I have a dilemma...

[STLmomma27]

Alright, I need some insight. Here's some background on me.

I am at a community college in St. Louis right now. I have been on the waiting list for 2 years. I was accepted to start last month, but I had to defer until the spring. I have a one year old and did not have anything set up for childcare.

We are originally from GA and now planning on moving back in a week. Here's my dilemma...

I have a overall GPA of 2.9

Science GPA of 2.0

The TEAS is not required to be taken before you apply.

The schools here have a waiting list, it doesn't go off of GPA's and scores. You apply and then wait until your name is next.

I really want to become a nurse, but I'm scared that because of my GPA, I am not going to get into a school. I mean, I could always go to Chamberlain, but that is an expensive school.

Please give me some advice or your own personal experience. TIA!

[Marshall1]

Best advice I can give is once you in Ga. and settled contact the school(s) you are interested in applying to and speak directly to an admissions counselor about where you are in your studies and what your goal is. They will be better to advise you about what their school accepts than anyone on here. When I attended nursing school (Georgia) TEAS was not required.

As far as a waiting list, that, I would think, would depend on what school you choose. What is required where you are living now isn't going to matter in Ga. All states/schools have their own requirements.

[STLmomma27]

Great, thanks!

How about anyone else? It is so difficult to get people to reply on this site!

[meeep, BSN, RN]

Honestly, it depends on what part of Georgia you plan to go to nursing school in and what type of program you want to attend. I can tell you that in the Atlanta metro area, you are going to have a hard time getting in anywhere outside of Chamberlain or Herzing with a 2.0 science GPA. I have heard of people getting into GPC with an overall in the high 2's, but they require a 3.0 science GPA. Are you able to retake some of your sciences to bring that up? Some of the rural schools are highly competitive due to limited placements, and some are a bit easier to gain admission to. So it depends where you plan to go to school. There are very few (if any - I have not heard of any at all) lottery programs or waiting lists in Georgia. They are all competitive admissions. Some schools go by a points system based on GPA and TEAS, and some look at the applicant holistically - taking into account science GPA, overall GPA, TEAS scores, volunteer & leadership experience, and quality of an essay or personal statement. Even those schools will prefer a 3.0 GPA, and depending on the school, will only accept those with a 3.5+. In my experience, in some of the more competitive BSN and ADN programs, they typically do not accept anyone below a 3.7-3.8.

Most of the schools here require the TEAS V, with a few schools requiring HESI A2 or Kaplan. For the most part it's the TEAS though.

Realistically, you might have an uphill battle unless you go to a for profit school with less stringent requirements, or a school in the middle of nowhere with less applicants. Even then, your science GPA will hinder your chances. Looking at it from a school's perspective, it's a criteria for admission for a reason. Nursing is very heavily based in science. If you are lacking in foundational knowledge, how well can you be expected to do in the nursing classes? They are not going to have time go back and teach you the A&P when you're learning disease processes or pharmacology. As most schools require a grade of 2.5 or higher to pass your nursing classes, I can see why the admissions would be hesitant to admit someone with a 2.0. I will grant you that grades are not everything. However, they are one of the only tools an admissions committee has to judge your ability to make it through their program. At the end of the day, they definitely care about their NCLEX pass rates, as it affects their accreditation. Please know I am not saying any of these to be mean to you. I do not doubt your strong desire to be a nurse - I just want to give you an honest analysis of the situation. However, I would agree with the PP. Don't take my word for it. Definitely speak to an admissions rep at prospective schools and see what they recommend. My 0.02 - for your own benefit at the very least, you may want to retake some of those sciences.

If you have questions about specific areas or schools, I would be happy to answer them to the best of my ability. I have researched many schools in the state in my search for schools to apply to, and if you have a specific school or schools in mind, I can give you more detailed info about their respective programs.

[bravera]

Are you pursuing an ASN or BSN? Most BSN programs will not even consider a student with anything below a 2.7 GPA. BSN schools generally only look at pre-requisite GPAs--that is, only classes that are applicable towards the nursing degree. Depending on the region and school, it can get extremely competitive. Most people I know were not accepted to a BSN program without a 3.5-3.7+ GPA. ASNs are a bit easier to get into, but also wildly competitive. From what I can tell, a 3.0 is a pretty good indicator of entry into an ASN program.

That being said, TEAS can really make or break your acceptance. Majority of schools here do require TEAS, and an exceptional TEAS score can sometimes offset a GPA that is lacking, even if it means getting you on a waiting list, rather than an acceptance letter. I don't mean to be harsh, but retaking a couple of those science pre-reqs might be the best option at this point, though I don't think your GPA is unsalvageable at all. Most schools here run on a points system, but some also use holistic approaches, essays, and interviews. Lotteries are pretty uncommon.