Help me get into nursing school!

[jaime_michelle]

Let me guess......you have what it takes to become a great nurse but you can't get into nursing school?!?!

Research proves that GPA and high-stakes testing does not predict nursing school completion/success. Yet, most nursing schools still use those numbers to decide who gets in and who doesn't. I have to admit that I entered nursing school in an era where all interested were admitted (thank goodness because I didn't have good grades- I was well-rounded). The reason that academic leaders use numbers (GPA and/or test scores) to decide admission is because it's easiest and least likely to be litigated. The profession of nursing is an art AND science. It's a caring profession that requires compassion AND competence. Since you are reading this article, you want to get into nursing school/ you are meant to become a nurse. Don't give up.

My advice to you comes from a decade of serving on admission committees/ deciding who gains admission. First and foremost, find an accredited nursing school and apply. Keep applying to schools because the profession does not punish applicants for applying elsewhere (med schools are notorious for that type of exclusivity). Professionally accredited nursing schools are all quite similar and your goal is admission (anywhere). Hospitals (employers) do not publicize what college their nurses attended, so don't worry - graduation/passing Boards is your goal. If you have to take a standardized entrance exam, be confident! Sleep the night prior, eat a healthy meal, and plan to ace the test. If you get to write an essay or interview, please don't say, "I love helping people". SO many professions help people. Why do you know that you are meant to be a nurse?!? Do you know a nurse? Do you know what a nurse does? And please don't offend the admission committee members by telling us that "I wanted to become a doctor but couldn't get into med school so my mom talked me into nursing school" or "I want to become a nurse so I can go back to grad school and become a PA". PLEASE!!! OK, I'm done ranting: good luck- it's an amazing profession worth fighting to get into.

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

The least likely to get litigated? I'm not sure I believe that. They pick the people with the higher scores because that shows how dedicated of a student you are. The reason for the entrance exam is to see if you need any remediation before entering nursing school. I took the Teas. The percentage doesn't really mean a lot. It's whether you are exemplary, advanced, or proficient. It tells whether or not you can do a basic algebraic equation, if you can read well, if you can right a paper and know what you are writing, if you have learned the basic sciences. That's all the entrance exams are. I scored a 78 but I was in rated advanced which told them I am ready for the rigors of nursing school.

While it's true some people do not test well, I don't think it's as many as people claim. Nursing school is difficult. If you can't do well in the prereqs they have laid out, chances are you won't do well in the program. The prereqs are basically memorizing information. If someone does not put the time in to do well, you probably won't do well in nursing school.

I do agree with you that if your school has an interview process how to present yourself and interview well. I think if you can make yourself stand out and talk about why you didn't do well in the prereqs or entrance exam, you have a chance. If you can show you have great communication skills you can make yourself shine in the interview. But many schools don't have them. They don't have time with the shortage of instructors. They have classes and people to get to clinical. So all they have to go off on are your scores which says a lot about the person you are.

But those cases where someone does poorly in prereqs and entrance exam and put the time and effort into a great interview are rare. You need to do well in the prereqs and the entrance exam.

[203bravo, MSN, APRN]

It's whether you are exemplary, advanced, or proficient. It tells whether or not you can do a basic algebraic equation, if you can read well, if you can right a paper and know what you are writing, if you have learned the basic sciences. That's all the entrance exams are. I scored a 78 but I was in rated advanced which told them I am ready for the rigors of nursing school.

Oh Classic

[llg, PhD, RN]

The least likely to get litigated? I'm not sure I believe that. They pick the people with the higher scores because that shows how dedicated of a student you are. .

I have served on an admissions committee -- and the reliance on objective test scores, grades, etc. was largely due to a desire for 2 things:

1. Avoid litigation -- and any other accusations of bias, racism, sexism, etc.

2. Assure that the students could pass the tests of the program and pass NCLEX eventually

We tried to avoid taking anyone who needed remediation in anything. We had more than enough applicants and didn't need to accept people into the program who wouldn't be ready to handle the work on day 1. The reliance on objective data was to cover our behinds.

A measure of dedication? Maybe a little, but not all that much. Sometimes the people who work the hardest get the lowest grades. They work so hard because they have less natural talent and need to work harder just to scrape by. The true geniuses with a lot of natural talent don't need to work that hard. They might get the best scores, but do the least work -- and be the least dedicated.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

We tried to avoid taking anyone who needed remediation in anything. We had more than enough applicants and didn't need to accept people into the program who wouldn't be ready to handle the work on day 1. The reliance on objective data was to cover our behinds.

A measure of dedication? Maybe a little, but not all that much. Sometimes the people who work the hardest get the lowest grades. They work so hard because they have less natural talent and need to work harder just to scrape by. The true geniuses with a lot of natural talent don't need to work that hard. They might get the best scores, but do the least work -- and be the least dedicated.

I think that's the part that most people forget (or want to forget): Sometimes, working really hard for something still doesn't make it happen. Sometimes, the advice to persevere no matter what, to "keep on trying, don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it" is just foolhardy. Something simple that requires perseverance to accomplish might be making a bed perfectly. Can pretty much assume that anyone (given proper motivation) will be able to make that bed. Complete nursing school successfully? Different thing entirely.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Research proves that GPA and high-stakes testing does not predict nursing school completion/success.

So what does the research show to be the best predictor of nursing school completion/success?

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

Oh Classic

Gee, I'm sorry it was my autcorrect. I do know the difference between right and write, ok?

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

Gee, I'm sorry it was my autcorrect. I do know the difference between right and write, ok?

Sureeeee you do.

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

I have served on an admissions committee -- and the reliance on objective test scores, grades, etc. was largely due to a desire for 2 things:

1. Avoid litigation -- and any other accusations of bias, racism, sexism, etc.

2. Assure that the students could pass the tests of the program and pass NCLEX eventually

We tried to avoid taking anyone who needed remediation in anything. We had more than enough applicants and didn't need to accept people into the program who wouldn't be ready to handle the work on day 1. The reliance on objective data was to cover our behinds.

A measure of dedication? Maybe a little, but not all that much. Sometimes the people who work the hardest get the lowest grades. They work so hard because they have less natural talent and need to work harder just to scrape by. The true geniuses with a lot of natural talent don't need to work that hard. They might get the best scores, but do the least work -- and be the least dedicated.

I get that, and that is what I was trying to say. If a person say is struggling in English, then their dedication put in shows the grade. They cannot tell by scores who understands easily, and who does not. But if someone is say naturally smart, and don't have to study a whole lot, then chances are they have a brain on their shoulders and will make it through nursing school.

How on earth can you tell by test scores who is going to litigate more? You can't by looking at an application. Many schools do not even have an interview process so they strictly go off of scoring. If the person is doing poorly in their classes chances are they will not do well in an interview. They won't put the time into it. The rare case is the person who does poorly but does put the effort into an interview. At that point, I stated they may have a chance of getting in.

The reason for the Hesi or Teas is exactly what I stated. If someone scored proficient or below, they needed remediation. Therefore, it was suggested they either retake a class or take some additional classes. People look at those test as pass/fail and that is not what they are at all. They simply mean take the time, get better in that area, and apply again. That's all. There is no "failing" score on those tests.

I am not a person who is naturally smart. I worked my butt off in every prereq for my As. Some people did not study a bit and got As. And on my app, you could not tell the difference between me and Sally. But, if me and Sally got the same score, the person who selects can deduce that I am either naturally smart and would do fairly well in the program, or I worked really hard and would do that in the program.

If you have someone who is working their butt off in anatomy and is still barely passing, then they are not grasping the easier concepts so they will not grasp nursing school. The OP is way off base. Maybe that's what her school does, but not most and that is flawed thinking.

You cannot tell who is going to sue you and who is not. I'm sorry but you can't. And if that is what people on a selection committee do, then they are missing out on great potential students and letting the wrong ones in. It's usually the most normal seeming ones that will bite you in the end.

I guess I'm going to have to preface every time I post now that if I am on my phone or ipad that I am sorry for the autocorrect. I usually try to catch them, but I missed one. I did get a 98% in my English Comp class and I scored the only perfects on my Psych papers.

[203bravo, MSN, APRN]

Think you've missed the point a little --- while you are correct that you cannot predict who may sue and who may not... it's easy to defend your position if you've only used objective data during the selection process (GPA, test score, SAT or ACT score, ect)... you are likely to run into more issues when you are using subjective data (such as interviews) during the process...

And by the way --- I had no doubt that you knew the difference between "right" and "wright" but just couldn't help myself :)

[elkpark]

I have served on an admissions committee -- and the reliance on objective test scores, grades, etc. was largely due to a desire for 2 things:

1. Avoid litigation -- and any other accusations of bias, racism, sexism, etc.

2. Assure that the students could pass the tests of the program and pass NCLEX eventually

We tried to avoid taking anyone who needed remediation in anything. We had more than enough applicants and didn't need to accept people into the program who wouldn't be ready to handle the work on day 1. The reliance on objective data was to cover our behinds.

A measure of dedication? Maybe a little, but not all that much. Sometimes the people who work the hardest get the lowest grades. They work so hard because they have less natural talent and need to work harder just to scrape by. The true geniuses with a lot of natural talent don't need to work that hard. They might get the best scores, but do the least work -- and be the least dedicated.

Ditto.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

I wonder if I had points taken against me for my MSN application. They asked where else I applied but I didn't think much about it.