Grades not good but want to persue a career in nursing

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Hey everyone this is my first post on here ever. I signed up in order to get some advice. I'm in my softmore year of community college in california and I am close to getting my general education that includes some but not all prerequisites for nursing school. I am no where near the smartest guy in the world and I live on my own so school has always been very challenging for me. my GPA is at a 3.1-3.2. Hopefully by the end of this semester it will be at a 3.3.

I reside in CA and the nursing programs near me are very impacted. I have talked to one of my school counselors and she said at the state college, the average GPA for acceptance into nursing school is a 3.9. So right now I'm feeling a little discouraged to persue a career in nursing because I fear I wont have the grades to get into a nursing school.

I just wanted to know whether anyone could give me advise on how I can get into nursing school. I already have a couple of other appointments with other counselors to discuss my options.

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Have you considered relocating to a less impacted area? cast a wide net.. apply to as many nursing schools that are feasible.. it is possible... best advice is just not to limit yourself.. the more narrow your search is the more limited your opportunities.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

PP's advice is exactly on target.

Nursing education is bound by very rigid requirements - not just for admission, but throughout the entire process. It's very unforgiving, with no accommodation for individual problems or issues. So - if you know what the requirements are for your area, and you are not within range of meeting them.... you'll either need to look elsewhere or pursue a different career. It's all down to your own goals & priorities. Is your desire for a nursing education high enough on your priority list to relocate to another area? We can't make that decision for you.

Wishing you the best of luck on your choices, no matter what they are.

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You will need to relocate, probably out of CA, in order to attend nursing school. You will be wasting your time competing with those with 3.9 and 4.0 GPAs.

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As much as many on here suggest that relocating may be an option, I would disagree. Unless you are willing to move to 'God knows where', then you will have no problem. However, if you are considering NY, for example, it is similar, if not worse, to CA in terms of highly competitive schools. Just to let you know, your GPA is not as bad as you may think. With that GPA you are most likely eligible to enter an ASN program. BSN, on the other hand, have much higher standards in their GPA requirements, which 3.3 is within limits. So, I would say try applying to as many ASN and BSN programs in your area.

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Some programs prioritize GPA in their admissions criteria. I had a tough time getting in since my GPA was low as well due to bad grades from school 10 years ago. It took me a year and a half of applying but I finally got in to a program. I did have to move about 100 miles away but only after I was accepted.

For me the process was I got in on a standby list about 6 months before the start, and then a month before the program started I received notice that I was accepted into the program. My advice would be to apply to many schools, and cast a wide net. I received about 10 rejections before I got into this school.

Not all BSN programs are as picky about GPA. Just keep looking, and keep applying.

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Have you looked into anything online? WGU or UT Arlington?

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