My Quest for Soul Searching....

[purpleapple428]

Hi all....having a bit of trouble here. Hopefully some of you guys can clear things up for me.

So, the low down:

Graduated with B.A in Communications. GPA: 3.15

Decided halfway through my degree I wanted to become a nurse.

Took Anatomy & Physio. B's in both.

Chemistry: B

Micro: took at another community college because I overloaded my final years in undergrad. Had to withdraw because the professor verbally abused me....my mental health was at risk.

W (from Micro) was on my transcript. Nursing school I was thinking about applying to (in Southern California) changed their admission policy. W's were considered as a "fail". Admission counselor told me that my 3 English classes would count as "fails" as well because I took one subject 3 times (my degree was liberal arts heavy).

So, I was told I would never be able to get into the program I was looking at.

I decided to pack my bags and move to Seattle. I currently provide administrative operational support in a mental health clinic.

I still go back and forth on trying again. But I have a few concerns:

-I'm afraid my transcript/previously "low GPA" will not be good enough for admission to programs

-Costs. I have $20k+ in loans from my undergrad. It's going to take me 10+ years to pay it off. I'm not sure if I want to add on $15k+ to my stack

-I also have Crohn's Disease....I've done really well with stress management. But sometimes if I don't manage my stress well, my flare ups can put me out of commission for a while.

-Not being able to work during school. Def depends on the program, but I feel like I need to work part time, but I'm afraid I would not be able to keep up.

I also worked as a CNA in CA, I'm almost cleared to CNA up here in Washington.

So Im stuck and need advice/kick in the pants. Do you think I could get back on and try again? I understand that nursing school is very demanding, but worth it in the end....considering doing ADN then bridging....but the costs...

HELP please!!

[guest517]

I think you should give it another try. Not all Nursing Schools are as selective as the one in California. Just based on your pre-reqs alone, you could easily get into an ADN program where I live. The cost issue might not be so negotiable , I know the prices on everything out west tends to be high. I think your GPA, as long as its 3.0 and up should be fine. Also most people who do Nursing Programs do work during school, rather it be part time or full time, most people don't really have a choice. I think you should take a leap of faith and try again. The first step would just be to apply, the worst that could happen is you get rejected lol which would make options much more simple.

Good Luck!!

[wildnursebrendan]

A lot of ADN programs want higher GPAs or have lottery systems that wouldn't guarantee you ever getting in. Most of the 2nd bachelors programs also have high GPA requirements. The curriculum is so accelerated that they need to weed out those who wouldn't make it. I had a 3.65 undergrad with a bunch of As and a couple Bs in the core prereqs, and got rejected from 4 schools before finally getting accepted into 1. I know at least 1 program had a hard cut off of a 3.3 cumulative GPA. If you had a 3.15 undergrad and all Bs in the science prereqs you might just have very low odds of getting into a program. The reality is it's very competitive and there are 100s and hundreds of other applicants each application cycle, and all it takes is 28 or so with better grades and everything else equal to bump you out. It sucks. Everyone will tell you to try anyways, and that's what I did and eventually got in, after 11 rejections from physician assistant programs and 4 rejections from nursing schools. Thousands and thousands of dollars and years later, I'm starting this January. It won't be particulary easy or fun, and it's kind of a gamble. But if you want to help people it's worth a shot. My advice is to try and get relatively comfortable with life for now. It's a lot easier to just "hope" you get into nursing school than to "need" it. I've been working 60 hours a week as a CNA per-diem to be able to take international vacations for months at a time, because I couldn't take the 36 hrs a week all year with no real vacations. Sorry that's a super long answer, but you put soul searching in the title so I figured I'd try and help. Good luck though. Keep an open mind and find a way to be happy no matter how life turns out.

[purpleapple428]

I appreciate the honesty. It's important to hear that sometimes. That is something that I'm very hesitant about....spending all of this time/money only to be rejected. But I will never know if I don't try!

I just moved to Seattle, so I'll give some time for myself to settle in and see if I want to get back on it.