Nursing School Acceptance

[Duveed]

I'm currently scared right now.. I've been all for a career in nursing for the past 2 years. Today I got in touch with the Nursing Program Director for a local school here just to get some info out there and ask a few questions. She told me that I first must be accepted into the University for the pre-reqs, and then must be accepted into the Nursing Program itself... She told me that the GPA Requirement is 3.0, but most if not all the students accepted have 3.5's or above.. An ACT of 21 or higher in math, and 18 or higher in writing skills. SAT of 480 or higher in Math, and 450 or higher in English, Compass Tests of 71 or higher in Algebra, and 78 in English. They also require a high school transcript which scares me because I did so horribly my freshman and half of my sophomore years.. This is something I want really bad, but what Can I do if I cannot get accepted into the school?

The lady was not very reassuring and basically said in not so many words the chances were slim, she said she would forward my letter to the admissions person.. I'm also having to deal with Fianances.. I only work a couple of hours a week, but I live at home still and aparently my parents make enough money for me not to get financial aid, but they aren't willing to pay for school.

Ugh... Life is tough sometimes..

[jerryh55]

If I were you, I would go ahead and get enrolled for the pre-reqs. If you are really wanting to do this, work hard on ur pre-reqs. They do carry a good amount of weight. Pre-reqs are pre-reqs and would be able to be used at another school if you have to do that. Get them done and you can apply at more than one school if you have that option where you live. Just dont stress out over it and do your best on them.

Have A Great Day And Be Safe

Jerry

[Glimmer]

there are options.... don't give up on your dreams!

what about a local community college? do they have an adn program? the other thing that is great about community college is that it is cheaper. if nothing else you can start your pre-reqs there and then transfer them over to the university once your gpa is a little more sound. as for your high school transcripts... guess it depends on what they are using them for. in our school they were used more or less just to verify that you had certain classes and the grades you got (algebra 1, chem, and bio)... but they were not big on what your gpa was like in hs... of course this is a community college where they will accept any student who can prove that they have graduated from hs or have a ged.

admission to our nursing program is done like this...

you must have at least a 2.0 gpa, and make at least a "c" in all of the required gen ed classes. your gpa is only done off only those classes you will need for your nursing degree.

you have to have bio 101 and 102 (pre-req for anatomy and micro) done as well has have had a year of algebra and chem in hs making at least a "c" in the class. you have to make at least a 35 (i think that is right) on the compass act test as well as place at college level on all your other pre-admission testing (or else you need to take classes like eng 05 to get into eng 111, etc). then you start your gen ed classes. the gen ed classes make up our "points" and admission to the program is done by points.

a&p and micro are worth 5 pts and the other classes worth 2 each. the students with the most points are admitted first to the nursing program (regardless of gpa as long as it meets the 2.0 min) and then it works down the line. it only comes to gpa when the last seats need to be filled... and then it is only if there is a tie for points (ex... last seat is for 11 pts... 3 students with 11 pts and so gpas are 3.5, 3.0, and 2.0 the 3.5 will get the seat). they also do an alternate list for those that came close but not close enough. if you are not called before the start of the fall semester then you can re-apply the next year (as long as you have maintained that 2.0 gpa and re-take the compass math test) and you will be given first consideration regardless of where you are on the points chain.

as for aid.. what about a student loan? i know with our school if you do not qualify for fa due to making too much they automatically offer you a student loan. most of the loans do not have to be paid back until you have completed the degree you were working on (or if you drop out before finishing). cost wise i can not afford to go to the university so i am going the cc route and then will do my bsn online through an university once i am working and can pay for the classes (not to mention most employers will offer some form of tuition assistance). cc credits are $68 each which is not too bad... i am taking 14 credits this summer and after all the technology and user fees i think it ended up at ~$1100 but that does not include books. a friend of mine is taking 1 class this summer at the university and is paying $3000 for it... big difference.

don't let it get to you... there are ways that you can achieve your dreams you will just have to start with the baby steps and work your way up the chain!!

alnee

[WhatToDo]

I agree with glimmer, take your pre-reqs at a community college and then apply to the four year college. I did this and none of the schools I applied to required ACT/SAT scores, high school GPA or transcripts. All they care about is your grades in the pre-reqs. Performance at the college level is much more predictive of your performance in nursing school than high school or ACT scores.

You might as well apply to the four year college as well, you never know.

[Pachinko]

Glimmer's advice is great, and I'd also recommend that you look into community college programs. They are an outstanding alternative to a four-year college and have distinct advantages.

As noted, community college is much cheaper than most four-year universities, and the practical aspects of the education are just as good. Also, you can get through the program, pass your NCLEX and become a nurse, and THEN pursue your bachelors as you're working as a nurse and earning an income. It might end up taking longer to get your BSN in the long run, but it's a more viable option if money is a concern (and when is it not a concern? :)) Many universities have special RN-to-BSN programs for working nurses, and sometimes an employer will help to fund your BSN tuition.

The community college where I'm taking my pre-reqs has an articulation program with a four-year university. You do your first two years at the comm. college level and, if your grades are good, move on to finish your BSN at the university. So, you get your degree and end up spending less in the long run. Perhaps a community college near you has something similar?

There are alternatives! Don't give up your dream!

[Annabelle57]

don't give up! :icon_hug:

during my first degree, i stunk at anything math and science, and because i went to a liberal arts college where i had to take those courses, they pulled my gpa way down... much lower than a 3.5, needless to say! same for high school.

anyway, i've been taking - and aceing (sp?) - my prerequisites at a local community college. work hard on your prerequisites, as others have recommended: if you're doing well in those, even with a sketchy past gpa, it will work very much in your favor. i plan on applying for their adn program, then earning my bsn & msn while i'm working. a lot of nurses go this route, and not only is it less expensive than a regular 4-year (esp if you were looking at anything private or out-of-state), the comm college has all their prereq and nursing courses in the evening, so i can still work and earn money while getting the degree. a lifesaver!

the only downside of the adn thing is, at least here in fl, there's a long waiting list for the programs - at least a year. so, i might be waiting around for a bit, but i'd rather do that than go bankrupt.

good luck! there are lots and lots of paths to take to become a nurse - you can do it!