I just applied to the nursing program at the College of Brockport (in Rochester, NY) as a transfer. I have already completed my BS in biology from Cornell University with a 3.6.
I was rejected today, called, and they eventually sent me to the Dept. Chair for Nursing. She explained that they had SO many applicants for direct transfer, the only "fair" way to do it was to base the acceptance on GPA only. Nevermind the essay we had to write, or what school we went to, or our experience - GPA only.
I asked her if school was even considered, she said no. So I said "An applicant with a 3.7 from a community college would get priority over me with a 3.6 from an Ivy League school?" She said yes.
Am I the only one who thinks this is freaking ridiculous?? I could get a 4.0 from a community college with little to no effort if I wanted to. I'm just so angry at them right now.
You complain that it's not fair for them to go strictly on GPA. How is it fair that you had the means to attend a more expensive school, so you should get priority?
Like someone else stated, you're coming off as a snob.
It was an easy answer to their selection problems to set a GPA cutoff point and to blindly apply it. It would take effort and time to look at other criteria and they do not care to expend more energy or time on the process.
It can't be proven that a 4.0 CC student could get the same GPA at an Ivy League, but it also can't be proven that they couldn't. I was forced to go to a CC as my partner was relocated for military service and I wasn't considered instate, and couldn't afford to pay out of state rates for school. We later got married and I remained at the CC because it is a pretty good school and really close to my house. I have a great GPA here and would certainly keep that GPA at any school in the nation.
If getting a 4.0 at a cc were so easy everyone would do it, but they don't. Infact of all the CC students in my state that transferred to a 4 year school in 2008 (not the newest data)
less than 50 had a 4.0, that's 10's of thousands of students and less than 50 had a 4.0.
The school was certainly overwhelmed with applications and had to make the cut some where, it sucks that you got the axe, and I agree that your upper level courses should have been taken into consideration, but then again you should have applied as a ABSN where you would have been compared against other candidates that completed a BS or BA.
And please appericate the office being so candid with you, that way you know exactly why they didn't accept you so you don't waste your time on them again.
Callitoer - I agree that they did not want to spend more time or money on the process, which I think is unfair. Looking at everything would have yielded a better, more well-rounded class.
Trenia - anyone who makes the grades and applies themselves can attend a top school. It's called Financial Aid, and they are willing to pay for your entire education if you cannot. I do not have money to attend Cornell as you claim, Cornell just paid my entire way once I was accepted. So please don't pull the "you had the means to go here, we didn't" card.
Student4life - I agree, there has never been a large study to prove one way or the other, but again you are missing my point. I said Ivy League graduates are more well-rounded and better educated upon graduation. Whether or not the CC student is smarter is a moot point. Schools such as Cornell have better resources to provide a higher quality education, and that is a fact.
Just out of curiosity, have you ever been to a clinical? You do realize that you will have to clean feces and urine, make beds, etc? You're going to have to become a little more modest at some point, because your "I went to Cornell, I have a better education than everyone else" attitude is really not going to help you with nursing. (And no, the employers will not think you are better than all of the other applicants.)
You complain that it's not fair for them to go strictly on GPA. How is it fair that you had the means to attend a more expensive school, so you should get priority?
Like someone else stated, you're coming off as a snob.
Yeah, I agree with your point about expenses and such...many people attend community colleges because they are the easiest, most affordable, and most accessible places to take prerequisite courses. When it comes down to it, most of the prerequisite courses are basic courses that are taught the same way at almost every school, so I can only guess that's how SUNY Brockport looks at it. It wouldn't be fair to exclude someone just based on the school they attended.
With that being said, as someone else has already stated, I think for SUNY, GPA was the easiest way to accept applicants from such a large number. It's unfair that this was the only thing taken into consideration, but that's life; Sometimes things don't go you're way, and there isn't much you can do about it!
CC nurse or Uni nurse...I don't think it really matters. If you can prove that you've got what it takes to be a nurse -- which mostly comes down to use of practical skills and critical thinking--I think you have every right to be one!
I can understand your being upset at your rejection. They need to look at the overall student not what school they are transferring from. In my school a resident student has priority over a transferring student. It is what it is.
Your insult of community college students is not a fair assumption at all. More like a knee jerk emotional reaction. Not sure why you believe you are any better than anyone else because your education was more expensive. I'll tell you the same thing I tell my kids... "life's tough, wear a helmet."
Trenia - anyone who makes the grades and applies themselves can attend a top school. It's called Financial Aid, and they are willing to pay for your entire education if you cannot. I do not have money to attend Cornell as you claim, Cornell just paid my entire way once I was accepted. So please don't pull the "you had the means to go here, we didn't" card.
False. Even if someone was able to get a scholarship to a "better" college they might not be able to relocate in order to get there. As well as hundreds of other possible reasons.
I didn't go to CC, but I think it's an excellent way to handle prerequisites. Hopefully one day you'll mature up and get off that high horse. Maybe this rejection will knock you down some. I really hope you're able to change your attitude, because it's pretty off putting.
There is nothing elitist about working hard at a hard school and wishing others would recognize that. It is very unfair to see people barely studying and getting into nursing school over me just because they chose an easier school.
Yes, I'm sure all those people that got into the program instead of you barely studied just because they did their pre-requisites at a community college. Uh huh. No wonder the admissions officer said anything to get you off the line.
Someone once told me that a student from Brown said the Anatomy course she took at CCRI was the hardest course she had ever taken. At CC they try to weed students out by making some courses ridiculously time-consuming, such as Anatomy. More selective definately does not = more difficult.
Anyways, with a 3.6 you should be able to get into your pick of nursing programs, except this one apparently.
It can't be proven that a 4.0 CC student could get the same GPA at an Ivy League, but it also can't be proven that they couldn't. I was forced to go to a CC as my partner was relocated for military service and I wasn't considered instate, and couldn't afford to pay out of state rates for school. We later got married and I remained at the CC because it is a pretty good school and really close to my house. I have a great GPA here and would certainly keep that GPA at any school in the nation.
If getting a 4.0 at a cc were so easy everyone would do it, but they don't. Infact of all the CC students in my state that transferred to a 4 year school in 2008 (not the newest data)
less than 50 had a 4.0, that's 10's of thousands of students and less than 50 had a 4.0.
The school was certainly overwhelmed with applications and had to make the cut some where, it sucks that you got the axe, and I agree that your upper level courses should have been taken into consideration, but then again you should have applied as a ABSN where you would have been compared against other candidates that completed a BS or BA.
And please appericate the office being so candid with you, that way you know exactly why they didn't accept you so you don't waste your time on them again.
That's true. SiberianPuppy, did you apply to any ABSN programs? If you haven't, do so, because that will be your best shot at getting compared to similar candidates.
Sorry to hear about your situation SB. Sucks that the school picked students soley based on GPA and not considering the level of degree of your institution. Nursing is in a high demand right now because its quick school and awesome pay plus work hours, so I can see why they did that. But think of it this way, with your grades and credentials, you can easily gain admission to dental,pharmacy, and medical school.
Trenia
162 Posts
You complain that it's not fair for them to go strictly on GPA. How is it fair that you had the means to attend a more expensive school, so you should get priority?
Like someone else stated, you're coming off as a snob.