How do you accept the fact you might not get in?

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Something I was thinking about while having a conversation with my husband, and studying for a chemistry exam. How do you prepare for the fact that you might do all of this hard work and possibly not get in your program?

I'm not trying to be a negative nancy, I'm just wondering if anyone else has thought about it? I wouldn't really know what to do if I didn't get in.

We do have an ASN and BSN programs - I suppose if I didn't get into the ASN I would continue pre requisites to do the BSN. But even then, what do you do?

Do you, if it came to it, have a plan B?

Other than going for BSN pre requisites I don't.

Specializes in retina, GYN, robotics.

havehope.....I hope you get in for Spring!! I didn't think microbiology was as hard as the anatomy and physiology classes.

I'm torn whether to give up the nursing, I would have to retake anatomy and physiology1 again and MUST get an A or not a chance. Or to transfer to a 4 year school and get a bachelor's in something. Part of the dilemma is that I make good money now and LOVE LOVE LOVE my job and what I do, if I finish as a RN I would take a pay cut. Oh and I pay cash upfront for school, not a penny for financial aid, grants, scholarships, no student loans.

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I know it's competitive and the selection of candidates is pretty rough here. Some people I know already gave up which is difficult to ignore. I don't have t be the same way. All I can do is study hard and take the long way. I know I will get there

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Specializes in Hospice.
As of now, I don't have a plan B so I'm working as hard as I can to be sure I do get in. Nothing is guaranteed but I'm trying hard to get into my current school because that's the only one I plan on applying to.

I'm scared to death I won't get in on the first try but if I keep up the good work I have faith that I will.

If I don't get in I'll take more classes to raise my GPA & do more volunteer work & apply the next semester.

Good plan. Especially the volunteer part. I know I have said it a million times on here, but I know what I am talking about. Your program may not say anything about requiring volunteer service, mine didn't, but if you have something you can add to your cover letter for your application, it will help. I volunteered w/ a bulldog rescue and meals on wheels..... The professor who wrote my reccommendation letter mentioned it. That letter (not a requirement either) and the mention of my volunteer service is what put my otherwise ordinary nursing program application over the edge and got me in this time. I also have a daughter who works for the University of South Carolina as a regional admissions rep here in the state of Va. She said volunteer work is a very crucial factor for admissions reps when reviewing applicants.

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Specializes in Hospice.
havehope.....I hope you get in for Spring!! I didn't think microbiology was as hard as the anatomy and physiology classes.

I'm torn whether to give up the nursing, I would have to retake anatomy and physiology1 again and MUST get an A or not a chance. Or to transfer to a 4 year school and get a bachelor's in something. Part of the dilemma is that I make good money now and LOVE LOVE LOVE my job and what I do, if I finish as a RN I would take a pay cut. Oh and I pay cash upfront for school, not a penny for financial aid, grants, scholarships, no student loans.

Me either. This has been the biggest financial drain I have ever experienced in my LIFE.

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Specializes in None.

dmk3- Thanks!! I'm not trying to persuade you but, if you love your job AND would be taking a pay cut I would re think it. I, too am paying out of pocket as of right now…it sucks. Wish the best to you in whatever decision you make.

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Apply to multiple schools and never give up!

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Specializes in retina, GYN, robotics.
Apply to multiple schools and never give up!

ALL the schools around here are very competitive. I can't travel too far because I have 3 children to look after, and I'm not the "bread winner". I wouldn't be giving up, just changing my path.

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Specializes in retina, GYN, robotics.
dmk3- Thanks!! I'm not trying to persuade you but, if you love your job AND would be taking a pay cut I would re think it. I, too am paying out of pocket as of right now…it sucks. Wish the best to you in whatever decision you make.

Thanks! I appreciate that! I thought about every last detail with continuing towards the nursing path, it is just not worth the agony. Honestly, it would be to appease my deceased parents which doesn't make sense. Whenever I offer advice I tell people to find and do what you love and makes you happy. It's time I take my own advice!! My dream job is available again making more money than I ever would as a nurse.....crossing my fingers.

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What if you try one last time and it works out? You'll never know.

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This is what I did:

I started pre-reqs with the goal to keep my nursing school options as wide as possible. Therefore, I took all the pre-reqs needed for BSN programs so that way I could apply to all the 4 year colleges I wanted as well as CC's. The best advice I can give is what others mentioned, which is to apply to as many places as possible. Do NOT put all your eggs in one basket! Some people will apply to only one school and luckily get in, while most won't. I have heard of people trying for over three years to get into one single lottery program and never getting their name pulled. It's sad but also makes me concerned for the fact that they are wasting time by limiting themselves when there are other programs out there for them to apply to. I never understood that...

Anyway, by the time I finished my classes before applying, I ended up graduating with an AAS degree (which looked nice on my resume when finding my current healthcare job!), so now I already have an associates. BSN programs here admit once a year, and they don't do that until February. I figured that in the meantime I should apply to ADN programs at CC's for this fall. I applied to three of them.

One of them will not get back to me until at least October if they wish for me to go in for an interview. Another was a lottery school that I wasn't chosen for. Finally, the third school called to tell me that I was not chosen in their lottery, but that I was first on the alternate list and someone denied acceptance, so I took their slot and got in!

I scooped the opportunity up and will be starting the 23rd. I would have rather gone the BSN route but because I am not sure if I would get in or not, I wasn't going to pass up a perfectly good offer and risk not getting in anywhere at all. So I'm going to bridge for my BSN right after I graduate and I am very happy. :)

Again, keep your options as open as possible. Get your CNA (the school I got into requires it to even apply), get either volunteer or paid experience in a healthcare setting (this is especially vital for answering essay questions for your application or making a personal statement stand out), do some community service, etc.

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Specializes in Med Surg/Ortho.
It's easy to let negativity get to you, but you can't dwell on it. Some people won't get into nursing school, that is a fact. But I believe a lot of people that don't ever get in are ones that give up too easily. Maybe they get one rejection letter, and think it is hopeless. Those people weren't meant to be nurses. If you give up that easily, how would you handle a life or death situation with a patient?

Lots of people gave excellent advice in things to do to improve your chances, so I won't repeat them. But it does remind me of a story of a veterinarian I worked with. He applied to vet school after getting his bachelors but didn't get in. It was always his dream though, so he didn't give up. He got his Master's degree. Applied again, and still didn't get in. So he went and got a PhD. Applied to a bunch of schools for the third time...and got accepted. Now he works at an amazing emergency and specialty vet hospital and travels doing research on polar bears and rattlesnakes. He is also one of the most famous vets in the US. And if you have ever watched Emergency Vets on Animal Planet years ago, you have probably heard his name. Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald. What is he had given up?

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If you have at least a 3.5, high marks in your science prereqs classes and some health care experience you should be able to get into any BSN program. Apply to as many as possible. I don't know much about ASN programs but the ones I know seem to go by lottery systems where it takes forever to get in. I would suggest getting your prereqs done for the BSN first so you can apply for both.

If you don't get in the first time, try again and try to improve yourself! What have you got to lose?!?!?! :)

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