Problem or Perception in admissions?

[40startingoveragain]

i go to a private 4 year university that by the way is very expensive. i applied to their college of nursing for the spring of 2009. i received a letter of rejection this week. i was dumbfounded especially since my advisors repeatedly told me not to worry about acceptance into the program, furthermore the director of nursing also told me based on my grades i would not have a problem being accepted into the program. based on how competitive the schools here are and what the advisors told me i enrolled and started classes this fall. the school has 40 seats and only about 125 students apply which includes un-enrolled students. the school says that students are selected to the nursing program based on gpa and recommendations and they do give preference to anyone currently attending.

my gpa is a 3.8 and i have a 4.0 gpa in all of my science classes and i have excellent letters of recommendation. my age group (40-49) within the university accounts for only about 4% of 5,500 students on campus, so needless to say, the average age is around 21.

when i got my rejection letter, i first meet with two of my professors separately. both said they felt that i was rejected based on my age and my gpa and recommendations may not have been considered. each said they felt i did not fit into the mold of nurses the school may want to produce. one said he would lose his job if i ever told anyone he said this.

anyway, i went and meet with the nursing school director and asked why i was not accepted. she did not know me and at first did not ask my name. she said that the lowest gpa was a 3.6, which is why i may not have been selected. she went on to say that they looked closely at the science scores and then at the recommendations. after she was finished, i told her i still did not understand because i had a 3.8 gpa and 4.0 gpa in all of my science classes and i had excellent letters of recommendations. she looked a bit shocked and looked up my name. she finally said that they had given preference to the length of time the students had attended the university. she also said first semester transfer students, which i am, were not given preference and known were accepted. she said i was an excellent candidate and to apply again next year.

apply again next year is crap! i am completely done with all the classes i need to graduate and unless i am enrolled in this school, i can't apply next year. it would cost me $11k each semester to take classes i don't even need. every school in the area that i live is highly competitive and i don't have the option to move. this year the local public university did not take anyone with less than an overall 4.0 gpa.

i am ****** off. i don't want to believe i was not chosen because of my age but can't understand why they have changed the rules.... i know of two students that got accepted last year as first semester transfer students but unfortunately i don't know anyone else in the college of nursing nor do i know anyone who is applying this year.

i have an appointment to meet with the dean. i want to ask for the demographics of the students selected --- what is the chance they will give me that? and is it even worth my breath to try and fight a system that doesn't want me? the college of nursing should be admitting the best candidates, period, not based on the length of time the person has attended the university.

any advise?????

[nika1980]

First let me say, that I am so sorry that you are going through this crap. In my opinion, because as a minority I know what discrimination looks and smells like, I think that is case of age discrimination. Fight the system, don't give up on your dream. If nursing is in your heart then go for it. Your were not given a good enough excuse as to why your weren't accepted and that is unacceptable. I am ****** with you, because I know how it feels to be rejected and know that you are completely qualified. Fight the powers that be.... don't be passive about what you want!!!:angryfire

[txnursingqt]

I did some research and found several articles about age discrimination and private schools. Unfortunately, I found that some private schools are allowed to deny admission due to age. One example give was medical school, so not sure if nursing would follow.

Does your school have a clause in the handbook that states they do not discriminate due to age? I know that I would be furious too. Your grades are excellent and I really do hope that you fight this. It seems very unfair.

Here is one article:

http://books.google.com/books?id=0aSQvZWFBKUC&pg=PA166&lpg=PA166&dq=private+college+admission+discrimination+on+age&source=web&ots=15A8xhjMfB&sig=7Ji0CfIqP0_L_MKtAkilWK7s9mg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPP1,M1

[SummerLin]

oh my god.. your story makes me wanna punch whoever decided to let who in. That is so unfair and biased. I cannot believe it. You are just as important as anyone else there and you tried your hardest. Please fight it as much and you can. Its not fair what they did to you!

[snelly808]

OMG. This is an outrage. I cannot believe what I am reading. How dare these people insult your intelligence like this. First they beef you up with false hopes telling you would will have no problem being accepted (so they can tke your money), then they reject you with no good reason. You have a 3.8 overall and 4.0 pre req. The lowest they accept is a 3.6. This is a sorry excuse for an academic institution. Do not stand for this type of discrimination and insolence . FIGHT IT, FIGHT IT, FIGHT IT!!!!!