Grades, getting accepted, and wait time

[kellia]

Hi, I was just wondering what kind of grades you need to get accepted into a school? I have a BS in Mktg already, but only graduated with a 3.3. Not bad, but not great, but at the time I worked full time, went to school full time and was a single mom. Should I have any problems getting in? Also, do I have to take a test to get accepted, I am a little confused with the other posts I've read.

Also- I called our community college yesterday and there is a 3 year wait to do your clinicals. That was pretty depressing, I have more calls to make today to see if other schools are like that, too. I have a friend who is also going to school for nursing, and she said that you can get in and out of Baker quick- if you have all A's. Is that how most schools work, do you need all A's? I've only gotten one C in my life, but am worried if I need ALL A's...

Is it any harder getting accepted into 4 year programs than 2 year programs?

Thanks for any advice!

[newnurse36]

HI!

Some schools have entrance tests and some don't . I had to take the NET.

I would double check about that 3 year wait !! Talk to the nursing advisor. I was told myths like that and they were not true.

What state are you in????

[kellia]

HI!

Some schools have entrance tests and some don't . I had to take the NET.

I would double check about that 3 year wait !! Talk to the nursing advisor. I was told myths like that and they were not true.

What state are you in????

I live in Michigan.

[newnurse36]

I am in NJ!!

I think the wait times are highly exaggerated everywhere though!!

Just make sure you get your info from a nursing department or nursing advisor.

I would get ALL your prerequisites done before applying if you haven’t already done so.

[L&D_2b]

With a prior degree, did you look into an accelerated BSN program or a direct entry MSN program? You have to already have a bachelors degree in any field to get into either program. However, once you get in, you can usually achieve your degree in about 15 months.

I have a prior bachelors degree also, but decided to go to the local community college's ASN program because it is cheap. Although I had a 3.63 overall GPA from my prior degree, my school went strickly on grades from science classes. I would ask each potential school as to what their admission criteria is. Some say they look at overall GPA, some will look at only the last so many credits you completed, some will look at just the science and math grades, etc. Every school is different.

As for wait times, I had to wait almost two years. I could have gotten into an accelerated BSN program faster, but the closest one to me is almost an hour and a half away. I have four children and I can't afford to waste 3 hours a day in just driving time.

Good luck in your pursuit.

--Marci

[gudiarani, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, NP]

I applied to all Accelerated Second Degree BSN programs. The one at Hopkins (where I got my first degree) is the BSN/MSN so I had to take the GRE for that. Most graduate programs will require something like the GRE.

I haven't heard anything about wait times in NJ, where I live and want to go to nursing school. Does anyone know about this for UMDNJ, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Fairleigh Dickinson, or William Patterson??

Thanks!

[newnurse36]

I know people who got into William Paterson with no wait. St Elizabeth does not require you to take the GRE, I was on their website yesterday because they offer classes at Newton Hospital.

I just got into the AS program at PCCC/SCCC. I did very well on the NET and had good grades so I got in the year I wanted to for the night program.

There is no waiting list where I applied. It is a point system and if you score high enough you are in.

There was a max of 22 points where I applied.

Up to 10 points for the NET

Up to 12 points for the Amount of credits and GPA calculation. For example someone with a 3.5-4.0 who had completed 27 or more credits got 12 pts . Someone with a 3.5-4.0 with 19-26 credits only got 8 pts. Also any Withdraws, Incompletes or D's and F's subtract a point for each of those.

There is a time frame on those I think it is within the past 5 years.

[shrimpchips, LPN]

The way 2-year programs and 4-year programs work is different. Usually 2-year programs are offered at community colleges and 4-year programs at universities. People are beginning to think, "why get a degree in 4 years when I can get one in 2?" That said, a lot of people are going to community colleges to get their ADNs but because of that the waiting lists for 2-year programs is actually sometimes longer than that for a 4-year program.

I don't know how it is in your area, but I'm from the Cleveland (OH) area and the local community college offers an ADN program along with a BSN program through their UP (university partnership) program which is long distance learning. The ADN program there isn't based on how good your grades are at all.

BSN programs at universities however are much more competitive. Most BSN programs can only accept a certain number of students a year which is very unfortunate. I go to the University of Akron and they pull from 2 categories - direct admit/honors students and then those who are not a direct admit or honors. Direct admits & honors students are automatically admitted to the college of nursing, but you still have to apply during the spring semester at the end of your freshman year. If you meet the criteria, you are guaranteed a spot over the non-DA's & honor students - even if that means that they have a 4.0 and you didn't.

You have to have a minimum of a 2.5, and aside from your cummulative GPA, Akron takes your science courses (+ labs) and averages them to make a cummulative science GPA, and that's how they admit you. Last year the cutoff was a 3.4 science average and usually it increases every year but not always. Talk about very stressful, especially since only 2 science classes count towards that GPA - intro to general/organic/biochemistry I & II (which is very hard....I don't know about anyone else!) and principles of microbiology.