I wasn't accepted to the graduate nursing schools I applied to. Why?

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I hold a dental degree from Moscow State University with GPA of 3.61. After moving to the US 10 years ago I knew that I didn't want to become a dentist. For the past 10 years I was concentrated on raising my child, learning English, and working as medical and dental assistants(not related to my previous degree but work that I could do without a liscence while raising my child). I recently retook all expired prerequisite science classes with a GPA of 4.00

I haven't had volunteering work prior applying to two Graduate programs in Nursing but had a previous Dental degree with clinical experience.

Also, I had very nice recommendation letters from my science profs.

Both schools rejected me as an a prospective student.

i am trying to understand the reason? It is because of no volunteering experience, no previous successful career in another field, or because of something else?

should I try to apply to more humble schools rather than to the top one in my city(Chicago)?

Please, share your insights?

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People here can speculate, but we don't know enough about the situation to have any kind of real answer for you. You might consider contacting the schools and asking them for feedback about what might have made you a stronger candidate.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Only those schools can explain why you were not accepted.

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Specializes in Emergency Department, ICU.

Are you a registered nurse? Or were you applying to programs that would allow you to take NCLEX after completing your masters? There isn't enough info to speculate on here- have you asked the schools?

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

If you were applying to Graduate nursing program, you must be a licensed Registered Nurse holding Bachelor's degree from American school. Period. No exclusions. Humble program or not.

If you want to go to nurse practitioner way, try entry-level MSN programs, many of them like foreign biomedical degrees.

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You need a bachelor' s degree from the US. prerequisites is not enough

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
Are you a registered nurse? Or were you applying to programs that would allow you to take NCLEX after completing your masters? There isn't enough info to speculate on here- have you asked the schools?

I totally missed the part where OP did not say that she was an RN. Apparently we can answer the question as to why she wasn't accepted.

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Specializes in Emergency Department, ICU.
I totally missed the part where OP did not say that she was an RN. Apparently we can answer the question as to why she wasn't accepted.

Well, I -have- heard of direct entry MSN programs for persons with bachelors degrees in other fields that allows them to sit for NCLEX after completing their MSN- though I hear it's very hard to find gainful employment after going that route (nobody wants to pay someone for their MSN degree with no experience, often they are considered overqualified for entry level positions... or so I have read). However, these programs are definitely the exception so if the OP is applying to regular programs without his/her RN then yes we can definitely answer the question as to why (s)he's not been accepted.

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@solnce, was the grad program for those with a non-nursing degree? If so, maybe the program is extremely competitive and you need to consider going another route, like accelerated BSN.

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No. It is not the matter with lots of graduate programs that are meant for people who hold a bachelor degree from another field but want to pursuit a career in nursing(to be able to pass a national board to become a registered nurse). Ex., MENP( master entry of nursing practice)in DePaul University, Chicago

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I am not the nurse yet but was applying to MSN to take NCLEX exam after completion of the program.

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It is not true. My Diploma is evaluated by ECE- educational credential evaluators agency that is highly respected in academic world in the US. And I was officially granted a bachelor degree or Higher for American standards. So it is not the case for sure for their decision.

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