Getting into a Good, cheap nursing school

stephanie. · Mar 25, 2013

Every school has their own criteria. There are schools that will take a sub 3.0 if you excel in other areas. Just do the best you can. Maybe you can find a place to volunteer at?

huskerdont · Mar 25, 2013

I kinda messed up when I started college and had a 2.3 GPA. I went back to school last summer and fall (4 classes total - I also work full time) and raised my GPA to a 3.0 by getting three A's and a B. If you're going full time, that is pretty big increase for only one semester's worth of work.

If you have any D's or F's on your transcripts, you may actually need to re-take those classes to apply to certain programs. The program that I just got accepted to works on a point system and subtracts points if you have any D's, F's, or W's. And retaking the classes would also raise your GPA, obviously.

All of that being said - the lowest required GPA I have seen after looking at many programs is a 2.75.

bpharkins7 · Mar 25, 2013

Thank you guys!

Medic/RN2B · Mar 26, 2013

Yes our school you only have to have a min 2.5 gpa for ADN.

bpharkins7 · Mar 26, 2013

What school is that exactly?

Katieerin · Mar 26, 2013

Mine is minimum 2.0 but iys super competitive with points requirements and hesi scoring.

Katieerin · Mar 26, 2013

The schools req not my gpa.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Mar 26, 2013

All is not lost. It is much easier to overcome GPA problems when you only have a few hours on your transcript. With some hard work and diligence, you can raise your GPA pretty dramatically after a couple of semesters.

Keep in mind that those "minimum" GPA requirements are meaningless. Schools have a jillion applications for each opening, so they start at the top (GPA) and go down the list until they have filled all the slots. So- the actual lowest GPA admitted will be much higher than that minimum stated in the college catalogue. The school can provide this information to you so you can see what the real picture is. Don't be surprised if the average GPA for new students is > 3.5.

Low cost programs are the most attractive, so they have the most applicants. The competition will be less at the more expensive programs. But, please don't abandon your common sense & plunge into a commercial (investor-owned, for profit) school because there is "no waiting" even though they have a ridiculously high tuition. Not worth it - particularly when new grad jobs are so difficult to find. You may find yourself unemployed with crippling student loan payments.

BeccaC623 · Mar 26, 2013

My school had a minimum GPA requirement of 2.5 and I got in with a 2.73 after writing a letter of explanation for my low GPA. I owned up to the fact that while I had an undiagnosed illness, I was to blame for not getting it taken care of quickly. I got into a state university, which, while not super cheap, is inexpensive enough (about 8k/year).

Also, it's NEVER too late to get your degree. I'm 28 (will be 29 this summer) and I'll be in school until I'm in my mid to late 30s to finish up my Master's and Doctorate in Nursing. You can do it!

ETA: I forgot to mention that I'm going into an ADN program and it's at Eastern Kentucky University, which is well regarded as one of the best nursing programs in the state and it has about a 98% first time pass rate on the NCLEX.

studentbear, CNA · Mar 26, 2013

I know for my school, Whatcom Community College, the advisor told me that the admission committee for the nursing program ONLY looks at the grades for the pre-req classes. He said they won't even look at/don't care about the other classes or overall GPA or anything except the pre-reqs. Also, the lowest GPA admitted for the previous cohort was a 3.7-- however, this is just my school, others may be different :)

maddiem · Mar 26, 2013

I see a lot of people saying that schools will accept people with 2.50 GPA's...But really, that's just the minimum GPA that you can have to *apply* to the program! I really don't know anyone who has gotten into nursing school with a GPA under 3.0...Actually, I don't know anyone who has gotten in with a GPA less than 3.20-3.30. Its getting incredibly competitive out there and only the best GPA's and test scores are going to make the cut. I don't mean to be a downer but that's just the truth. As for "running out of time to get your degree"...You have PLENTY of time! You're only 20! A lot of the people in my prerequisite classes were in their 30's and 40's...even 50's. Its never too late to get your degree. Don't be discouraged by the other people you know who will be graduating with their degrees soon. Most of them will struggle to find jobs after graduation because of the economy. You are going in the right direction wanting to become a nurse. Take your time. You should apply to an ADN program because they will only look at your prerequisite grades and not random course work that you did in the past. But if you failed or got a D or C in a prerequisite course you should retake it because it will bring up your prerequisite GPA significantly. *Most* ADN programs only take the GPA of the courses that they require to get into the program. They will be cheaper and you can just do an RN-BSN program later on. This would be the fastest and best option for you considering your GPA.