diversity there....but no matter, we can continue to fall further behind because hey...we're more diverse. Yay.
I don't think your getting the point . Are you a minority? If not, then how do you know the challenges they face? The racial disparity in America cannot be denied .
I don't think your getting my posts. Maybe re-read them to discover I stated your last sentence. Along with more complex thinking beyond the surface.
The question of being a minority versus a majority is clearly explained.
I could say the same, your not me so how would you know what I face…it is a blanket statement and not relevant to my posts.
MFaf
27 Posts
No- universities have policies to prevent discrimination and foster diversity. Good luck and go for it.