a 4.0 GPA does not help

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I just got answer from Evergreen Community College in San Jose with the bad news that I didn't make it into the program. After working very hard in my pre-requisites, driving 3 hours twice a week for classes for 3 semesters I achieved straight A's in all my pre-requisite classes. I thought that this would help to get me into the program, but I guess that it didn't matter because is a random lottery... I remember classmates that didn't show up for classes and struggled with the material and barely passed but they might be the lucky ones that got into the program. I just can say I am heartbroken....maybe because I'm a guy I'm not supposed to become a nurse. I feel terrible....

Well I guess I have been living under a rock. Are you guys saying that there are nursing schools that select students for admission by lottery. Lottery, based solely on chance, for every single applicant who meets the minimum criteria.....nothing more and nothing less?? If so, that is seriously messed up. No wonder there is such discrepancy in nursing schools and the nurses graduating from them.

There was a thread a couple months ago asking if hiring managers cared where you went to nursing school. Everyone said no, not important , doesn't matter.....This is exactly why I think it does matter and why I do care where someone went to nursing school.

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Well I guess I have been living under a rock. Are you guys saying that there are nursing schools that select students for admission by lottery. Lottery, based solely on chance, for every single applicant who meets the minimum criteria.....nothing more and nothing less?? If so, that is seriously messed up. No wonder there is such discrepancy in nursing schools and the nurses graduating from them.

There was a thread a couple months ago asking if hiring managers cared where you went to nursing school. Everyone said no, not important , doesn't matter.....This is exactly why I think it does matter and why I do care where someone went to nursing school.

Yep there are! In the county in Washington I moved away from last year there were the following schools:

City Community College admissions based on lottery only!

City Tech Schools (2 of them) all applicants with 3.0 accepted and watlisted

County Community College required 2.0 then admited based on essay and interview

Private University based on GPA and interview (20K per year tuition)

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@ adriano

i'm sorry to hear you didn't get accepted into your nursing program. that really sucks. you did well in school and didn't make the cut, it happens. try applying to other schools and see if you can get in. you also can reapply another time at that school. it would be helpful to find out exactly why you didn't get in from the school. see if they have any advice to offer you.

good luck next time and don't give up.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
ThePrincessBride: having experience does not make you neither better nurse student nor better nurse. He is looking for support and you call him "wiz kid who doesn't have anything else going for him" putting down his hard work. I can see what kind of nurse you will be...

I wasn't referring to him specifically. I'm just saying that grades aren't the only deciding factor, and I'm glad they aren't. You can have straight A's and be a terrible nurse, or have C's and do really well.

Grades aren't everything. And I'm pretty sure you won't be a better nurse than with that last line of yours...

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
As a 45+ student with many years experience (business & computers) OTHER than the medical field, but with a 4.0 GPA, I myself do not have "healthcare related work & volunteer service" and are VERY THANKFUL that Schools do take ACADEMICS as a PRIORITY.

I guess you need to shop for a Nursing School that will fit your specific Needs and Qualifications. There are MANY, MANY great nursing schools out there. Find one that fits you!!

Clearly you didn't read my post, now did you? But thanks for jumping on me without reading the post. Work experience AND healthcare related volunteer experience. But thanks for getting on me.

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Well I guess I have been living under a rock. Are you guys saying that there are nursing schools that select students for admission by lottery. Lottery, based solely on chance, for every single applicant who meets the minimum criteria.....nothing more and nothing less?? If so, that is seriously messed up. No wonder there is such discrepancy in nursing schools and the nurses graduating from them.

There was a thread a couple months ago asking if hiring managers cared where you went to nursing school. Everyone said no, not important , doesn't matter.....This is exactly why I think it does matter and why I do care where someone went to nursing school.

Yep - in California, quite a few community colleges are going the lottery route. You do have to meet basic standards, but it's literally a crapshoot to get in to a program; me, I'm still trying to get my prereqs for an LVN program - 3rd day of registration, and the ONLY classes I could get were intro Sociology & intro Psych (neither required for the LVN, BTW - planning on bridging to a BSN in the future where they are required); even bonehead English was waitlisted!

Sign of the times, I'm afraid.

@Adriano - congrats on the 4.0 GPA; you rock! And, not to sound like a broken record but look at other CC's, private universities, etc. If you want it bad enough, it can be made to happen; it's EVCC's loss, not yours.

"Never give up - Never surrender!"

----- Dave

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Clearly you didn't read my post, now did you? But thanks for jumping on me without reading the post. Work experience AND healthcare related volunteer experience. But thanks for getting on me.

Yes I did read it, I simply said that I did not have healthcare experience. For me I am glad that work/experience is not the only thing they check as it would put me in the bottom of the list without considering my hard work in obtaining a 4.0 GPA.

As for "Thanks for Getting on Me"

I was not getting on you just stating my OPINION as you did yours!!

Lighten UP!!

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I think there are some community colleges in my area that use a point based system. Everyone with a certain amount of points goes into a lottery pool. I don't necessarily think this is a bad idea because someone gets a 3.0 but works, takes care of their family, ailing parent, etc, etc and a student who gets a 4.0 doesn't work, doesn't have major obligations, etc, etc would get fairly equal standing. From what I've seen, they also require at least a 3.0 in the pre-reqs and a certain GPA overall.

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Same here, I did not get selected.

Here's the stats for EVC: ~547 apps, ~495 qualified for ~120 seats (?).

Here the stats for CCSF: ~877 apps for ~200 seats.

Both CCSF and EVC have only one application period/yr for both FA and SP semesters.

(I also applied to a 3rd cc).

All the Cali community college ASN (ADN?) programs are essentially lottery based---San Diego and Riverside are merit based but then applicants will be put in a lottery pool (bc of too many qualified applicants).

CCSF app period is Jan 20th, OP should apply there as well--I will, another applicant is not going to hurt my chances given last yr's was close to 900.

For non-CA people here's a reason for going ADN, going the CC route --> $4400 (2 yrs)

going the State U (CSU) route --> $13,400 (2 yrs)

Given how hard it is to get a job as a new grad, can you appreciate the cost of CC route?

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I'm in the SFSU BSN program and admission is merit based. USF, SJSU and CSU East Bay (just to name a few) are also merit based.

I might look into this this coming app period (early fall), I got a BA from SJSU so I'll be looking at their BSN program. But I still have to consider the financial: $4400 CC vs $13400 CSU, mainly bc of grad job prospects.

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4.0 ummmm why the hell are you bothering with everest? Go to a bsn>masters program and skip the bull

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I might look into this this coming app period (early fall), I got a BA from SJSU so I'll be looking at their BSN program. But I still have to consider the financial: $4400 CC vs $13400 CSU, mainly bc of grad job prospects.

My bad, just checked SJSU website, and for those w/ a BA/BS already, their BSN is 6 semesters, meaning tuition alone is $6828 x 3 = $20,484 for CA residents (min GPA for Sp '11 class was 3.60--SJSU is a impacted Uni and Nursing is an impacted major). I'll skip SJSU for the near future.

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