Non-nursing degree (low GPA/stats) to accelerated BSN program?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I fooled around in school, which brought down my GPA to a 2.65. I have no volunteer/research experience and no letters of recommendation--just a degree in Biological Sciences.

I've made my mind about Nursing and did some research. I found that people like me with a non-nursing degree can get their BSN in about a year through an accelerated BSN program.

With my GPA and low stats, it seems like a hard program for me to get into. I have a bad feeling that I might as well throw my degree down the toilet. AM I SOL (**** outta luck?) What are my options toward getting a BSN using the degree I have now?

All feedback is appreciated. Thanks guys.

Specializes in MICU.

Thanks so much. Yes this does help me.

I was reading on another thread that most schools use your degree-granting-undergrad institute as your cumlative GPA. So even if one were to get a 4.0 GPA in grad. school or poat-bacc they wouldn't even consider it if your undergrad GPA did not make the cut-off. I am starting to call the list of shools on my short-list to confirm this and so far University of Detroit says that your GPA on your undergraduate institute transcript must say 3.0 or higher for them to consider you. I will try to add more schools later. Also, if anyone knows any schools that do/do not do this then please post them. I am glad I found this out in time because it is too expensive to waist money on schools that wont even look at your application. However, for anyone that does have an undergrad GPA above 3.0 you should probably consider U of D because their application is free.:D

Hi Everyone! I'm in a similar messed-up-my-gpa-when-I-was-younger situation. I am ust now in the process of applying. I've done a ton or research regarding GPA admissions requirements, and thought I'd share...

My situation regarding my GPA is that I went off to school and totally bombed. I got my act together, and went back to school and did really well. So that leaves me with a GPA from the school I graduated from of 3.86, but only a 3.0001 cumulative GPA. I've done lots of research into various schools and how they calculate, and this is what I've learned...

While my absolute cumulative GPA is a 3.0001, not all schools transfer all credits or +/- grades, so I can't count on that 3.0001. Many schools have absolute minimum GPA requirements. At these schools, they would never see that my first transcript was just a fluke, because my application will go straight in the garbage! Because of this, have to choose carefully. I have found a few schools that only require a 2.5, a few that look at your last 60 credits, and even some that use only your GPA from your degree-granting school. There's even one school that will allow you to send a letter petitioning that they disregard a particular transcript.

I also have checked into whether they care where you complete prerequisites. For example, UC Denver does not accept credits from community colleges, but I didn't run into a problem with other schools. Most said that they don't care either way as they haven't found it to be an indicator of a student's success in their programs.

I have the flexibility to relocate, so I've researched schools coast to coast. If anyone wants specifics, just let me know!

Good luck to everyone!

Re: The Bolded part at CU Denver, are you sure about this? I am just getting ready to finish my pre reqs, I'm really hoping to go there, when I contacted them about pre reqs they gave me sheets for what courses to take at each college they accepted credits from and all CCs in CO were on the list. Is it that they simply won't accept them, period, or that they just don't usually admit students with CC pre reqs? I was going to take my pre reqs at CCD b/c it is easier for me to get into those classes since I work FT and they are more friendly towards non-traditional student. This has me a little worried :uhoh3:

Jamie wrote:

"I am just getting ready to finish my pre reqs, I'm really hoping to go there, when I contacted them about pre reqs they gave me sheets for what courses to take at each college they accepted credits from and all CCs in CO were on the list. Is it that they simply won't accept them, period, or that they just don't usually admit students with CC pre reqs?"

Neither is the case. CU Denver does accept credits from the community colleges, and they repeatedly encourage people with previous degrees to do their prerequisite work through the community college system. People at information sessions with CU always ask this question, and always receive that answer.

Just a note on that list: minimum GPA for application doesn't necessarily indicate minimum GPA for acceptance. UNC doesn't *require* a GPA higher than 3.0 to apply, but their lowest GPA for acceptance last year was, I believe 3.4 or 3.5.

Dina

Hi Jamie! When I was researching schools in the spring, there was a statement on the prereqs page saying that prereqs had to be completed at a 4 year college or university. I really wanted UC Denver, but CC was my only local option so I called to clarify and was told they wouldn't transfer so I didn't apply.

BUT NOW their website just says that prereqs must be completed at an accredited college or university. It definitely sounds like you don't have to worry about the CC thing anymore. I think it's great news and believe me, if I'd known earlier I would have applied myself!

Good luck to you!

Has anyone taken the TEAS test as yet? I am a little nervous about the reading section. How long are the passages? Are they longer than 26 sentences, which is roughly 5 paragraphs?

Thanks.

Hi Dina - I am confused as to whether prerequisites need to be completed prior to application or if they can be ongoing, and am hoping you can help...

Your website's Deadline Information page states "all coursework must be completed before applying", so that's what I was going with. But then, on the Prereqs page, it recommends filling out a prereq self evaluation along with the application, and the instructions are to "Complete all parts of the form, including specific information for courses that are in progress or planned for a future semester."

Could you clarify for me? Thanks so much!

Specializes in Stepdown.

I'm in an opposite situation to a lot of you here. I went to one school for undergrad where I didn't adjust well my first two years(pretty bad GPA), my last 2 years, I managed to finish my undergrad with 3.18. Then when I took my pre-reqs at community college, I managed to get a 4.0, and I have 2 classes left. Also, during undergrad I retook some classes I received D's in. But most colleges count the original grades and the new grades, not just the new grades. So that hurts me a lot.

Does anyone know a school that counts only the new retake grade? I have a 3.18 undergrad with these retakes counted only. Also a 4.0 pre-req gpa. I really want to do Accel BSN, but I am scared my undergrade GPA will totally take me out of the running.

Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.
I'm in an opposite situation to a lot of you here. I went to one school for undergrad where I didn't adjust well my first two years(pretty bad GPA), my last 2 years, I managed to finish my undergrad with 3.18. Then when I took my pre-reqs at community college, I managed to get a 4.0, and I have 2 classes left. Also, during undergrad I retook some classes I received D's in. But most colleges count the original grades and the new grades, not just the new grades. So that hurts me a lot.

Does anyone know a school that counts only the new retake grade? I have a 3.18 undergrad with these retakes counted only. Also a 4.0 pre-req gpa. I really want to do Accel BSN, but I am scared my undergrade GPA will totally take me out of the running.

Do you have any schools in mind? I'm similiar to you, in that I have a 3.1 gpa from my undergrad and still in the process of taking my prereqs and my gpa is about 3.5 so far. I'm confident that I will get into the Accelerated BSN program I'm looking at. I constantly talk to the Advisor over there to make sure I'm good with everything else. They have accepted students with a undergrad gpa of 3.0 (which is the minimum). The only thing they are strict on and won't budge on is the minimum gpa requirements. They won't look at anyone who has less than a 3.0 gpa. My advice to you is contact the school you want to go to and don't be afraid to ask lots of questions, even concerning gpa requirements, and their acceptance rates.

Hi Dalsor! I think Mzchas has given some great advice. I would definitely recommend calling each of the schools you are interested in, telling them your situation/concerns, and seeing what options you have. There were several instances where I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a school's formula for calculating GPA worked in my favor, and I never would have known if I hadn't called and asked the questions.

As far as calculating GPA on retakes, I KNOW that some schools will use only the better retake grade (they told me when I called) but I honestly don't remember which one's... Sorry I can't give you specifics, but hopefully knowing they are out there makes you feel better:)

I don't know where you are, or if you have geographic limitations...but another suggestion I have for you is to look for programs that calculate GPA based on the last 45-60 credit hours, then you'll have the benefit of your recent prereq grades without your initial poor grades counting against you.

Also, there are some programs that look only at prereq GPA and others that calculate GPA based only on certain core classes, so you might want to look into that as well.

Hope this helps, but feel free to PM if you have any questions for me! Good Luck!

Specializes in Stepdown.

Hey thanks for the suggestions guys! I've been looking into , NYU(SUPER expensive), and University of Rochester(Aunt lives in rochester...free rent!). I'm from Palm Desert, CA. I also am planning on applying to some CC's in California as a back up. I just didn't want to spend 2 more years on my ADN, when I could go for a BSN. I was going to apply to Hopkins this week, had my essays written and everything, but last minute I asked what there policies on retakes were, and I found out that they counted both. So couldn't apply. :(

mzchas, what schools are you applying to? I don't mind moving around the US. Frankly, I'm tired of living in the desert, and I'm a bit tired of California. I'll go wherever accepts me to be honest.

Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.
Hey thanks for the suggestions guys! I've been looking into Drexel, NYU(SUPER expensive), and University of Rochester(Aunt lives in rochester...free rent!). I'm from Palm Desert, CA. I also am planning on applying to some CC's in California as a back up. I just didn't want to spend 2 more years on my ADN, when I could go for a BSN. I was going to apply to Hopkins this week, had my essays written and everything, but last minute I asked what there policies on retakes were, and I found out that they counted both. So couldn't apply. :(

mzchas, what schools are you applying to? I don't mind moving around the US. Frankly, I'm tired of living in the desert, and I'm a bit tired of California. I'll go wherever accepts me to be honest.

I live in New Jersey and there are a couple of colleges here that has the Accelerated BSN program. I'm looking into UMDNJ (University of Medicine & Dentistry of NJ) and Farleigh Dickinson. UMDNJ's School of Nursing has two campuses, one in Newark and the other at Stratford, NJ. Here's their website: http://sn.umdnj.edu/

Farleigh Dickinson University also has two campuses located in Madison and Teaneck, NJ. Here's their website: http://view.fdu.edu/default.aspx?id=6320. Both of these schools have a minimum requirement for the undergrad of 3.0.

I'm a graduate of Rutgers University, but found that their Acc BSN program requires me to take alot more prereqs than the other colleges I listed above, which is why I'm not going for them. However, you can check out their website as well if your interested: http://nursing.rutgers.edu/prospective_students/academic_programs/bs_in_nursing_for_second_degree_students

Good luck to you.

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