My chances and options. Please help! Opinions and advice wanted!

[murseing]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum, and I'm searching for some opinions and options as I try my darnedest to try to get accepted into nursing school. I encourage every person to be as truthful and blunt as possible with my options and choices. Nursing is something I want to do soooo bad, and if climbing Mount Everest is the only option then let me get my ice pick and snow boots. Let me bring give you up to date on my credentials thus far, that way your more accurately able to see if you can help me, or if I can even be helped (lol).

High School /Graduated in 2011

Cumulative GPA-2.85

ACT-first try 18, second try 19

I was involved in a lot of extra curricular activities, but other than that I just hated high school.

College /Attended Alice Lloyd College from Fall 2011 to Spring 2012

Cumulative GPA-0.9

I was a first generation college student. I'm the first one in my family to see the inside of a college classroom. I started off pretty well and had a 3.8 GPA in the first quarter. I also did a lot of volunteer work.

I had a horrible first semester in college. I had a lot issues with my roommate smoking pot, which I would not tolerate. I also ended up consuming a lot of alcohol. I withdrew in the first quarter of my second semester and ended up with WP and WF for my classes.

What I'm currently doing: I am working as a dietary aide at the county senior citizen center. I just finished EMT-B classes and passed the class with an 85%. I took the class at a local ambulance service.

So, have at it. Let me know if I should just put a fork in myself and be done with college life, or go back and try again. I am open for opinions and options to help myself, since everyone in my family has their own personal dilemmas to deal with and is unable to give good advice.

I am currently thinking about taking online classes through the local community college, but I don't know how this will look when applying to nursing school.

My overall goal is to try and get into nursing school and any and all options and opinions on what I should/shouldn't do to accomplish this goal is encouraged.

[cass1320]

I think you're a little hard on yourself. That being said, it is always good to be realistic about your goals. I would take a very hard look at your successes and failures and evaluate what works for you. You are clearly an intelligent and ambitious person, but I think from what you've mentioned that you might not be a very good traditional learner. What about high school and your college classes did you find difficult? Do you need a lot of motivation to get things done? Do you study independently? From the sound of things, I'm not sure if online classes would really be a good fit for you. Most community colleges offer a study skills class for incoming students. This could be a great way to better evaluate the kind of learning that works best for you.

I won't lie to you, you definitely have an uphill battle ahead of you. Nursing school admissions are very competitive, and your current GPA is not going to cut it. My best advice would be to figure out where you've been going wrong before you dish out any more money and continue your extra-curricular/volunteer participation and find a job as an EMT or something else in the healthcare field (CNA, patient care tech, lab tech etc.). If you're really serious about achieving this goal, then I think you'll find a way to make it happen!

[umbdude, MSN, APRN]

I'm thinking that you did not end up getting a college degree from Alice Lloyd College with a 0.9 GPA. A bad start at college is very common, and as long as you increase you grades from now on then you should be good. It is very hard though....and will require your full commitment.

Taking online courses from community college is fine, but for science courses try to take them in person. The lab component requires you to be present anyway. But it's a good idea to go to a community college to pull your grades up. Good luck.

[Compassion_x]

Don't give up yet, you've barely begun!