Hardships/horror stories?

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Hello, I have been reading and searching the threads and have read a lot of discouraging things. I am looking for anyone who has been accepted into nursing school or is now a nurse and can say "I did it when everyone said I couldn't". Or I made what was thought of as a low grade on the Teas V and still made it in (73% and not the "competitive" 80% or higher a lot of use hear about.) I just really doubt myself a lot and I wanted to see if there was anyone else out there that didn't have everything go smoothly with the perfect GPA and retook classes. I wanted to see if someone could give me advice on what to do that hasn't had it perfect their whole college career.

It's been a few years since I've been here on AllNurses. I was last here and in tears because I had made it into an LVN (non-HCC) program I had worked so hard to be in then made a low C on a final which wasn't allowed by my program and was kicked out, even though I had A's and B's in all my classes, and A's as my averages, they made me drop them all. I applied back to the program and was accepted back in but then decided that instead of an LVN license I could probably do more with myself and finish my associates in arts and go further.

I went and re-enrolled back in to Houston Community College courses. Before trying for my LVN I had taken a few courses there and dropped many of them. I had a hard time, long story short, my husband was in Iraq during the war in 03 and I was 19 and things were just way too stressful for me at the time, theres more to the story but thats for my personal statement. After getting kicked out of my LVN courses, I went back to school at HCC and took on full course loads. I finished with an associates in arts and in about a year and a half, brought my GPA up to a 3.0 over all and a science GPA of 3.2. The primary school I am looking at right now is UTMB (traditional).

Well I didn't go straight to UTMB after finishing HCC, I went to University of Houston because after a visit at Houston Baptist University and more discouraging words, maybe a first degree would be better and I would try to get into a second nursing degree program later. So I went to UH and in 2 more years I finished with a bachelors of science in psychology and a 3.7 GPA and with honors.

I am also a medical assistant and have been working in hospitals, doctors offices, and home health till I needed to do volunteer hours to finish my psych degree. Most of my MA experience in the past years has been with patients who have neurological and psychiatric disorders (which is why I went for a degree in psychology) and my volunteer hours were with a company that deals with children who have a variety of both as well. The company then hired me as a therapist after I graduated. My job is fun, I love working with the kids, but I want to be on the other side of it and I want to be a nurse more than anything in this world.

Here is my downfall, and I am ashamed to even admit to it, but I took the Teas V test 2 times and I have made C's both times, it's so discouraging! My last attempt was a 73.3% and I burst into tears in my car after the test. I went and spoke with the admissions advisor at UTMB and she said I had good GPA's and yes there is a gap in my transcript but when it shows I went back to school my grades shot up and stayed there, she said it looks great for me that I have a 1st degree even for the traditional program and that the place that I volunteered at, thought enough of me to hire me. She also said I can take the test as many times as I want to but each time is looked at, so the less the better but they will accept the highest score. I want to take it again in December but I am unsure if I should or not. I sent her an email asking and she didn't really answer my questions but just said I would still be considered with a 73 on my Teas. I sent her another email and I am waiting on her reply. Till then, I wanted to see if there was anyone else on here that can say "I did it after going through this this and this" and give me something more to go on other than the typical parents paid your way through college and never had a worry in the world, 4.0 GPA, 96% first Teas attempt, that I keep running into when I Google and search through the threads. Not that that is bad, it's just you can't compare a perfect anything to mine since mine isn't perfect. Any advice would help, thank you in advance.

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I got a 72% on the TEAS & got into nursing school. I was happy just to get proficient not a big test taker especially when I don't know what to study or where to start. I get too ansy & nerves :( when I moved to Texas I had a 1.94GPA because I screwed around in college when I was younger. Overall GPA 3.4. & got in this fall. So yes it can be done.

Life is always going to throw something at you, you really just got to make the best of it and be patient. You are not the only one. I have been doing pre req's for about 5yrs because life seems to keeping happening. I've learned to be patient & tell myself it will come.

After doing all these pre req's I got in But now my husband lost his job, & I have to work full time & have 3 kids. So I have to switch schools. It's painful to have to start again but it had to be done. I'm looking into WGU which is online. Only bad thing is clinicals are in Houston & I'm in San Antonio. Point is if you really want it you'll get it just be patient!! Good Luck!!! Your not alone!!!

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Specializes in NICU.

I didn't take school too seriously in the beginning so I had to retake my a&ps and micro. My gpa was on the lower end, about a 3.1 or 3.2 I believe. I studied like crazy for my teas and came out with a 79%. I got accepted into nursing school on my 3rd attempt and now I'm almost at the end of my 1st semester and I've been doing great! Don't let anyone tell you to give up on your dreams. And just because you make a 70 something on the teas doesn't mean it's a "C", they grade things differently. My 79 was actually considered "advanced"

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

I suggest that you cast a much wider net - UTMB is one of the most competitive schools in Texas, along with UT Austin. Their selection ratio (# applicants: # admitted) is unbelievably high. You're lucky because there are so many BSN programs in Houston - you shouldn't have to 'settle' for an inferior program. Have you applied to Prairie View, TWU, UT, HBU?

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I had a grand old time my first time around in college. I made lots of friends, did a lot of partying and managed to fail classes like Computer Keyboarding and Intro to Computers, not to mention math and science courses etc etc. Fast forward 20 years and I am working as an RN and pursuing my MSN. Obviously my previous college shenanigans were a terrible mistake and I have had to work very hard to overcome the damage to my GPA, but overcome it I did. I know for a fact I am not alone. Lots and lots of people have this same scenario.

Of course you can still succeed. As mentioned above, cast a wider net. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

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Specializes in Labor & Delivery.

It looks like you are a "normal" person and have had some set backs. don't give up, if you want to be a nurse keep your chin up and keep charging ahead.

I have had many setbacks on the road to becoming a RN, the same week I got my acceptance letter I also found out I was pregnant for the first time. My husband was happy but also scared for me because I was so mad, we had not planned on having children for several years and I knew I could not finish because my due date was right in the middle of the semester. I finished my first semester and was preparing for the baby and then reentry the next semester when my husband got a job offer out of town that we could not turn down. So I only had 1 semester under my belt and was assured by my counselor that I could transfer to the new town and continue nursing school, WRONG! The new school would not accept transfers with only 1 semester so I had to start over again after a 2 year waiting list. but I finally made it in, had good grades and was doing well until the final, I could not think of anything but passing the exam but could not remember anything. I sat outside the classroom with classmates around giving encouragement but felt sure I would flunk out and be embarrassed as all my friends went on to there chosen fields I would be back in school. the grader came out with the list of grades and I waited until everyone else had checked theirs and were celebrating their A grades, I slowly moved to the board and looked for my name, to my surprise and relief I had scored a B and almost fainted with relief! I was finally out of nursing school, five years later and am now pursuing my MSN on-line and loving every minute of being a labor and delivery nurse.

YOU CAN DO IT

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

thread moved for best response

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All of your hard work and hardships will pay off in the long run. We all have some amazing hardships that we overcame to get to and through nursing school. Just believe in yourself and keep looking forward. You'll be a better nurse for it in the end! Best Wishes!

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Thank you all for your replies they make me feel a little better. Meeh619 you being the first to reply with a 72 have given me a ray of hope, and I pray for you, your husband and your family. I know exactly what you mean by life keeps happening. I received an email back from admissions today at UTMB and I really, really wish they had emailed me sooner. I had given up on them emailing me back at all and a day before paid for my December retake test. This last email they told me that doing a retake would be a tough call they cannot advise me to take it or not. I wish they would have told me that the first time I asked instead of saying yes retake the Teas V in December if you have to. The other thing I was told was to write a "strong" personal statement, which is what got me into the LVN program back in the day as well.

I do want to cast my net far beyond UTMB, I won't give up till someone gives me a chance and my back up plan is to apply to ADN programs or even LVN programs again if all else fails. Hopefully not though.

Tonight I'm going to work on my personal statement, I'm still torn on if I should retake my Teas V exam or not either way.

All your stories really help me not feel as if I'm completely doomed.

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Thank you for your prayers!! You wait and see good things will come your way.

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I had an advisor at my university tell me that itd be impossible for me to do nursing because of my low gpa. She was very discouraging and kept telling me to do social work. I tried to force myself to look into it, but I remember waking up every morning very sad, because nursing is what I dream to do. I decided to speak to a nursing advisor at another university that shares the same nursing program as my university. He suggested to retake everything I got a C and below in. Low and behold, I raised my cumulative gpa from a 1.93 to a 3.47. Needless to say I got accepted to their nursing program for spring!

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While UTMB is a very competitive school, they look beyond just the numbers. Your personal statement and interview(s) go a long way toward helping you get accepted. On paper, I was only a so-so candidate: while I had scored well on the TEAS (96%), my GPA was comparatively low (3.1), and I had multiple repeat classes/withdrawals. My personal statement and interviews (most people only come in for one, but I was called back a second time) were my saving grace; I was able to explain my previous academic mistakes and reasons for withdrawing multiple classes. Also, it gave me a chance to actually sit and talk face to face with faculty, letting them get a glimpse of who I am and how motivated I am to do well. One of my interviewers told me that while my GPA wasn't as competitive as they like to see, I seemed like I'd be the kind of nurse she would want to work alongside.

I'm currently finishing up my third semester, getting ready to graduate next April. I'm so glad I didn't let myself get discouraged.

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