Feeling bummed

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Hi all!

Feeling bummed about my pre-req grades so far.

I've only taken introductory biology courses, cell biology, which I have embarrassingly taken THREE times now in an attempt to get an A (I'm only taking it because it's my school's pre-req for A&P), introductory chemistry, intermediate algebra and statistics. I have not taken the A&P sequence, microbiology, nutrition, or human development.

Grades:

BI 101 - B

BI 102 - C

BI 112 - C, retook this term, might get a B

CH 101 - C

MTH 95 - B

MTH 243 - will probably get a C

... to be fair, I took BI 101 & 102 before wanting to be a nurse.

So there you have it.

My cumulative GPA is not great either. I started out strong then got burnt out, lost interest and quit trying as hard. I do have a diagnosis of ADD but I do not want that to be an excuse.

I really want to be a nurse. It's my dream. I want it more than anything. And I'm a ten minute walk from the tram to OHSU, which is where I so badly want to go. But I'm feeling hopeless. I will say, I've been a CNA for over a year, have glowing reference letters lined up, and am looking to apply for a volunteer position at OHSU. I believe all those things will help make up for the grades, right?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

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Have you looked at the admission requirements for OHSU? They require that you have a 3.0 in the pre-requisite courses and you can only retake a class once. Usually, nursing programs get far more applicants than open seats. The easiest way to cull the pile is via GPA. You will want to get A's in the remainder of your pre-requisites.

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Yes I realize that it is very competitive. And I didn't know that, but I do know that my school replaces the highest grade with the lowest one and the repeats never show up on the official transcript.

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You might want to double check that. Most places will list that you took a course more than once on your transcript, but only include the last grade in your GPA calculation.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Moved to prenursing forum

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Specializes in Medical/Surgical/Telemetry RN.

Keep trying and apply to different places my friend. Never quit or give up on your dreams. Do what you gotta do to stay in the zone because you can still be a nurse. My advice is go to a CC or try to get those grades up. Don't worry there are other nursing programs out there. You can do it!

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Ehhhh, I think the main thing you're going to have to do is really buckle down and work on your grades. Each nursing school is a bit different, but from what I've learned, most nursing schools are extremely competitive. It's not enough to meet the basic "requirements"- every nursing school I've been interested in has a GPA requirement of 3.0, but you're not getting in unless you're basically an all-A student.

The CNA experience or volunteer work may be helpful, but have you contacted your school's nursing department to confirm? My last community college I attended did give you a GPA grade boost of 1 or 1.5 points for working a certain amount of hours as a CNA (which is a lot; that would basically raise you to a competitive level even if your grades didn't meet the main requirements), however, my current school doesn't give a care at all about what your experience is. All they look at is your GPA and your TEAS results. That is all.

As for your ADD... I know how frustrating that is. I've been diagnosed with ADD and have struggled my whole life with it, but after experimenting over a period of time, I was able to find a medication that helps INCREDIBLY. I don't feel as tired when I'm on it, I can focus on school work, and I can even take on household chores more enthusiastically. I'm much more productive on it.

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I'm in the same position as you! I didn't really have a passion for nursing in the beginning, and I also didn't know how to study. Might sound funny, but I finally learned a way that works best for me when I retook the anatomy sequence for the 2nd time. Turned all 3 C's into A's. Please don't lose hope. Focus on school, and keep telling yourself that it's all worth it in the end. You have a couple of more pre-reqs to do really well on, aim for A's in the rest of them. I had to dedicate a whole year to focus only on anatomy. Pace yourself if you have to, whatever it takes to get an A because there's no rush. You got this!

I also volunteer at OHSU :) it's a very good way to get your foot in the door and also a feel for the environment. I'm applying to nursing school right now actually, and applications are due in February.

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