In LPN Program - Denied Acceptance into ADN Program

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I will be finished with the LPN program in about 5 weeks. I am passing all my classes with the required grades, but I was not accepted into the ADN program because my GPA for my nursing and science courses is a 2.43 and you need a 2.5. They told me I would have to get my LPN license and then apply for the advanced nursing degree, which I would have to wait until the summer to start. The ADN program continues right after the LPN program. My question is, since I am so close to what I need for my GPA should I ask that an exception be made? It just seems a little ridiculous to me for them to deny me entry when I have spent so much time and money and for such a small fraction of a point. If they still tell me know should I take this to the dean? I just think this is wrong what they are doing, or should I just say nothing and suck it up? I'm really frustrated, confused, and disappointed. Any help would be greatly appreciated 

Specializes in PACU.

They set a bar at the minimum and you didn't meet it. No amount of complaining will probably get them to overlook that. It's not fair to all the others who DID meet that GPA (and above).

Was 2.5 for guaranteed admission to the ADN?

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More and more often, I see people who did not achieve the minimum standard.....did not meet minimum requirements.....did not qualify....were not eligible.....yet feel quite sure that an exception should be made because they worked hard (according to them, anyway).

I wonder how much of this is because our society has raised a generation of people with the belief that if you show up, you deserve a Participation Award. If you competed, you should get a trophy, even if you placed 25th in the race. And, it seems, if your grades aren't good enough to get into a competitive program, exceptions should be made.....because you really REALLY would like the grades set aside because....you want it.

OP, it's unfortunate that you didn't achieve the minimum grades required for the program you want to enter. Reality is that if you HAD the minimum grades eligible to apply, you wouldn't be likely to get in since your competition isn't likely to have just the minimum.

Become an LPN. Pass the NCLEX, get a job and work hard at it to gain valuable experience. MAKE yourself a viable candidate for that ADN program, so that when you apply you will know you deserve to be there, and JUST as important everyone else (instructors included!) will know you deserve to be there as well. Right now, you do not deserve it.

Sometimes the journey is longer than we want, sometimes it takes some detours, but if you play by the rules you might just win by them :)

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I have a 4.0 GPA and was turned away because there were tons of people with 4.0 and had higher "points" than me (like 3 points higher) so I'm gonna tell you what my spouse told me, "suck it up Buttercup."

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I'm going to have to agree with the others here. You didn't meet the required minimum GPA, so you do not qualify. I'd be very surprised if you didn't know what the requirements were to continue on. You didn't perform as expected, but you still have a path forward. Get your LVN, find some reasonably decent work and apply for the bridge program. When you enter the bridge program, you'll have at least some experience and hopefully have solidified your basic nursing knowledge. Then you'll have some idea what you don't know and that should (hopefully) fuel your drive to continue learning and prove to them that you're able thrive in their RN program.

For now, it's probably just not worth it to challenge the GPA requirement because that's their minimum and they're going to stick to it.

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

As our program administrator says, just because you meet the bare minimum, it doesn't guarantee acceptance. The average accepted candidate usually has a much higher GPA than the minimum. In this case, you didn't make the minimum. Historically, those that struggle in pre-reqs, struggle in nursing school. There's a reason why those classes are required and you need that solid foundation to continue your nursing education.

I would definitely not ask for an exception. It is not warranted in this situation. Finish your LPN and apply to the bridge program. A few months may seem like a "long time" right now, but it really isn't in the grand scheme of things.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I can imagine you are disappointed but your GPA was too low to be admitted into the program. No amount of begging or whining will get you into the program. They have their standards for a reason. What if 2.5 was the cut off for a test & you failed the LPN program? You can't always feel so entitled & expect to be handed things.

You didn't make it in this time, not everyone is accepted the first time. Finish the LPN program, pass your NCLEX & work. Time will fly & before you know it you will be applying to the bridge program.

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Even if your GPA met the 2.5 minimum, there's still a strong chance you'd be denied admission. Although a 2.5 GPA is the bare minimum that meets admissions requirements, be mindful you will be competing against numerous applicants with GPAs of 3.5+ who may or may not be accepted.

My former coworker had a 4.0, but was still rejected at one particular school because so many other candidates with 4.0 GPAs had applied that particular year, leaving no room for her.

I have also read of schools that turn away applicants with 4.0 GPAs due to the surplus of 4.0 GPA applicants. There are a lot of applicants between 4.0 and 2.5, for any program.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

To echo others; get your license as a LPN, tweak with your GPA, then go for it or bridge.

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UPDATE: I signed up to take the NCLEX right away and was able to get my LPN license before the semester started. I passed with the minimum number of questions. We had a change of directors for the program and the requirements were not made very clear to the students. The director of nursing changed the admission policy to determine the student's GPA based off of the nursing prerequisite science courses and the student's GPA for the classes taken during the last part of the LPN program. Originally, the classes taken during the last part of the semester were not included when determining the student's GPA. Because of this change, and the fact that I had gotten my LPN license, I was able to continue on to the ADN program and my GPA was satisfactory. I did have to repeat one nursing class when I first started the program and that is what brought my GPA down. I took the class again and was successful. No, I do not have straight As, but I work very hard in nursing school and I study very hard. I put forth my absolute best effort and still sometimes only get a C. I would rather put my blood, sweat, and tears into a C then be someone who doesn't study and gets an A.

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OrganizedChaos,

I did not beg and whine. I do not feel entitled to anything and I have never in my life had anything handed to me. I was already accepted into nursing school and the program was designed to flow seamlessly from LPN to RN. Please don't make such judgements about me. I came here for advice and support. Not to be ripped apart. Thanks.

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