Help me from getting discouraged- need advice from bay area nurses/students

candymyr29 · Jul 15, 2008

hello i know how you feel, it really is hard getting into an rn program, i am done with all my pre reqs and i havent been able to get in. dont quit though. i have thought many times of just changing my plans and doing something else. but i think if we stick to it, we will be happy in the end. you can work anywhere and the pay is good, thats why so many people want to do it. i also got the rolling of eyes when i showed my counlser i had a c in algebra ( i hate math) but screw those who discourage us :) just do your best in the pre reqs. gpa has a big part in if you get in or not but most schools also have a lottery system. so we have to get in sooner or later. keep your head up and dont let anyone tell you its not going to happen! good luck to you!

crazyframes · Jul 15, 2008

i know i shouldn't let one person get me discouraged, but i'm worried about going to CC for years to do pre-reqs and then not being able to get into any schools. what would increase my chances of getting accepted? is it just about GPA or is there more i can do? do you just keep applying to schools until you get in? the whole situation is very intimidating but like i said i'll regret it if i don't do it. any suggestions?

Hey Savory -

Don't let a bad attitude get you down. It's advice I often give myself, especially while reading some of the posts about jobs in the Bay Area! I'll share my abbreviated story with you and maybe you can pull out some helpful pieces.

In the spring of 2005 I finally settled on wanting to become a nurse. I started looking at the local advanced entry programs (I live in SF) and reading through the pre-reqs lists. Very daunting. However the first thing I did was find a local CC and enroll in an on-line sociology class. I'm not sure how I got my BS without one, but that's another story. That summer I took my first pre-req through Napa Valley CC. I had to go up there to register and get the book but everything else was on-line.

Then came the hard road: figuring out what else I needed to take to get ready to apply to programs. It ended up I needed the following:

Nutrition

Public Speaking

Chemistry

Anatomy

Physiology

Microbiology

The only thing I could get into at CCSF for the fall of 2005 was Nutrition. I had only taken 2 other classes at CCSF so I was low woman on the totem pole when it came to registering for classes. But I was bound & determined to start checking things off my list!

In the Spring of 2006 I was able to nab a spot in a Chem 32 class at CCSF. It's a class that covers organic, inorganic & bio-chem all in one semester and is specifically geared towards those moving into the health care field. I've since met others who have taken a semester of Organic and one of Inorganic. If I had more time I would have liked to do that but it wasn't in the cards for my schedule. During the same time, I also took Speech at CCSF. I took an on-line class so I only had to show up to class meetings when we actually had to give the speeches - everything else was done on my own time.

For the summer of 2006 I squeezed in a very intensive Anatomy class at Canada College in Redwood City. It was a long drive and some long days but I knew how impacted the courses were at CCSF. My class was M & W from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. I believe we went for 6 or 8 weeks. It was a terrific class and a great instructor. I was able to adjust my work schedule (basically I took a day of vacation each week; half day on M and half day on W) and work it out with my boss so that I could take the class.

In the Fall of 2006 I took physiology at CCSF. And then in the Spring of 2007 I took Microbiology at College of Marin. That was the final pre-req that I had to complete! Woohoo!

All in all, I finished up my pre-reqs by taking classes at 4 different schools in or around the bay area. It was not easy to hunt and peck and find out who was offering classes and what times they were open for registering and crossing my fingers that I would get in somewhere. You can do it too. It will take research (there are also CC's in the east bay that have the pre-reqs classes too) and planning and a willingness to do whatever it takes to get it done. If you've got the willingness, you can make it happen.

As for actually applying to programs, I did two years of applying. The Fall of 2006 was my first round. I applied to Master's Entry programs at UCSF, USF and SFSU. I was accepted to USF but turned it down for two reasons - it was VERY expensive & the focus seemed to be more oriented towards administration. In the Spring of 2007 I also added myself to the growing ranks of people in the CCSF lottery - no luck! For the Fall 2007 appliation go round, I branched out a bit more. I re-applied to UCSF & SFSU & CCSF but I also added CSU to the list.

I will be starting the nursing program (BSN) at CSU East Bay (in Hayward) in September!

While it's not the initial route I had planned (I was pretty sure I could get into the Master's program at SFSU) I am so grateful and excited to be getting to the meat of my journey. I will be quitting my job next month and getting ready to start this new adventure. I started taking my pre-reqs when I was 30 and will be 33 when I start nursing school.

I had no prior experience in the health care industry. I have a BS with a psychology major & have spent the last 6 years working for a real estate marketing company. I think something that will really help you when you apply to actual nursing programs is to have experience (volunteer or paid) in the health care field. Or any other volunteer experience that you can relate to your desire for nursing school. Also, there are many paths and routes you can take to get where you want to be - don't get locked into the idea that there is only one way. Be open to opportunities as they present themselves.

Best of luck to you. But as someone who has just done it, I know you don't need luck!

SFChef · Jul 15, 2008

Savory Spice,

Please don't let one bad guidance counselor discourage you!

I also live in the Bay Area. I am 41, have a BS in Economics and am a Pastry Chef instructor and curriculum developer for culinary schools (no experience in the health care field). NO experience with any science classes (except Bio 20 years ago--got a C-).

I managed to get my pre-reqs done in 3 semesters (I worked and went to school). I took very big workloads (people told me it couldn't be done). I have managed a 4.0 every semester and even had the highest chem score in my class (having never had chemistry). Has it been easy? NO. But the point I am trying to make is that it can be done.

Even it takes you 4 or 5 semesters, you can still get it done. And while I realize that you might feel somewhat old right now, you are NOT. You have many working years ahead of you (and lots of life experience behind you). If you want to go back to school and become a nurse, then you will find a way to do it. Don't let some idiot that does not know you tell you it can't be done.

Best of luck to you!

SFChef · Jul 15, 2008

Oh, and just to second the great advice that CrazyFrames gave you...it can be difficult to get into classes at some of these CC's.

Personally, I think at CCSF it is nearly impossible to get science classes. I did mine at Skyline, and even when I started on the wait list, I managed to get in. I have also taken classes at CCSF.

Figure out what classes you need for the schools you want to apply to, and then figure out where you can get the classes you need.

pupnurse · Jul 16, 2008

I changed careers too. Getting into nursing school is competitive. The best thing you can do is maintain a 4.0GPA for your last 30 units (at least for Evergreen community college). Evergreen takes 50% of it's students by GPA, everyone else is by random lottery. I think it was a really good school, tough but very good. The other option if you're willing to spend the money are BSN's and EMSN. But I'd try as many options as possible. New Grad positions are tight in the Bay area, but things may change in 3-4 years which is how long you'll take. A lot of my classmates are planning to go to Tahoe, Nevada or southern California for a year to gain experience and come back. I am driving about an hour to get to work. It's tough, I'm seriously asking myself, is this worth it? But I made up my mind that I'll give it a year.

So make sure you really want to do this, otherwise you may find yourself wondering if you've wasted the last three years of your life.

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2008

Hey There!

Just go for what you want to do...Don't let that counselor discourage you....I have a BA in Foreign Languages and I had limited options...I could have applied to the ABSN program, but unfortunately my GPA isn't what they want so I decided to go the VN route 1st and then apply to the bridge program...So far the VN program is working for me....I'm commuting like no tomorrow and I've made lots of sacrafices in order to get where I am today, and were I'm going....Another reason why I chose the VN route is because I DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT ANY LONGER.....I was tired of just taking prerequisites and going nowhere....It seemed like it was neverending.....I will be graduating in about 8 months and then I'm going to take my last prerequisite and then apply to the RN bridge program...I'm not looking for a BSN because I already have a bachelors, my goal is just to get my RN because once I have that then I can apply and take an online program for my MSN which will work better for me.....

Just remember that you have options because you already hold a BA in a non-nursing field....Like you, I wish I would have done it 10 years ago, but couldn't of, should of, but didn't...anyway hope all works out for you, and just keep up what you're doing and don't let anyone discourage you....Sure what they tell you is just the truth, but keep at it and someday you will get there....Good Luck!

kaya767 · Jul 17, 2008

thank you so much for all your words of encouragement! i feel so much better after reading your posts. i know it will be a long hard road but worth it in the end!

kriszurcj · Jul 18, 2008

Don't you dare let anyone discourage you! You already have an education under your belt and have proven you can do it. My cousin attended Oakland CC after waitlisting several colleges, and she really liked it. She got in after 1 year on the wait list. She lives in San Francisco.The main thing that would help move you up on a wait list is your overall GPA, and especially your pre-req GPA. I'm not sure about all the schools, but the ones I have looked into, look at both of those to determine (along with other things) to determine your spot on the waitlist. It use to be a first come first serve basis. Solano CC now starts a new program every semester to ease the wait. They say the wait there is still 2-3 years, but even before they started soing the new programs every semester, I have a friend who was told 2-3 years also and sho get in 8 months!

I would advise not meeting with that counselor again, Don't let the fact that maybe he doesn't like his job be your problem. Surrond yourself with positive supportive people.You can do it.

CalNevaMimi, LPN, LVN · Aug 17, 2008

I'm dangerously close to 40 and, after many years of working as an elementary school teacher, I'm starting nursing school at a private college in January. If I can do it, so can you! Life is too short to settle. We have this one life, so let's DO IT!

benegesserit · Aug 18, 2008

I don't know if you're still checking this thread... but remember, now you have at least one advantage - you know exactly how competitive things are! A lot of your classmates won't realize this, and will be aiming for the minimum they think they need. You'll be able to start putting in whatever effort you need to get great grades from your first class.

(I would have gotten an A in my first prerequisite class if I'd known then how hard it can be to get into nursing school around here.)

You can also start looking for things like volunteer or work experience in healthcare that will increase your chances of being accepted.

SparklyGirl · Aug 18, 2008

Don't be discouraged!

I'm also in the bay area and I'm 34!

I started slowly taking prereqs a few years ago and finished last year.

I applied to one school (SMC) and got into their entry level masters program. There are a lot of options out there - definitely one will work out.

Don't give up --- just start taking classes! :)