Freshman year GPA below program required

Published

My son just finished his freshman year in direct admit 4 year BSN nursing program. Struggled 1st semester due to medical issues. Worked hard 2nd semester but not enough. Received a C in one Nursing class (nothing below a B is permitted) Final GPA is still below required 3.0 & he will be dismissed from program. He's devastated. Advisor said he can reapply after 2 semesters with GPA of 3.0 or higher. Recommended taking Gen Ed & electives plus adding a minor. He will have to write letters, meet with professors & come up with a remediation plan & prove what he's doing on his own to improve (case studies, NCLEX practice etc). I know we are looking at an extra year of school but I'm hesitating on sending him back next semester. Suggested withdrawing and applying to local CC nursing program which is well respected in our area. Any advice? Words of encouragement? What are the odds here?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
My son just finished his freshman year in direct admit 4 year BSN nursing program. Struggled 1st semester due to medical issues. Worked hard 2nd semester but not enough. Received a C in one Nursing class (nothing below a B is permitted) Final GPA is still below required 3.0 & he will be dismissed from program. He's devastated. Advisor said he can reapply after 2 semesters with GPA of 3.0 or higher. Recommended taking Gen Ed & electives plus adding a minor. He will have to write letters, meet with professors & come up with a remediation plan & prove what he's doing on his own to improve (case studies, NCLEX practice etc). I know we are looking at an extra year of school but I'm hesitating on sending him back next semester. Suggested withdrawing and applying to local CC nursing program which is well respected in our area. Any advice? Words of encouragement? What are the odds here?

Community college nursing programs are often fiercely competitive. My GPA was 3.7 and I was only accepted as an alternate. Most programs won't accept a student who left another program in bad standing either. It doesn't hurt to look into the program and their requirements, but I can't be honest and encouraging.

I would be very interested in what percentage of students are accepted back into the current program after remediation.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you. I am curious as well to how many students are readmitted to the program at his current school. He does know a nursing student that went through the remediation program & was readmitted. I suggested he reach out to her and ask his advisor if she can provide any details on success rates. I did check the admittance requirements at the community college & it looks like he meets the criteria for acceptance in all his math & science classes. He would have to pass the HESI exam which he did very well on this past semester. Maybe there is some hope for him. He feels like such a failure right now.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Thank you. I am curious as well to how many students are readmitted to the program at his current school. He does know a nursing student that went through the remediation program & was readmitted. I suggested he reach out to her and ask his advisor if she can provide any details on success rates. I did check the admittance requirements at the community college & it looks like he meets the criteria for acceptance in all his math & science classes. He would have to pass the HESI exam which he did very well on this past semester. Maybe there is some hope for him. He feels like such a failure right now.

If it's a competitive entry program, you have to keep in mind that many people far exceed the requirements. My program only required a 2.5 GPA, but no one anywhere near that had an actual chance of being admitted.

Another thing some people use as a workaround is finding an LPN program that will accept them and then completing an LPN to RN bridge program ...just another idea to throw out there.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

What does he want? It sounds like his current university put forth a path to regain admission. It sounds doable, but certianly great deal of work (and financial committment). If he is not 100% invested, I would have concerns.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

He probably has a better chance at readmission after remediation than on admission at a highly competitive community college program. He needs to decide to commit himself to working hard enough to make either avenue a possibility. That's the price for letting the sure thing admittance slip through his fingers.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yes, I agree. He needs to be 100% committed. It seems insurmountable right now. His medical issues 1st semester really put him behind the 8 ball & made it difficult to recover. He was enrolled in a dual enrollment pre nursing program at the community college his senior year of HS & did very well there. He earned 17 credits which his current school accepted.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yes, there's a path but no guarantee of being reaccepted even if you meet requirements. You must sit out 2 semesters. I guess I'm looking to see if anyone has gone through this before and was able to recover & finish.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion