False Hope?

I had the same issue when I decided to go back to school. I never bothered to withdraw because I never expected to go back so I had a bunch of F's. My college has something called an Academic Fresh Start program. I had to complete so many credit hours and my former grades would still be on my transcript but would not count toward my GPA. I would definitely check with your school and see if they offer anything like that.

A couple things that spring to my mind:

- Withdrawals do not have an effect on your GPA.

- If you retake the classes in which you did get an F, your new grades will "overrule" your old ones. (at least they do at my local CC)

Some schools care about withdrawals, but most don't. I know the community college in my area has stipulations about how many Ws can be on your record, and they are all about the Ws, but the university here doesn't bat an eye.

I had to overcome some poor grades I earned in my young and dumb days when I decided to pursue nursing, including some Fs in prereqs. I had to take some transferable courses that I didn't need in order to goose my GPA a bit. Not one school in CA requires high school transcripts when you apply for nursing programs, so don't stress about that. Working as a CNA will certainly help. In fact, some programs (particular BSN programs through CSUs) are starting to require CNA certification.

How much your old stuff affects your GPA, I don't know, because I haven't seen your transcript, but you can do the math. Look at what's transferable and what you actually have grades in. Ws won't be calculated into your GPA, so don't stress so much over those. :)

I had a similar experience my freshman year of college. The summer before my dad passed and I was a wreck! I received my first (and only) F in my entire life and ended that year with a 1.92 GPA. But I was battling depression and other things so I knew I needed help. I got help and started making As and Bs again. I nursing finished applying to nursing school and I did have to explain that in my essay because I was placed on academic probation. However, the important thing is that my grades show a positive incline from my freshman year.

You're 26 now, like me, so you are going to process and analyze things differently from when you were 17, cherish this! For now it's up to you to prove to nursing school that you have the ability to overcome your previous GPA and that you have the ability to handle the coursework. And I'm 99% sure that nursing schools DO NOT require your high school transcripts! From this point on, aim for a A in EVERY CLASS (which may mean sacrificing other things), gain some hospital experience and when time comes to apply be ready to explain what happened, the mistake you made and how you overcame them!

Remember, "Every SETBACK is a SETUP for an even better OPPORTUNITY!"

Just go try to move on. Yes...things we do have consequences, but don't use that as an excuse to quit. You may have a harder road, but the key is to start TODAY and move forward. Don't look for reasons not to do something...look for reasons to do it. Most important..LEARN from that experience. No one cares if you are "sick" or your dog dies. You are expected to get good grades and work hard. Almost every nursing student is going through something..family, financial, illness,,,,all kinds of stuff. You have to power through it. Life is brutal and learn from your mistakes and grow from them. Good luck!

Thanks, everyone. I'm one of those people who genuinely appreciate "tough love," so it helps to hear that i only need to be determined enough to plow forward. We lost our son on my 21st birthday after an open heart surgery in 2009, so I'm hoping that's enough for the programs I apply to to understand why I have such a large gap in schooling. Best of luck to everyone in their careers!