I Feel Like A Failure But I Want to Succeed! Advice Needed Pls (in TX)

[msminatoo, BSN, RN]

OK, so ... I'm 23 years old and about to graduate with a BS in Public Health from a Texas University Spring '20. I was originally part of the Spring '19 class (I'll get into that explanation later). As we are here, in basically October 2019, I have no work experience other than 'working' with my parents in their clinic whenever I go home. My overall GPA is a 2.95, I believe (the portal is not working as I'm typing this).

I applied to two nursing programs for spring '18 (UTHSC in SA and Houston). SA denied me since I had more than 9 credits left and Houston denied me for whatever reason (lol if you know you know). At that time, my GPA was around 3.18. My mom convinced me to do pre-med requirements and I did. I declared a major, Public Health, and started the process of getting those requirements for med school. Those classes brought down my GPA and I don't want to call it depression, but I experienced a lot of self-doubts and just overall sadness of being rejected and now being in a position where I was not happy with myself, my actions, etc. As of Spring 2019, I've given up on pre-med/med school and focused on Public Health. I still want to eventually get my MPH, probably two with what I want to do with my life, but I think I want to reconsider nursing school again. I know there a quite a few Accelerated BSN programs in Texas and I've done minimal research since it's something that I've just started rethinking.

Do you guys have any advice on what I should do to make my applications stand out? This coming Spring, I'm only doing an internship (it's the last requirement of my degree), so if you guys have any suggestions on what I should that would help my public health internship AND help make my application stand out, please do.

PS I've taken the HESI A2 and TEAS in July of 2017 and got 92% and 86%, respectively.

When the portal is working again, I'll my GPAs (major, cumulative, and math/science)

Thank y'all soooo much in advance

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

1 hour ago, ladyfrofro said:

Those classes brought down my GPA and I don't want to call it depression, but I experienced a lot of self-doubts and just overall sadness of being rejected and now being in a position where I was not happy with myself, my actions, etc.

ABSN programs are just as competitive as traditional programs (less spots per class). Your first degree GPA needs to be competitive and you said that you had a 3.18 and now it is lower. In addition, ABSN programs are very fast paced and you need to have your personal life in order. My analogy is that ABSN programs are like driving down the highway with the gas pedal stuck to the floorboard. You get to your destination quickly, but it is a white knuckle ride the whole time.

[msminatoo, BSN, RN]

29 minutes ago, NICU Guy said:

ABSN programs are just as competitive as traditional programs (less spots per class). Your first degree GPA needs to be competitive and you said that you had a 3.18 and now it is lower. In addition, ABSN programs are very fast paced and you need to have your personal life in order. My analogy is that ABSN programs are like driving down the highway with the gas pedal stuck to the floorboard. You get to your destination quickly, but it is a white knuckle ride the whole time.

I've figured that just by looking at the program lengths. My personal life is no longer an issue. I know I'm not competitive based on my GPA. Are you saying I shouldn't bother or?

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

I am just advising that a fast paced program requires you to be able to comprehend the material quickly because they move through the material at a rapid pace. Only you can determine your capabilities of keeping up with the program.

[msminatoo, BSN, RN]

Yeah, I know I can do it. Especially since my family is able and willing to support me while I do this. My problem is getting together an application that competes because I know that I’ve messed up from start to basically finish for my first degree. I’m just looking for advice on what I can do from here on out since I can’t change what’s been done.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

You can find out what the school uses to rank students for admission, if the emphasis is on science GPA or pre-req GPA work on retaking those classes for a higher grade. If they use your cumulative GPA for your first degree, then there is not much you can do about that. I would sit down with someone at the nursing school and go over your grades and see if they have suggestions to improve your ranking.

[callinshotz, RN]

I found myself in a similar place. A BS in Healthcare studies trying to find the quickest route when all I needed to do from the very beginning was slow down. I can’t tell how many semesters I overpacked with classes and was going 90 m/hr making terrible grades. Who am I racing? SLOW DOWN. If you want to be a nurse, don’t attempt an ABSN. Go to community college. Then go to a university. Because we took premed classes, a bsn will be 10 courses long. Please please please listen to me. You are going way to fast and not allowing yourself to really retain any information from the classes you took. You are going to get into this ABSN and flunk out. Don’t do it. It’s going to be way too fast paced for you. Just please slow down and take a more scenic route from here on out. My goal since my senior year of college was to be an NP. As soon as I made my mind up I started looking for ABSN programs and the quickest fastest way to get there. My undergrad gpa was crap from cramming 7 subjects each semester and never retaining anything. What I really needed to do was slow down. So I decided to start at community college and work my way up. Just my 2 cents.