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.
I do acknowledge they are different. I took classes at Brown (my first semester in College), transferred to a UC and finished some nursing prereqs at a CC. The biggest difference I encountered, was the cost of education and classroom size. Education is great, but it certainly does not guarantee success. I think I can list well over a dozen examples how your educational institution has little reflection as to your potential and no, I'm not going to write them all out. It's a shame, as an educator, that you have such a strange view on education. It's not something I expected to see from a teacher.
Wow, you obviously don't read posts thoroughly. I NEVER said that certain colleges guarentee success nor did I say that certain institutions have anything to do with potential.
As a teacher, if a student were to come to me and ask me should he or she attend a CC or an Ivy league school notwithstanding a money issue, do you really think that the best advice would be to suggest a CC?
"Strange view on education"...more like a REALISTIC view of education.
And as an educator I'm extremely aware when students don't understand stuff and just don't get it... AND You just don't get it.
Quit while your ahead because your arguments just don't make sense.
That is really uncalled for and rude. I do have a realistic view and I read your post fully. Please do not put me down or try to stop me from expressing my view. How terribly rude of you to stop me from speaking my mind. Do you do that your students when they disagree with you? I sure hope you have tenure.
I went to a community college once, I made a 4.0 by barely doing anything. You are VERY wrong if you think Anatomy classes are the same everywhere. Tougher schools work students much harder, everyone knows that, and I can attest to it first hand. You cannot honestly tell me you believe every community college student who made an A in Anatomy at their school could make an A in Anatomy at Cornell, Harvard, Stanford, Duke, etc. Maybe they could, but it is much less likely, and I guarantee many would fail. Top schools are much, much more rigorous. If community college graduates came out as well-educated as Ivy League/Top School graduates, company recruiters such as Google, Cisco, GlaxoSmithKline, etc. would have job fairs at community colleges instead. Rather, they hold them at better schools so they can have better, more educated employees.
I suppose I am used to applying to schools where admissions committees actually take time to review applications and make decisions based on the well-rounded characteristics of each applicant. This cut and dry world of "Top GPA = better" is ridiculous, and why you will not find such a policy at any top institutions in the world.
"Better" employees come from Ivy Leagues? Wow. I never considered Cornell an Ivy anyway, but...
this doesnt have much to do with the thread but does in some way...
someone mentioned only the best get it.....last year while taking a couple of pre reqs,a class mate who had been taking some the semester before befriended a woman who was in her 50s and taking pre reqs as well...she had tutors and had accommodations to take her test in another room with umlimited time...by just talking with her you could tell she had some sort of learning disability....now...i am no way being judgmental toward any students with learning disabilities,my own son has a mild one....but would one consider this woman to be the best candidate?...she did get in to the RN program,started the first semester and dropped out...she couldnt handle it...
i did meet her a few times and even though she is a very nice woman,i would think twice about her as a nurse...sorry..just sayin...that is why i think personal interviews are so important as well....
Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.
Reopening thread.
Please do not post to where it puts down one education over another. It's like, "I have a BSN and am more important than you with the ADN". It's the same thing; University, Community College, ADN, BSN.
We are ALL nurses. Period. We should be more supportive of one another.
There are plenty of nursing schools out there that do look at more than just a straight GPA. If the advisors and counselors at Cornell can't help you find one of those schools, you can actually go to your local community college for some advice on where to apply and which schools are going to provide the kind of education and support you are looking for. Word of mouth can help you move on to the right place.
This thread made me rethink how hard community college is. How easy is it to get a 4.0 GPA in community college? Well 1 in 200 students in my state that transfers from a community college to a 4 year school has a 4.0, so its not that easy.
Of course this includes a few assumptions as I dont have the grades for all 9,702 students that transfered, but I do know that 50 transfer scholarships based soley on GPA were handed out and the cut off was 3.93 (so I assumed all 50 were 4.0).
Also I only have the instate transfer data, I am sure a few students that transfered out of state had 4.0's. But I am sure the ratio is pretty accurate for any transfer student as it doesn't take much to ruin a 4.0.
That being said, all of you out there that are worried about not getting into school because you don't have a 4.0, don't. If my state is a decent sample, it is highly unlikely that there are multiple applicants to your school with a 4.0.
School is awesome and I am glad all of us are going, as long as its not a for-profit (just kidding, but please be careful with those guys, there are some shady ones out there mixed in with the good ones).
I think that although I attend a CC get my pre reqs done that I am very blessed to be there.
First its the students. We all have a goal to work in the healthcare field, whether it is nursing or pharmacy or whatever. All of my classmates have different academic backgrounds. Some have no degree, some have bachelors and some have masters too. All ranging from state schools to private to ivy league. We are all are working toward the same goal. I wonder why these people didn't do their pre reqs at there hot shot schools. I don't know. But there here with the rest of us working our butts off. Some of them think the CC classes are easy, some say that its one of the hardest classes they have ever taken.
Second, its the professors. I'm so glad I am going somewhere that maybe cheap but I have.professors that actually care. They want us to know the material so we can succeed in our respective programs. They bend over backwards for us. They hold almost unlimited office hours. They hold review sessions on Saturdays. They know we applying to rigorous programs so they even take the material and put.it in NCLEX format. I mean how awesome is that?
So if I had do it all over again? Would I choose a private school or ivy league over where I'm at now?
I'd rather have a 3.6 Cornell grad as my nurse than 4.0 Community College grad any day of the week.
This is where you lost me SP. I have been a nurse for 24 years, graduated at the top of my class, am considered an advanced clinical expert in my field, am well-respected by my peers, am a frequent speaker, published and I am...gasp... a diploma grad! I can guarantee you if you were ever my patient you would get absolutely top-notch care despite the fact that I do not have a degree. Once you become a nurse you will discover that your real education starts on the first day of your nursing career. Your GPA will matter little because it has absolutely no relation to what kind of nurse you will be. I have worked alongside people with degrees from respected instituions who were terrible nurses and some who were great. The same can be said about CC grads. I'll go further to say that your education never will end if you push yourself to never stop learning. Sadly some nurses are content with the status quo and they limit themselves because of it.
That being said, I believe that the GPA should be the last thing nursing schools should be looking at to determine who they admit. I believe all areas should be examined including a personal interview because it gives a more global, for lack of a better term, assessment of the candidate. Unfortunately most schools today are looking for the easy way out and you were the victim of this "easy" way. I agree with the others who suggest you search for a direct-entry program to reach your goal. You will likely be more happy with this type of education and the type of students it attracts. May I also make a gentle suggestion? The responses you received on this board are pretty reflective of the responses you will receive from your co-workers if you approach them the same way you presented yourself here. You will have to work with people who have many levels of education. If, as a new nurse, you give them an inkling that you think you are better educated than they are they will make your life a living hell. You may think it's no big deal but trust me it will become a huge deal that could very well affect you not only personally but professionally.
Cathylady
375 Posts
Wow, you obviously don't read posts thoroughly. I NEVER said that certain colleges guarentee success nor did I say that certain institutions have anything to do with potential.
As a teacher, if a student were to come to me and ask me should he or she attend a CC or an Ivy league school notwithstanding a money issue, do you really think that the best advice would be to suggest a CC?
"Strange view on education"...more like a REALISTIC view of education.
And as an educator I'm extremely aware when students don't understand stuff and just don't get it... AND You just don't get it.
Quit while your ahead because your arguments just don't make sense.