I am a 29 year old woman who has a BA in interior architecture/design. I live in NYC and over the past year I have decided I want to become a nurse. I feel SO great about this decision and I have never wanted anything more in my life. I have been researching heavily for the past 8 months and I am currently on the path to taking all my pre-reqs at a community college in nyc starting this summer. Once all my pre-reqs are completed I will be applying to several Accelerated BSN programs throughout the country, but mostly in nyc. I will go anywhere that will accept me!!!
but lately I have been feeling pretty discouraged I know how hard it is to get into nursing school and how important your gpa is. I'm scared that it will be really hard for me to get into an accelerated bsn program because my gpa from my BA is only a 2.8
BUT the program I was in was VERY hard to get into and is so competitive [the top ranked interior architecture program in the country] and it was also a 5 year program. our PORTFOLIOS were what were most important NOT our gpa's and I was one of the top students in my class! just making it through that program with anything above a 2.5 was considered a huge accomplishment.
I guess what i'm looking for are any stories of people who got into programs relatively quickly, despite lower gpa's. I have some really great recommendation letters, my personal essay will be great, I'm doing volunteer work in a hospital, and I will HOPEFULLY get a 4.0 on all my pre-reqs as I know how important all A's will be!
I don't mind waiting a while to get into a program but i'm hoping i don't have to wait more than 2 years after i'm done with all my pre-reqs.
my other question is do you think schools will finally give you a chance if you apply like 4 times?! do they finally let you in if you meet all of their requirements and continue to apply for years?!
I need some encouragement. I really have never wanted anything more in my life and am willing to do whatever it takes to become a nurse!
I think it's really cool that you're going from architecture/design to nursing. Strangely, you are not the only one. I am in an accelerated program, and one of my classmates had a BA in architecture as well.
My impression of what these programs are looking for is how you have made the connections between the choices you've made in the past and your decision to become a nurse. With your art background, I imagine you have an interesting story which may make you a more interesting candidate.
Also, I think they really look for life experience. When it comes down to it, what you did academically as an undergrad will probably not apply to what you will do as a nurse. Accelerated programs tend to get an interesting bunch, so any jobs you have had, awards you've received, volunteer work you've done, and even the fact that you have a portfolio will be more interesting than whether or not you got an A in "History of Bau Haus." Your success as a creative individual with critical thinking skills that led you to nursing should be more important.
And then, if you can pull out mostly A ranges in your pre-reqs, you should be fine.
I'll be starting my Accelerated BSN program in June of this year. I'm 45 y/o, and had a 2.6 GPA in my undergrad degree (Chemical Engineering, 22+ year career). I applied, and was accepted with only a slight delay.
Points in my favor were:
Good GRE scores (1370).
16+ years as a volunteer paramedic (graduated 2nd in my program, 98.25% composite score).
4.0 GPA for all courses taken since 1991.
Strong resume and nursing goal statement.
Good recommendations from my EMS medical director & supervisor.
Even with the above "pluses", I had to obtain recommendations from my A&P and Microbiology profs. I did that, and also got a recommendation from my accelerated Intro to Psych prof.
It worked! Don't cut yourself short. If you're motivated, focused, and can express that clearly in your application, that will help a lot. Grades for courses taken since your undergrad degree are also critical. A's are best. You've got to prove yourself with recent grades for challenging courses.
Wait until after you ace the first test in a class before asking your prof for a recommendation.
I totally know how you guys feel! I too have a bachelors degree with a lower GPA: 2.8 and feel like crap for botching it up the first time around. I am now taking classes at a cc to improve my grades. Reading your stories has made me feel better. To the poster above me, why did you have to take the GRE test in order to get into an accelerated program? Its a BSN program right?
Good luck to all of you. At least I know I'm not the only person in this situation!
Ok, I had it really easy, obviously. I was 18 y/o, taking a CNA class to kill time and get some hands on before the ADN program accepted me. Told me at least a year before they could get me in actual nursing classes. I was gonna take prereqs (3 semesters) before going in. They called me 2 days before the nursing program was to start, had had several people drop out and I was in, did I want the spot? Yes, Yes! LOL, had to take all my prereqs in the program. I was taking at least 4 additional classes and my nursing classes. I think maybe I was the only ADN student to really do it all in 2 years! So maybe something along these lines will happen with you.
I know how hard it is to get into nursing school and how important your gpa is. I'm scared that it will be really hard for me to get into an accelerated bsn program because my gpa from my BA is only a 2.8 
kanzi monkey
618 Posts
Hey lullaby,
I think it's really cool that you're going from architecture/design to nursing. Strangely, you are not the only one. I am in an accelerated program, and one of my classmates had a BA in architecture as well.
My impression of what these programs are looking for is how you have made the connections between the choices you've made in the past and your decision to become a nurse. With your art background, I imagine you have an interesting story which may make you a more interesting candidate.
Also, I think they really look for life experience. When it comes down to it, what you did academically as an undergrad will probably not apply to what you will do as a nurse. Accelerated programs tend to get an interesting bunch, so any jobs you have had, awards you've received, volunteer work you've done, and even the fact that you have a portfolio will be more interesting than whether or not you got an A in "History of Bau Haus." Your success as a creative individual with critical thinking skills that led you to nursing should be more important.
And then, if you can pull out mostly A ranges in your pre-reqs, you should be fine.
Good luck!