I don't feel smart enough for nursing school??

BSN 4th Year · Nov 6, 2016

I am a man in my 40's who barely graduated high school a lifetime ago in 1989. When I decided to enter the RN program in Canada I found out with 500+ applicants for the 72 seats per year I would need all A's in my prerequisite just to have a chance to get in. It was hard work but I accomplished it and so can you. I am now in my fourth year of the BSN program, and even though I too have had some challenges along the way I am excited to say that I am almost there. A couple of suggestions would be to form study groups for the subjects you find most challenging. You will find people that are in the same boat as you. For me that was Pathology; our group of 5 met weekly, deciding the content and working through it each week. I was definitely the person who found understanding some of the concepts very challenging. That been said I have made the deans list for the last two years :) The other suggestion is use your professors. Book office hours with them weekly if you have to until you have a firm grasp of the subject. Find the right prof's, which in my experience has been everyone of them. My desire to learn and drive has been evident and has got me to where I am today. I foolishly decided to challenge myself with a more difficult non nursing elective in my program. You need two of these in my program. I think I am about at a C - right now. I am currently meeting that prof weekly until I have once again got on top of this subject. Third do not be afraid to ask questions in class. When the prof asks, "Does everyone understand?" if you do not,raise your hand and ask, still do not quite get it, ask a more specific question. You are spending good money to learn. Trust me, if I can make it through this program, anyone who works hard can. Well it may be the weekend but these Spanish Verbs are not going to conjugate themselves. Best of Luck, do not let it get you down, if it does, take a break, go for a run, burn off some stress in a healthy manner and get back to what you need to do. Trust me, you have got this :) I look forward to working with you some day!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 6, 2016

I would conjecture that the vast majority of nurses and nursing students have very average intelligence levels.

Based on the odds, you are 'smart' enough for nursing school. In fact, most people are. It is other issues, such as life's distractions and/or a lack of study skills, that results in poor grades and a failure to reach one's full potential.

Good luck to you!

luvmyc · Nov 6, 2016

I didn't at all feel smart enough when I started nursing school and I had very little confidence. When I originally started nursing school at 19, I ended up leaving after a year on academic probation. When I went back at 28, I ended up graduating on the deans list. So have some confidence. You can do it! Just don't give up.

smartassmommy · Nov 6, 2016

Anatomy is a pain in the gluteus maximus. It's making me feel like the village idiot.

Exhuasted · Nov 8, 2016

First of all, as for the cliques, it really sucks but it's very common. You just have to really work to overlook it and be the more mature one.

Now on to grades. In my program they say that quizzes should give you some ideas of what you need to focus on when studying for your test. So maybe anything you missed on that quiz will help you see what you need to work on. The best advice I can offer is to try out as many different study/learning techniques as you can and try to find what works best for you personally, since everyone learns differently. If you find that one method isn't helping, don't waste your time on it, move on to something else. I don't know how different LPN school is from RN school, but for RN school a lot of times if you can get a firm grasp on the patho of a condition it will really help you understand everything else relating to the condition. In your studying constantly ask yourself "why?", don't just try to memorize, try to understand. Don't just remember A leads to B and B leads to C, try to learn A leads to B BECAUSE this and this and this happens, and then after B this and this happens which causes C. Does that make sense? Try to learn the why and the how, not just the what. I promise it will help. And it may help you to study with a partner who you can talk out the information with. I know that helps me. Ask each other questions, come up with scenarios, maybe even google some case studies for the topic.

mzsuccess · Nov 9, 2016

Guys I just don't know. I took another test and scored 77 and need 80 to pass.

NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN · Nov 9, 2016

Guys I just don't know. I took another test and scored 77 and need 80 to pass.

Review the questions that caused you to fall short of 80. What about those questions caused you to select an incorrect answer? Compare the differences in your answers and the correct answers. Keeping thinking about it until you make the connection and reach that ah-ha moment where you finally see/understand why your answer was wrong.