Hello everyone. I have been lurking around here for a while. I think I have read almost every post! Before I begin I want to apologize for the length of this post. I have a lot on my mind.
I am currently 27 (28 in a few weeks). I work at a law firm in Miami as a paralegal. I guess I have been at my current job for a little over 3 years now. I am absolutely miserable. I could cry right now. I want to be a nurse so badly, it is all I think about. (I've thought about it for the past several years, and I always find some way to talk myself out of it, or someone else does.) First, I have made a lot of poor choices in my college "career". Due to the fact that I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, being just plain irresponsible, and several deaths in my family, I dropped many classes or just gave up and received failing grades. In 2001 I decided to buckle down and take things seriously. I became an EMT-b. I received straight "A"s in that program and passed the State test with flying colors. However, reality soon hit me that I would make more money working at Costco than I would as an EMT. So I went back to the drawing board and ended up where I am at now. A paralegal.
Although I am very good at what I do, I hate every second of it. I cannot stand working for these attorneys. I am treated as though I am mentally inferior because I am not one them. I can't stand the way they laugh about "ruining someone's weekend" by filing a motion, or writing nasty letters to someone. I know I could go out and find another paralegal job, but that is not what I want to do with my life. I want to help people. I want to make a difference. I've always been fascinated with life and how medicines work. I know that I would excel at being a nurse.
The problem is that I messed up a lot in school. Upon reviewing my grades I saw that my GPA currently is around 2.3. I am so embarrassed! I wish I could go back in time and kick myself (really really hard). Luckily, perhaps, I still need to take all the pre-reqs to get into the nursing program. If I could get straight "A"s in the pre-reqs maybe that would help (albeit not very much). Is this possible? Can I get back on track and make into the nursing program? I don't have any children (except my cat) so I have more free time than a lot of other people that have made it through. I do have to work though. Fortunately at my job I can sneak in study time. I just need some encouragement. I have (had) a friend that is a nurse and she basically told me there is no way I could do it and she is so much smarter than me and it was hard for her so it will never work-out for me. (Nice.. I know.) I have the drive. I have already registered for 2 pre-reqs (human growth and development and ethics) and I am taking them on-line (big plus). I know its going to take a lot of time, and a lot of work, but I want this so badly. I am just so worried that I will take all these pre-reqs and then still not get accepted in the RN program. Perhaps I could apply to the LPN program and then bridge over to RN? I wish I had done this 10 years ago.
What do you guys think? If I want this bad enough, and I work hard enough, will it pay off? Or are my past mistakes going to come back to haunt me? Should I just start looking for another paralegal job?
No, absolutely not! I don't think it's too late for you to go into nursing. First, you need to have a little more confidence in yourself. I necessary don't think your nurse friend is smarter than you. She just has more experience in the nursing field and with time you can get there to. I'm sure if you asked her about legal issues or the law she would not sound as smart. The critical thinking skills you have acquired as a paralegal will pay off in nursing. Not everyone knows what they want to do right out of high school. Some of us need more time due to: prioritizing what's important, financial reasons, hardships, etc. In regards to your grades, do well in your prereq's, possibly A's. Work hard to get those A's and that will boost your cumulative GPA. I believe you have what it takes to become an RN. You'll hear a lot of advice along the way in becoming a nurse; do not let anyone be your NO! :wink2:
By the way my cumulative GPA was a 3.0 and too many W's early on in my academic career. Mind you in Cali, were the competition is at an all time high. My pre-reqs were a solid 3.8. Schools really take in consideration your current college work(load and grades). I took Anatomy, Physio. and Growth & Develop. separately but within the same semester. Micro in the summer. I passed with A's and 1 B in those four classes. I was determined and it showed in my grades and in my answers to those questions in my nursing application (Why do you want to be a nurse...). Write strong answers because GPA points based schools, do look at them. Just my .
It's never too late. Your "friend" is not doing you any favors by discouraging you. She should be ashamed of herself!
You have been given some great advice regarding how to raise your GPA. Believe in yourself and you can do anything :) You should go after your goal. No one should have to stay in a career they are miserable in!
I say that we should listen to the naysayers. Today, I was telling my grandmother about all the classes I needed to take. She said, maybe you should forget this--you aren't getting any younger.
Huh??? I said, how old were you when you got your R.N. She said, "50." I said, I'll be about 42, what's your point?
Kimba! It's NEVER too late. My mom became an LPN in her 40s, and now she is a very successful care plan nurse (and a supervisor to boot). I am 31, going on 32. I, like you, had a lot going on during my early years in college (back in 94-96). Im a straight A student now, and I have brought up my GPA to a 3.0. Even so, I was ONLY able to go up to a 3.0 (so far), that's how bad I was back then! I had 9 F's and many W's. I was on probation for years. I was able to apply for academic amnesty at MDC and they deleted any class that was over 10 yrs old. I just finished Chem + Lab and MAT1033 with a 4.0.
Fall semester Im taking A&P I then II in January, and I will be applying for the May 1st deadline. And I will also have an AA.
If you need support, PM me..we can exchange #'s. I live in Hallandale beach (on my own) and it's been a long, hard road to get to where I am now.
Never give up on your dreams.
I like to "visiualize" myself with a diploma walking across a stage in cap and gown. I daydream a lot like that, it keeps me going.
Also this forum helps me to stay nursing oriented while Im off until end of Aug. I try to breathe nursing everyday...keeps me going.
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
First thing you need to do is rid yourself of the toxic people in your life...first on the list should be that so called friend. One of my best friends is an RN and she has been nothing but encouraging. I am a lot like you, sucky grades first time around (I failed computer keyboarding~! How the hell do you fail computer keyboarding?!).
There are schools that only look at the grades of your pre-reqs and some that give a small consideration to your cumulative. Either way, you are an older student, which is attractive to most schools and you are serious.
Its never too late to be what you might have been. Go for it.
I just wanted to drop you a line and tell you that I am in the excat boat as you. I am 25, married, have a 2 yr old, and work full time. When I was in high school (i lived in florida) I too did dual enrollment. I was soo concerned with being a teenager, that I completely screwed up my transcripts. NOw 8 yrs later, I am starting my pre-reqs in tulsa, oklahoma with a 1.59 gpa. Now, alot of people think I have lost my mind, but I have not. I know without a doubt that I am more than smart enough to get my gpa up enough to get accepted to nursing school. I don't care how much I have to study, how many questions I have to ask, it doesn't matter, because I want more than anything to be an RN. I just really wanted to let you know that your not alone. We can do this together. Just shoot me a message. Good Luck and God Bless:D
Voila! You now have a second chance to fulfill your dream! You're going to take prerequisites and maybe take some older courses (that you did crappy in the first time) over. You're going to work your butt off and pull as many "A" grades as possible. You're going to apply to every feasible school. And some school, somewhere, is going to just look at all those wonderful pre-reqs and notice what a fine nurse you're going to make. What's that sound? Ah yes, the sound of the mailman delivering your acceptance letter. :)
Seriously, you can do it, as others have said. You have the motivation and the maturity to do great. So go for it! I say this as someone who spent 10 hellish years working for attorneys in a large firm. Boy, you and I could probably trade stories. I wouldn't go back to work for them for anything!
So keep your eye on the prize, and when some atturkey is trying to make you feel small, look past him/her and smile as you picture yourself handing in your resignation. So that you can attend NURSING SCHOOL!
Keep in touch and let us know how it goes. The wonderful people on this board know exactly what you're going through.
Go For It!!! I screwed my youth too. I received my AA degree last May and will be applying for this RN program this Spring 2009. I am 41 years old!!!! It's never too late and I have 4 kids and still manage a 3.8GPA!!!!
Word of advice: Seek out a really good counselor and re take the classes you failed or received poor grades in and petition to have those grades changed after passing with A's. I did and this helps your boost you GPA significantly... Good Luck
Have you considered the LPN program at Robert Morgan or any of the other vocational technical colleges in Miami-Dade (check in the Miami-Dade public school system website)? Your entrance is based on your TABE test, NET test and a few other minor hoops. The program covers much of what you would then need to move onto your RN with only 2-4 pre-reqs depending on what you may want to try to transfer from your past college career. It's a thought.
Please don't give up on your dream. If you look at my old posts you will see that I had an undergraduate GPA of 2.29! I have been taking my pre-requisites for the past 2 1/2 years while working at a job I hate and was accepted into an Accelerated BSN program starting in September.
This was not my first choice, but so what I am in. I am quitting my job in two and 1/2 weeks from now and will be done by Christmas 2009!
Don't give up! If you can't stand it get another job in the mean time but start your prerequisites and do your best. I earned straight A's in all to prove my self to the schools.
I am 43, you are just a pup. If you don't start now you will only look back and regret time wasted.
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luluelleN
24 Posts
No, absolutely not! I don't think it's too late for you to go into nursing. First, you need to have a little more confidence in yourself. I necessary don't think your nurse friend is smarter than you. She just has more experience in the nursing field and with time you can get there to. I'm sure if you asked her about legal issues or the law she would not sound as smart. The critical thinking skills you have acquired as a paralegal will pay off in nursing. Not everyone knows what they want to do right out of high school. Some of us need more time due to: prioritizing what's important, financial reasons, hardships, etc. In regards to your grades, do well in your prereq's, possibly A's. Work hard to get those A's and that will boost your cumulative GPA. I believe you have what it takes to become an RN. You'll hear a lot of advice along the way in becoming a nurse; do not let anyone be your NO! :wink2: