9 Pre-reqs, 9 A's - BUT GPA real bad

spore2008 · Sep 7, 2011

I don't know what to tell you. Honestly, that GPA is a thorn in your side. I have a 2.83 from a well-known liberal arts college (Neuroscience and Religion). If I just had that, I am sure my application would have been trashed. I also have a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology with a 3.81 which saved me at some schools. And everything else fantastic that goes into an application. For competitive schools, you will need to consider those that look at your entire application in a holistic manner. What have you been doing for the past 18 years? Maybe those experiences can strengthen your application? Do you standardize test well?

The 3.0 bites...I felt it like a noose around my neck. Surely your GPA is much higher now...maybe close to a 2.8? I only looked into ABSN and Master's Entry Programs in NY area and do not know much about admission into nursing programs in community colleges. I think at Westchester Community College, admission is based on your performance on one exam that you can take once per year. Every school has their own way of selection...some look at the final 60 credits, prerequisite GPA, scores...you will find a school with hard work and patience.

Despareux · Sep 8, 2011

An exception was made for one of my classmates to enter nursing school who graduated years prior with a different degree and a not so great gpa. Perhaps they will do the same for you.

rcounahan · Sep 9, 2011

The way that our school does it is by a points system. I screwed up really bad 10 years ago...I never dropped my classes so I have 5 F's on my record. If I wanted to I can do a fresh start and drop those scores that are at least 10 years old. The scores still show on your transcript but they do not factor into your gpa. I just applied to our RN program and whoever has the most points gets in. They factor your points by your gpa and your required gpa. I have made almost all A's since going back to school so my required gpa is a 3.89...they multiply that by 16...My cumulative gpa is only a 2.5 but they only multiple that by 4 so it's not really that big of a deal. I have 138 out of a possible 150 pts. They told me when I turned in my app that they would see me in January...that I was definitely in the program. Go to your school and see how their acceptance works...don't be disheartened! If I can do it ANYONE can! And look into the Fresh Start...I don't know if it is a state or national thing!

allnurses Guide · Sep 9, 2011

Check with the schools you like. My earlier college years were a lot of fun but yielded mediocre grades. I still got into a very competitive program because they only considered the grades which actually applied toward the nursing dgree, putting my GPA extremely high. There are other schools who do the same.

Best of luck!

Pneumothorax, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2011

yeah, most likely they'll take the classes/grades that relevant to nursing,, hopefully you'll be ok :)

Benj2610 · Nov 1, 2012

If anybody stumbles across this (now over a year later...), I graduate from NYU in May. So yes, I got in somewhere. And I am surrounded by some pretty smart people (or at least individuals that graduated from very good schools... Cal Berkley, BU, Cornell, Stoney Brook and even a few people that have masters degrees). In fact, I have told people that it was a struggle for me to get in but I never let my GPA be known because I don't want classmates to think less of their accomplishments for getting in.

I will never know exactly why I got in (for all I know, there was a shortage of applicants) but I believe it had everything to do with my ability to write. Fortunately for me, between the "common application" and the "supplemental application," I had to submit 5 essays. Everything from why I want to be a nurse & why NYU, to writing about an acheivement in my life and writing about a work of art, literature, or famous site. My story for why I chose to go back to school, my inspiration for nursing, and my goals in this journey are genuine, sincere, and very real.

If you are just going to through the motions, considering nursing by default (ie: lots of jobs, male nurses needed, work 3 days a week, etc.), and/or you really don't have the passion, it will reveal itself.

Thank you to those above that responded to my original post.

coffeescrambledeggs · Dec 5, 2012

Very encouraging to read your story. I'm in a somewhat similar position and will be applying shortly. I will let you know how it goes.

LiLev · Dec 5, 2012

Have you checked with your school from 18 years ago? Some States and/or Schools have an academic forgiveness for classes that were from that long ago, of course it can't be one of your required classes. In the case of required classes they may allow you to take the class over again if you got a D or an F.

old_dude · Dec 9, 2012

Great story, very similar to mine. I have a 20 year old BA degree with a less than stellar GPA. But I did very well on the TEAS and the Critical Thinking Skills test my school makes all nursing applicants take. I have a 4.0 on all the pre-req classes I have taken since I started pursuing Nursing and I got accepted into an ASN program in this Jan. I considered an accelerated program, the school I got my BA from has one.... but I am a single dad and regular nursing school is hectic enough, so I am going the ASN rout, but plan to get my BSN and MSN eventually.

Feistn · Dec 9, 2012

There are some programs that say that grades past a certain point don't matter anymore. You've gotten a 4.0 on your prereqs, you're volunteering at a hospital. I had a poor GPA from college, and I knew that to get into any program, I was going to need a 4.0 on prereqs, an outstanding test score, and some job experience. I found a program that only considered your last 30 credits, make experience a requirement, and had a placement test (I'm a pretty good tester). I'm finishing semester 1. There are other classmates with similar stories. Our program recognizes that people do change, and they're more interested in current performance, and maybe more impressed by people who turned around a bad experience.

Annachu512, BSN, RN · Dec 10, 2012

My GPA has never followed me to another school. The credits transfer but not the GPA. I have been to 4 different schools and it has always been like that. I will be transferring after my ASN to another school to start GPA over again (not crazy about that but this semester just suuucked). I want to consider grad school eventually and we all know how important that GPA is.