How many times did you apply to the Nursing Program?

[lunakat]

I just saw a news article yesterday about how California is implementing the nurse to patient ratio. Yippee! But my local news station did a story on the nursing shortage that really bummed me out. The local colleges offer nursing programs but the programs is short handed. Even though there is a nursing shortage they are putting students on a wait list to get into the local programs. They interviewed a girl who is still trying to get into Fresno City College but has been turned down because there is not enough room. They say that for each semester 300 who qualify apply and only 80 are accepted because of the lack of space. They say it can take 2 years to get in! I met a girl who has finished all her prereqs and applied at different college but was turned down because they base it on your GPA, meaning those who are higher get in first. They told her they couldn't even guarantee she would ever get in. This really bummed me out. So my question is how many times did you apply before you got in?

[askater11]

At the school I attend you needed a high grade point...I applied once.

I forget the exact grade point but I know it was above 3.5. Majority of the nurses that got in were well above that grade point...a few were actually below. (but they need to meet a quota)

Whichever way you look at it...you needed an especially high grade point. I think mine was a 3.7 and I wasn't nearly one of the "high" grade points.

[Katnip, RN]

I applied to my school once. That, too was based mainly on GPA. Like askater's school there were some who had lower GPAs, and probably for the same reasons.

[Shiva_Las_Vegas]

You only need a GPA of 2.5 to apply in our schools....

[gizzy76]

When I applied, I got in immediately. Although I can't say the same for the class after me...it's much harder for them to get in now (this is in Alberta). They'll have approximately 250 people apply each year and they can only accommodate 55. It's pretty sad if you ask me.

[Wannabe RN Kim]

I also live in Alberta and am currently on the waiting list at Red Deer College to get into the nursing program. This was my first year applying and chances are it wont be the last. I've been told that there are approx. 600-700 people who apply for the program every year and they only accept 80. Half of their entires are basded on GPA and the other half is selected randomly from a hat.

Kimberly

[tonicareer]

I have a 4.0 in prereqs but haven't got in yet. There are just too many applicants. Those who have connections get in first. Schools here don't keep wait lists, you have to reapply each year and compete with new applicants. They can't get more teachers and clinical locations or I am sure they would admit more students so they can make more money.

[NurseStacey143, ADN, RN]

I got in right away when i applied. Our school does not keep a waiting list and you are accpeted by your nursing pre req's nad co req's GPA. It also looks better if all of your prereq's are done as well as your coreqs at the time of applicaiton. Then when it gets down to the last 10...say they all have the same GPA...they'll move on to see what classes you've accomplished. We have about 250-300 applicants a year for the ADN program and can aonly accept 60.

[Katnip, RN]

The school I went to, you only needed a GPA of 2.7 to apply. That doesn't mean you'd get in. The average GPA of people who entered my class was. 3.6

[CseMgr1, ASN, RN]

I applied 3 times during my junior and senior year in high school :imbar. Back in those days, you had to score at least 1000 on the SAT...my highest score was 650:imbar :imbar. But, they did me a favor, as I discovered two years later when I entered technical school I wasn't comprehending anything I was reading. They placed me into a mandatory reading lab, and by the time I had graduated from L.P.N. training, I actually could read!

Anyway, my fourth try was golden, and I was accepted into a diploma program (at age 27). It only took me ten years, from the time I had first applied, to my admission. I'm glad I perservered!

[Berta]

I got in on my first attempt. However, my school got over 400 applicants, they only are able to take 80 students. That was up from only taking 40 students last year. Several factors decide who gets in.. GPA, physicological service test (Nursing entrance exam), certain percent of minorities, and having all your prereq. done. I was also told "unofficially" that they also tend to accept the older more mature students first, since it betters their chances of actually finishing the program.

[SmilingBluEyes]

took ME 2 times. guess i am one of few who it took more than once.....oh well....i know why if you are intersted:

my 1st attempt was rejected cause i lacked a couple prerequisite courses. It was certainly NOT GPA, since mine was 4.0 and certainly NOT ACT score, cause mine was 28.

get your pre-req's knocked out if you want to get into nursing school. simple as that.