Feeling discouraged....

If it'a an ADN program it's 2 years. I start in Fall 2013 and graduate in May 2015. Take a look at my Topics, I give some advice on some ways to bump your chances if you are a less than stellar applicant. (It worked for me.) Don't be discouraged!

First of all, deep breath! If your adviser thinks you have a shot at getting in on your first try then you can't afford to waste energy thinking about how devastated you'll be if you're not accepted; instead, focus on finishing your prerequisites and making your nursing application as strong as possible. If the program you're applying to admits based on a points system (many do) find out exactly how points are doled out and what the acceptance range was for the most recent class. A lot of schools give the most weight to GPA and TEAS score, so those are the two areas you should focus on for now. Try to earn all A's in your nursing prereqs since many programs calculate your nursing GPA apart from your overall college GPA - there are a lot of great threads here with advice on succeeding in anatomy, physiology, micro, etc. You can also start studying for the TEAS now if you feel like it might be a challenge. Many people like the official ATI study guide; I went with the $12 McGraw-Hill version from Amazon and did just fine. Check out some of the "TEAS Exam Help" threads for more advice.

As for making your nursing application stand out, you already have work experience which may get you some extra points. Again, check the nursing application or talk to an adviser to see if there's anything else you can do. (Some schools give credit for knowledge of a second language, so it may be worthwhile to take Spanish or ASL if you haven't already.)

Many people who currently are nurses or nursing students received many rejections b4 they achieved an acceptance. This is very common. You need to ask yourself how determined are you to join the nursing profession and how hard are you willing to work in order to gain an acceptance to a school? Personally I find the acceptance part the easy part, getting through nursing school is another challenge all on it's own.

So what do you do if you don't get in? I probably would retake any pre-req courses you achieved less than a "B" grade. Apply to both ASN and BSN programs and don't limit yourself to in-state schools. I would apply broadly in order to increase your chances of gaining an acceptance to a nursing program. Volunteer and shadow nurses and also try to obtain an LOR from a practicing RN. Write a solid essay and wow them in the interview! That's about it.

Hi Cassi,

I'm also a fellow Connecticut pre-nursing student. I'm familiar with the CCC-NP application process and what they're looking for. I applied last winter for the Fall of 2013 and was wait-listed #7 out of 150 for Capitol's program. Though I was only wait-listed, what I think helped me the most was that I finished every single nursing prerequisite and did reasonably well. Most of my grades were A's, B+'s, and one B.

Having a high grade in A&P I and a high TEAS V score will definitely set you apart. There's a packet online that breaks down the scoring of each criteria they're looking for (for example, the TEAS score being worth 25%). It is competitive (CT is a pretty small, dense state) but don't be discouraged! There are some really good practice test books out there that will help familiarize you with the wording of the questions and build your confidence.

Also, the program is 4 semesters long. If you start in the Fall (2014 in your case) it will end Spring 2016.

I hope that helps a little. Don't give up! I'm not going to. If anything, I'll be retaking the TEAS V and reapplying again next year.

Best of luck,

Nicole

I am a nursing student at NVCC. Im not exactly sure what my nursing GPA was because I don't know which of my math classes they used (137 or 167), but I either had a 3.2 or a 3.4 GPA. I got an 87.3 on the TEAS and an A in A&P. The GPA they tell you is either who was accepted by rank only, or it was the average GPA because 25% gets in by lottery. If you get accepted, you will start this Fall (2014). They notify people mid-april if they were accepted or not. Last year they took around 10 off the waitlist. PM if you have more questions...good luck!