Nursing schools without a certain GPA requirement for admission?

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Nov 30, 2011

dear, why do you suppose that an educational program that teaches professionals with a big need for academic competence would require a better than a 2.0? seriously?

if you think you're smart enough and can work hard enough to be a success in an academic nursing program and as a nurse, then take some summer classes or night classes and get that average up, to demonstrate that you have what it takes, or ... think of doing something else.

preparing4thefuture · Nov 30, 2011

Yes, that is the obvious thing to do but unfortunately my GPA needs to be higher by the end of this semester, or next week should I say. I do not have enough time to wait until the summer to add classes to boost the GPA up. This is why I am considering another institution. Like I previously mentioned, there was a change in the rules that were put in effect this semester. I did not know not my overall GPA would affect my status in the program until now with this rule. So my issue is actually GETTING into another school with the current situation I am. I plan on earning and maintaining a much higher GPA in another program since I am now aware that that is how most nursing schools operate. My issue is just getting back into a program to do so. But thank you.

tokyoROSE, BSN, RN · Nov 30, 2011

2.5-3.0 GPA for admission? It is 3.5 and up around here. I suppose you can look into for-profit colleges that do not care too much about GPA as long as you are willing to dish out the $$.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Nov 30, 2011

ok then, i'm still confused as to where you are, so i'll give two sets of answers.

1) (if you are doing the prerequisites for a nursing program, but you haven't been admitted to the nursing program yet. when they accepted you for pre-nursing it wasn't clear what gpa you had to have in pre-nursing to go on to the nursing major. now it's 2.5, but you didn't make that.) they can change the admission requirements anytime they want to, and apparently you don't make their cut-off. you won't do more work to raise your average at that school (as my old counselor used to say, "don't say 'can't,' say 'won't',"), so it would appear that you are done there. now you need to look for some program that will admit you with the lower gpa. it seems very unlikely that such a program exists. therefore my advice is to... take some coursework at your present school to get your average up, because you'd have to do that anyway to get into any other program.

2) (if you were admitted into the nursing program when your prereqs gpa was 2.4 and are currently in the nursing program. now they are changing the prereq to 2.5, and you think they will boot you out of the nursing program.) if you are already in the nursing program and doing ok, i am surprised that they would kick you out of it. in most situations, once you're in, you're in, and you can stay in as long as you meet the requirements for staying.

or am i missing something?

ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN · Nov 30, 2011

st lukes in bethlehem PA. i got in with a 2.4, but i had a very good explanation. you better have stellar references, work/volunteer experience in the field and good grades in your sciences.

i had a 3.2, but failed nursing 1 at a different school, giving me a 9 credit F and a lousy gpa. i explained what happened at my addmissions interview, and told them what i would do differently and got in. its not guaranteed, i was one of 60 that got in out of 400+ applicants.

edit: i might add that i failed clinical (for reasons still not clear to me) which gave me an automatic F, but i would have had a B in the class, which was verified by them, also possibly playing a role in their choice to accept me. i also did better than most in the critical thinking exam prior to admission and had been volunteering and working as a PCA-- showing my effort to improve my clinical skills.

ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN · Nov 30, 2011

ok then, i'm still confused as to where you are, so i'll give two sets of answers.

1) (if you are doing the prerequisites for a nursing program, but you haven't been admitted to the nursing program yet. when they accepted you for pre-nursing it wasn't clear what gpa you had to have in pre-nursing to go on to the nursing major. now it's 2.5, but you didn't make that.) they can change the admission requirements anytime they want to, and apparently you don't make their cut-off. you won't do more work to raise your average at that school (as my old counselor used to say, "don't say 'can't,' say 'won't',"), so it would appear that you are done there. now you need to look for some program that will admit you with the lower gpa. it seems very unlikely that such a program exists. therefore my advice is to... take some coursework at your present school to get your average up, because you'd have to do that anyway to get into any other program.

2) (if you were admitted into the nursing program when your prereqs gpa was 2.4 and are currently in the nursing program. now they are changing the prereq to 2.5, and you think they will boot you out of the nursing program.) if you are already in the nursing program and doing ok, i am surprised that they would kick you out of it. in most situations, once you're in, you're in, and you can stay in as long as you meet the requirements for staying.

or am i missing something?

its possible she made it into the program with decent gpa, but did poorly in her nursing class which brought down her gpa, making her ineligible to gain re admittance. see my above post.. otherwise not sure what shes talking about.