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Hi all - Here I am dwellling on my recent rejection from the local nursing program. As I was taking the prereqs, I was acquiring the persona of a nurse. I was imagining myself as a nurse. I was sure I'd get in. I had a 3.8 GPA, hi TEAS scores and a bachelor's in an unrelated subject area ,French, Italian and linguistics. So now, the nurse persona has stuck with me and there is nothing to substantiate it. I am truly lost. I applied a second time this month and will hear again in September, but I am reluctant to get my hopes up. Despite an apparent good record, reality doesn't always reflect what one would expect. I am trying to get my mind off it by registering for an applied music course in violin and piano. I don't know if that will do the trick. I see other RNs and respiratory therapists who have been successful in their callings, but they don't seem to be particularly intelligent, polished, articulate or astute. I am don't want to be conceited, but I know where my strengths are. I believe that I fit the bill of the previous sentence. Are these attributes not important to the nursing profession? As I said, so many people I've encountered around here are simply quite ordinary.
Any thoughts? Merci beaucoup!
Is the selection lottery, or merrit based?
Many people I know that should have gotten in to the schools they applied for didnt get in even though it they had straight A's in their pre-reqs. I mentioned to them going on a merrit based system would give them an upper hand during selection
As for some RNs and Resp. Tech that are less intelligent than you, thats is kinda insulting. However you do bring up a good point, there are some schools that only require you to pass the pre-reqs which makes you eligible for a random lottery draw. The prize is a one of the 65 slots in the RN program. That could be the reason that they are now RNs. There is also the possibility that they came from a different country. In the Philippines you can get into the RN program no problem as long as you have the cash and pass a simple college entrance exam. If you live out in the west coast there are tons of foreign RNs.
Since your a linguistics major I also must assume that most of your 3.8 gpa came from language and culture courses. No offense but heavy science like Physics ( Newtonian and Quantum ) are far more difficult. Maybe they don't have a 3.8 gpa, but what does that number even mean when we dont know what the courses were in the first place there is no context to put it in perspective.
As for these other professional that don't seem intelligent keep in mind RNs no matter who they are have to pass the same NCLEX-RN just like all other RNs. Which means they at some level are just as intelligent as other RNs who are as intelligent or more intelligent as you.
I know this is a vent, I was where you are at now not so long ago. I reccomend finding a school where you can use your high pre-req score as an edge. Look for a school where selection is merit based. When you get in all your buddies are gonna be on the same page as you.
Good Luck
You crack me up. Not that you didn't have intelligent, articulate things to say....Just some of your stuff was hilarious!!!
At the risk of being contrary to almost everyone who has responded thus far, I'm going to overwhelmingly take the side of violin9's original post. And just a disclaimer, I get pretty passionate about things so in my coming ramblings, please try not to take offense, just hear what I'm saying and if you disagree, respond objectively.Since when did everyone become so stinking sensitive? I think there's something about communicating over the internet in which you lose that human sensitivity that, as a nurse, you should have. Put yourself in violin9's shoes for one instant. Your world gets rocked because your future plans aren't going the way you pictured them. (And who of us doesn't fantasize/day dream about what we hope our lives are like some day, and actually how accurate are those fantasies 99% of the time?). What's the first thing you would do after being rejected? Probably look at Joe Blow from across the street who got in and think, "Why the heck did he get in? He's an imbecile!" Does that make it right? No not necessarily, but come on, unless if you're an emotionless walking zombie, you've probably done the same thing once or twice. If you're like me you have lol.
But my POINT is, why is that the biggest thing most people took from this post? violin needs encouragement and she turns to you all, (and by the way you better believe your words really do effect people, even on the internet) and she gets blazed for a possible personality flaw. So what if she's a little conceited? So what if she's a little proud? Aren't we all? I know I am at times. Can't we get past that and see her as what her post REALLY conveys, which is someone who just needs some encouragement and maybe a little advice.
And sense when is it arrogant to assess yourself objectively and come up with some positive qualities? She said "I believe I fit the bill of the previous sentence". (referring to being "particularly intelligent, polished, articulate or astute") I bet the folks who condemned her for saying that would say the same thing about yourselves in an interview for employment with 5 reasons why they're each. Oh and "ordinary". Heaven forbid anyone on this earth be called ordinary. Nope. Never. Everyone is above average where I'm from
. Good Lord.
violin9, if you want to get in a nursing program, come to my city. A 3.8 will get you in no problem. I don't know why you didn't get in, but I will say this; Don't give up. If you want to be a nurse, than you will be. Just push through. And if you do think, after hearing these people, that you are prideful or conceited, quit blaming your mom and take responsibility for the choices that got you where you are and made you who you are today. It's never too late to change. (You didn't think you were going to get off scott free did you?)
A final note; if there is anything I said which offended anyone, feel free to bring it to my attention in a respectful adult way. Please don't hear what "it sounded like I was saying" but just hear the words I wrote. And if you have something to say about my spelling/grammar, save it. Now is not the time for an English lesson.
Thanks for reading what I had to say,
Peace and love,
Mully
I think there should be a personality test given for entrance into nursing school. I'd like to see questions such as:
When thinking of vomit on my shoes I feel _______.
On a scale from 1 being not annoyed to 5 becoming homicidal; the idea of someone calling my name repeatedly for five minutes makes me feel__________.
I actually wrote a paper against competitive based only admission programs due to variations in college standards for work. (My English 101 A is not equivalent to other A's.)
Oh and note: If you're in your 40's and still blaming your parents for your views and outlook on life you need to live more.
jlpsu
144 Posts
I can certainly feel for you since you had your heart on this specific program. I also can forgive your initial post in that it seems that you did not intend to come off as conceited.
Perhaps, as others have stated, it is simply a very competetive program and a 3.8 is just not good enough. But I did have another thought, and I don't mean to offend, but I'm wondering if the issue could be your references or your essay? If you come off as conceited in the real world, even unintentionally, your references and/or essay could possibly be indicating that as well.
Remember, they are looking for the whole package, and in some areas of the country, getting into nursing school is harder than getting into Medical School!
In my area, it is not as competetive as other places...I am in the process of applying right now. I also have a 3.9 GPA in my prior bachelors degree - but I don't count on that alone to get me in. I wrote a thoughtful and humble essay indicating how honored I would feel to be a part of this profession. I am hopeful that I get in to my first choice, but if not, I have several back ups...I guess it remains to be seen how I will fare...but I will get in somewhere, somehow...
I wish you luck and believe that you can do it if you really want to. You will figure it out. You might want to go back and look at your essay again, or rethink you gave you references..because if your GPA and your TEAS scores were very high, then my guess it was something else that pulled you out of the "IN" pile.
Good luck! And just remember, you not only have to have thick skin to be a nurse, you have to have thick skin to post here too. People here are wonderful - but they certainly tell it to you like it is. So, listen to them. Because no one here is sugar coating anything...I tell you that from experience!