I Don't Know Where To Go From Here...

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I have attended the University of Toledo for the past two years. I just completely my second to last class before I am able to apply to the program and have started the last class I need a grade for.

However, this program requires several things outside of your class grades and GPA, one of those things being a grade on a basic math exam. I got back my exam score today and a few things seemed besides being 2 points away form the score needed (a 90). It says I am ranked in the 1 percentile of reading rate, this is simply impossible, I have always been a fast reader and a proficient one to boot, so how this score happened I am quite unsure. I will be calling my adviser about this tomorrow. I may take this test one more time to try and obtain the required score, but I am not sure that I want to attend this University any longer.

Besides all that, this program does not do interviews to get into the program, they go off of GPA and the math score, something I think is asinine since some Nurses who get into this program may be book smart or good test takers, but are total flakes when it comes to the actual practice or the actual compassion part of nursing.

Still I digress, now I am looking for a new school and considering to just go for a ADN because I have already attended school for 2 years, but barely anything from Toledo transfers, which means even if I continue going for my BSN, that's another 3 to almost 4 years I could be facing and I just do not have the type of money to go to school for 5-6 years.

So I need your opinion, should I try and scrape my way money wise in a 6 year college plan? Should I do ADN? Should I get an online degree? Is there any colleges in Northwest Ohio that have a well recommended program? I am in desperate need of opinions. Nursing is something I have a deep desire and passion to do, I want to follow this calling but it is becoming incredibly difficult.

Thank you.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Being ranked in the 1% could mean that you scored higher than 99% of the others who have taken the test.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

i know what you mean. i was attending a community college and got pregnant unexpectedly so i took a about a year and a half off. when i came back and finished my last pre-req's and applied they told me that they were changing the admission rules. to make a long story short they were accepting transfer students before me and said my science and math classes would all expire and i would have to re-take them. i was not going to do that so i moved on. i am now at a university and i love it, my grades are even better. my point is i thought long and hard about changing my major too. i also think the testing is stupid, yes it may mean you might get A's in the program but it does not mean you will be a good nurse. when you're on the floor no one is gonna care or ask if you got straight A's. Don't give up, maybe theres a better school for you out there!

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My school is the same way. Im in Michigan and they go off GPA and the Math test exclusively. I am studying for my Math test right now.

If I was in your shoes I would try to just do the ADN. Get some tutoring and pass the Math test. Do you think you have the GPA to get into the ADN? Thats really your biggest obstacle. Do you know what the cutoff was last round?

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Being ranked in the 1% could mean that you scored higher than 99% of the others who have taken the test.

That was my first thought.

Me :nurse:

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UT has a good reputation. What is up with the credits not transfering? Do you mean you think UT credits don't transfer in general or your credits don't transfer?

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

hey im in michigan too what school are u going to? im at madonna u

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I'm curious why you no longer want to attend your University?

I understand that it is frustrating that many schools do not interview or use essays, etc. Our local community college takes people who have met all the qualifications (grades, pre-reqs and entrance tests) in order of application timestamp during open enrollement. Generally the class fills up in the first 10 minutes. So, apparently to them a fast internet connection is the measure of a good nursing student?

All in all, each school has to find a way to narrow down the numerous applicants and for better or worse, grades and entrance exams are a huge part of this.

I would try to think about why you no longer want to attend your university. If it's your disappointment over your math grade, then I would buckle down and study, get a tutor, etc. Whatever it takes to get that grade up and then apply.

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Specializes in Private Practice- wellness center.

Get a tutor and retake the math portion of the tests.

Also, I asked my advisor about the grades and the testing. Long story short, they want to see that you've put in the EFFORT, as being a nursing student is hard work, and nursing is hard work and takes dedication. If you have so-so grades, they don't see you as highly as someone who worked their tail off to get that 3.98. KWIM? (She thought the time stamp thing was an asinine way of determining who got into school too, unless you ended up with two spots left and two students who were both as good...)

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I would try to think about why you no longer want to attend your university. If it's your disappointment over your math grade, then I would buckle down and study, get a tutor, etc. Whatever it takes to get that grade up and then apply.

Don't get me wrong, I have taken math classes at the university, I'm actually very good at math (my grades for the classes we took, college algebra and statistics, were As) but this test is simple math, I don't know what I did wrong and they can't tell me, and I can only take it one more time and get a 90 or else I can't get into the program period. It was a little difficult for me because I haven't done math without a calculator in so long (embarrassing to say) but my mom and dad helped me out, I did practice problems the entire week before the test... I just don't know what happened and my adviser can't call me until late July to discuss it.

Mainly, I'm just sick of jumping through hoops for this University. I have decided to transfer to a community college closer to home and go for my ADN. I know some people might think of it as taking the easy way out, but honestly if I keep doing what I'm doing for UT's approval, I won't make it through their program simply because I am not a competitive person (that's the reason I didn't major in music) and I am sick of stressing out over this school. If I keep going there, I will only burn out and break under the pressure, school is not something I revel in. Knowledge, getting experience, yes... test taking and trying to impress the teacher, no...

Also, I don't have the best GPA, but it's still a GOOD gpa... just because it's not a 4.0 doesn't mean I'm stupid, but at Toledo, it basically means I'm not going to get into the program. I've tried to talk to my adviser countless times, but she's always booked for a month at least and then by the time I get to see her I get in one question and am rushed out of the room, there is no time for the students. I study my tail off and still only get Bs, it's just been the story of my life at this school.

On a different note, I really sat down and prayed about it and I think I know why I was supposed to go to Toledo for two years, I learned a lot about myself, made some amazing friends that I will always have by my side no matter how far apart we are physically, and I think it's time I can move on and get my degree so I can go out into the world and do some good.

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UT has a good reputation. What is up with the credits not transfering? Do you mean you think UT credits don't transfer in general or your credits don't transfer?

Every school I look into will not take my chemistry credit, this is probably because I was a CSE major when I took a general chemistry class and toledo accepts it, but no one else will. Same with my biology credit, I took a biodiversity class (the one nurses take) and it will not transfer to any of the schools in Northwest OH that I have looked into. Just things like that, it's quite frustrating because that means that by transferring to another 4 year program, I will still have 3 and a half years of school to add on to my career as a student.

However, as I posted just a little while ago I am going to apply to the community college near me, a sister school of toledo, that will thankfully take my A&P I and II grades (both As) and biology!

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So, it isn't that they won't accept UT credits? - it is that the particular classes doen't satisfy the nursing prereq at the new school?

That is what it looks like, chem 1230 goes into much great depth over what it covers but it doesn't cover solutions, acid-base, or energy relationships. The science major track has those covered by chem 1240. But nursing needs those topic coverd, if not is as much depth.

If I were you, I'd consider taking the 1240 (or its equivelnt at your new school) and have more options later. Check that that works at your new school for nursing, but it should.

I ran into something similar. My credits were from a school that used quarters instead of semesters. So if I took three quarters of something (English, for example) or 5 credits where the new school needs 3, then I was okay. Otherwise, it didn't work. It is frustrating.

Hm, I see why nursing schools won't take the biodiversity credit, they want body systems, cellular biology, genetics much more than ecosystems. It would probably work for a gen ed nat sci, but so does A/P so it doesn't really help you any. Bummer.

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