Failure of Anatomy I

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Hello! I purposely joined this website to get insight on this situation of mine. If you have any suggestions, please respond!

I am a pre-nursing student. My freshman year, I was at a university that is well-known for their nursing program. I didn't so much enjoy the social aspect of the school, but the academics were awesome. As the year went on, I learned that grandfather was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I've always lived with my grandparents, so he was pretty much my father figure (Yes, I do know both of my parents. I've just always lived with grandparents because they spoil the life out of me :saint:). Soon as I got the news, I withdrew from the university and came back home. I knew how quick pancreatic cancer can spread & take lives. I didn't want to miss anything. I needed to be back home.

I came back home for sophomore year and decided to take classes at our community college. I just didn't like the fact of not being in school. It made me feel like I was being unproductive. I took classes, but I was NEVER completely focused like how I was at the university. With my grandfather literally dying in front of my eyes, my thought process was everywhere EXCEPT where it should be. My GPA at the university was a 3.0. You needed atleast a 2.6. to be considered into the nursing program at my university. My GPA dropped DRASTICALLY due to the fact that I was in & out of school. I got the chance to withdraw from some. I wanted to try & stick out a few of the classes because, like I said, I didn't like the fact of not being in school. I failed those two classes, which were ENG 102 & Anatomy. Anatomy is definitely a required course. I tried to take it again the second semester and I had an 86 before hospice came in. I started to miss class again & I tried to withdraw completely after the late withdrawal date, but it was too late.

To sum this all up, I received these grades NOT because of my academic ability, but because of the personal hardships I was dealing with back at home. I know for a fact that I am smart enough to be apart of anyone's nursing program. Since my grandfather has passed, I really just want to go back to the university and pick back up where I left off. I know my GPA is not where it needs to be, but I won't give up. Nursing has always been my passion. It's not for the money, but it's actually in my heart to save lives.

Has anyone dealt with this situation before. Failing a required course twice, but possibly being forgiven under a certain circumstance? Please help. Thank you!

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Specializes in Emergency.

I've never heard anyone failing a specific required class (especially anatomy) let alone twice get into nursing school. Though, you could write about it in your personal statement to let them know why you failed. I'm going to let you know, though, that if you get into nursing school, you'll have to make a decision between school and family (it sucks...).

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I'm sorry about your grandfather, that's rough ... if your school has some sort of appeal process that would allow you to petition to take the class again you could try that route, and as the pp mentioned you could try to explain the two previous failing grades in an essay or cover letter with your application. Unfortunately anatomy is sort of a key class in nursing admissions and schools have *so many* qualified applicants to choose from that there's no guarantee that they would even be interested in hearing your backstory. Failing anatomy twice could mean that you no longer qualify at the school of your choice so I would read their policies carefully, check with a counselor, and see if there are other schools out there that might be willing to work with you.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I'm so sorry to hear about your struggles. That's all really tough.

I just want to encourage you to keep your head up and keep going. I failed/withdrew from multiple classes during my early college days. Various reasons including my own hospitalization, getting pregnant young, and homelessness. I'm a bit of a freight train, so I was always determined to keep going when I probably should've let it go and taken time off to preserve my GPA.

Anyway, the point is, after a very rough time, things just started falling into place. I retook a couple classes that I didn't do so hot in and was accepted into my first choice school and I'm doing really well.

So just keep swimming, my friend. If you feel like you're drowning, take a break. Maybe work on getting your CNA cert so you're being productive but not potentially ruining your GPA, because that stays with you.

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

its really going to depend on your school. You need to find out their retake policy for replacing grades. Some schools allow up to 3 retakes to replace a failing grade. Some only take 1. The school will likely not take your backstory into consideration because sob stories come a dime a dozen and they cant take a student with poor grades and a sob story over a student with excellent grades because its not fair to the student who worked hard for the higher grades. Im not saying this to be hurtful or uncaring, but just to prepare you for the likely outcome with the University if they don't have a multiple retake policy, or if their nursing program only excepts first or second attempt grades. The way most schools will see it is that you shouldn't have used your retake when you weren't focused, and that someone with excellent grades may have been in a similar situation and still got that A or B so why should your sad atory invalidate their hard work. This doesn't mean you should give up your dream of nursing, but you will probably have to go a different route. Maybe a less competitive CC with a better retake policy so you can replace the grade. You could get your ADN then bridge to a Uni for your BSN. Or maybe a private school. Or a school with a waitlist or lottery style entrance. There are many avenues to get into a nursing program, you just have to find one that will work with your situation. GL

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are you planning on going back to that school (the first one you were going to?)... how many classes did you take? If you failed more than passed, I would "pretend" you never went there. Don't transfer the transcript and go back to school as if you didn't take any classes.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
are you planning on going back to that school (the first one you were going to?)... how many classes did you take? If you failed more than passed, I would "pretend" you never went there. Don't transfer the transcript and go back to school as if you didn't take any classes.

This was EXACTLY my thought!!!

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.
are you planning on going back to that school (the first one you were going to?)... how many classes did you take? If you failed more than passed, I would "pretend" you never went there. Don't transfer the transcript and go back to school as if you didn't take any classes.

That's a great point. I didn't even think of that even though I have done it. When I was fresh out of highschool 8 years ago, I wanted to be a physical therapist. I took A&P1 my first semester and just wasn't into school and bombed it. I didn't go back to school until 3 years ago. Since then, I just don't mention ever even attending that college. I actually failed all 3 courses I was in because I didn't care. Its like a job you worked at for less than 3 mos and left without a 2 week notice. You just don't put it on your resume. Nice thinking krisiepoo.

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