GPC Letters

dmarie (GA) · May 4, 2006

I very naively entered GPC with a great attitude, positive and very happy to be there! I worked hard to get into the program, and my dream was becoming a reality! I was thrilled! I was prepared to work hard. I knew it wasn't going to be easy.

I ignored all warnings, dismissing them as negative and counter-productive. I figured, hey, just because THEY failed doesn't mean I will! I forged ahead, offering positive affirmations to failing students, praying every night, devoting a tremendous amount of time to study. Even after 1st semester was over, I was still hanging in there with my positive attitude, because I figured that the weeding process was complete, we were down to the skeleton crew.

Slowly but surely, I began to see the warnings I refused to heed become reality, especially in 2nd semester. I continued in spite of the negativity, refusing to quit, because after all of my sacrifices to get in, quitting simply wasn't an option.

And now, more than anything, my heart is breaking, because despite my good standing with the program, I'm looking elsewhere.

I'm not the only one....

Those LINK courses weren't offered when I was preparing for the program. So who knows? Maybe that will help those coming in?

Just be aware that GPC isn't the only option available to you.

Paris2B · May 4, 2006

Going on the cold hard facts, and not on personal opinions, GPC produces far less graduates than any other nursing school in the general area. 10% of the original class (roughly 10 people from L'ville and 10 people from C'ston) will graduate. Other schools like GSU and NGCSU graduate anywhere between 75%-80% of the original class. And their students love the program.
Yes, there is a difference between graduating by sheer volume or graduating competent nurses. But GSU and NGCSU have a high NCLEX pass rate and their students are happy. I have never met a happy GPC student.
As for personal opinions: The instructors are lazy and don't care. Period. In a nutshell. I could go on and on and on, but the bottom line is this -- with a program as difficult as Nursing, it's important to have good, competent instructors who take an interest in students and help students take responsibility for their own learning. Give us a clue, and leave the rest to us. Play fair. Point us in the right direction and help us if we need it. Don't lecture on "A, B, and C" and point the students in that direction, only to test on "D, E, and F" and shrug your shoulders and say, "Oh well, I guess you aren't nurse material!" This is the kind of low-down dirty technique used at Clarkston.
Yes, we know you are supposed to connect the dots on your own, and yes, we know you are supposed to critically think. We are bright, motivated, and hard working students. We record the lectures, take notes, do concept mapping, join study groups, make note cards, the whole bit. With the sheer volume of material, especially in 2nd semester, and I'm talking about alot of information, it helps to have instructors who are on your side, cheering you on, helping you if you need it, and giving you the tools to help yourself.
We are students that go into each exam feeling confident, knowing that we have reviewed the enormous amount of material, sacrificing family and leisure time, in order to succeed. Most purchase supplemental NCLEX review books and take 100's of practice questions in addition to the required textbook.
Imagine after all that, going into an exam, more prepared than you've ever been in your life, and sitting there looking at question after question, sweat beading on your forehead, your eyes getting wide, your stomach in knots, as you realize that the test questions are on "D, E, and F" and not "A, B, and C" like the instructors lectured on. But as a bright student, you utilize your critical thinking skills, and manage to make educated guesses on many of the questions, getting some right and some wrong. And imagine, as the rationale for the correct answer, the instructors shrug their shoulders and say, "Sorry, but it's your job to connect the dots." And so you go and try harder, study harder, buy more supplemental books, listen to the recorded lecture over and over, discuss content with classmates, and try again on the next exam. And the same thing happens. And you get the same cold response from faculty. After all of your hard work, blood, sweat, tears, time, and money. They shrug their shoulders and smile...... "I guess you're not nurse material."
This is the kind of gut-wrenching experience you will find at GPC. Georgia Board of Nursing has received several complaints and GPC has been warned to increase their graduating numbers.
You see, if a program produces less than 75% NCLEX pass rate, they are put on probation. In order to keep their accreditation, they go from one extreme to the other, and even if only 8 people from the original class graduates, they have a NCLEX pass rate of 100%, and that's all they care about.

Hey Dmarie,

I'm new to this site, but not new to the anguish of GPC's program.

Some people have to learn on their own, like myself. I kick myself

everyday for just being smart & not wise!! I should've really done

some "therapeutic" listening to others telling me about how

disarrayed the program is & I would not be in GPC's mess!!!

Are you still in the program?

Please PM me if you get a chance.

ga girl · May 5, 2006

Wow and yikes!

I know you all are telling the truth. You are right-I have never personally heard one good thing about GPC's program. Not by anyone applying and not by anyone that has been in the program. I guess I am so caught up in how cheap it is and that it is a quick clinical program. I hear all the time that the instructers act almost like they want you to fail.

In my heart I know that NGCSU and Ga Baptist at Mercer are farrrrr better programs. I actually did go ahead and call Ga Baptist today and applied. The deadline is 5/15 but i think I have a chance to get everything in.

Thanks for sharing your info and advice! :)

VRGirl · May 5, 2006

That does it. I am not going to GPC even if I receive an acceptance letter. I will take the LPN route and then bridge to RN. Not that that will be a piece of cake either, but at least I won't be set up to fail.

lakemommy24 · May 6, 2006

GAGIRL, I did the same thing. I called and it is rolling admission and there are seats left. I am working on my essay this weekend...how did you put yours together so fast?

I will request transcripts on Monday.

Ugh, I hate last minute things, but am hopefully that what I am doing is right. GPC just doesn't sound right for me anymore.

ga girl · May 6, 2006

LakeMommy- I went on the website and downloaded the forms for undergrad admissions. I am at work at 7am and it is very quiet :)..so I wrote it all out there Thursday morning. It is a long app but I just let it free-flow on the essay. I just basically wrote from the heart so it did not take long. I called their admissions office and got their fax number, faxed the app to them and also had it in the 10am mail. I downloaded my transcript request from the GPC site, filled it out and faxed that to GPC to get the ball rolling. I am going to call Monday and check on everything. I am not messing around girl! :)

lakemommy24 · May 6, 2006

Wow! Good for you. Maybe I will fax mine on Monday as well. I have transcripts to get from everywhere though. That will take some time, however, it does state that as long as they are postmarked by 5/15, then that is within the deadline. I have one coming from CO.

Good luck to you!

momgrad5/07 · May 7, 2006

LakeMommy- I went on the website and downloaded the forms for undergrad admissions. I am at work at 7am and it is very quiet :)..so I wrote it all out there Thursday morning. It is a long app but I just let it free-flow on the essay. I just basically wrote from the heart so it did not take long. I called their admissions office and got their fax number, faxed the app to them and also had it in the 10am mail. I downloaded my transcript request from the GPC site, filled it out and faxed that to GPC to get the ball rolling. I am going to call Monday and check on everything. I am not messing around girl! :)

If you don't mind, is there any way of passing on those fax numbers. I too have pulled off a application for Georgia Baptist. I have everything filled out and essay done.

Thanks.

momgrad5/07 · May 7, 2006

:uhoh21: This is so discouraging about GPC. Has ANYBODY heard anything good. Last week I was so excited and looking forward to hearing if I got in, but now :uhoh3: I hope I DON'T get in.

Has anybody got any letter yet from GPC?

I wonder how long it's going to take to hear anything from Georgia Baptist. This program looks amazing! There are sooo many good hospitals under their clinical list.

Good luck everybody......It looks like we'll eventually still end up together :lol2: one way or another.

nursinginga · May 8, 2006

Well....another day passes, and nothing from GPC yet. Again, as posted before, my stomach is still churning and turning. I hope we hear something soon.

ga girl · May 9, 2006

Hey MomGrad!

Here is the fax number for admissions at Ga Baptist:

Fax: 678-547-6794

ph: 678-547-6700

Good Luck! :)

lakemommy24 · May 9, 2006

I got my Mercer application sent off!

Now I am waiting to hear from there and still waiting on GPC, also.

I don't know about you guys, but just send out the letters already!!

My spring class just finished, I have no idea what to do with myself!!??

Maybe all those projects I have been putting off for the last few semesters? Get some sleep!?? :)

Good luck to everyone!