nicole83

It's true that some schools consider your major and where you went. HOWEVER, some don't. I know for a fact that the year I applied to my program they said in the program info bulletin and at an overview for the program that the average GPA of accepted students was 3.5 or higher and applicants with a GPA below 3.00 were rarely accepted. They were being honest. I know someone in my class that got in with a 2.8. The average GPA for her EXTREMELY hard program was 2.9-3.0ish. She did great in school. However, she was originally on the program waiting list and only got in bc someone else declined. However, they have since changed things and applicants with GPAs below 3.00 will not even be considered for my program- no exceptions. This has to do with making the program more "competitive" and the fact that you have to maintain a 3.00 or higher to stay in the program and can NOT get less than a B- (you can get a B- as long as your overall GPA is still 3.00 or higher). Get less than a C once and you are OUT of the program. For my program they weight and rate on a scale the following things when you apply- GPA, GRE score, personal essay, application and recommendation letters. This is what they consider in the application process. They DO NOT specifically consider which school you went to or your undergrad major. What if you do undergrad in one state with a really great program and apply to grad school in another state that has NEVER heard of your great school? Should someone with a psych degree get a lower difficulty rating than someone with a chemistry degree? You cant just say 1 major is "harder" than another- it may be true at one school but not at every single one. You can't just say someone at Yale had a more difficult program than someone at a state school- some schools have particularly good programs but not all majors are as equally difficult at one school. My point is I just don't see how you could fairly and consistently consider the school and major... although I think they do make a difference... like in the case of my friend with the 2.8 Once again, I HIGGHLLLYYY suggest contacting programs you are interested in before applying to get the specifics on admission requirements and the grade requirements for staying in the program if you are accepted... just so you have a realistic idea of your acceptance chances and can plan accordingly... It suckes when the acceptance process doesn't work the way we think it should.... Sorry for the rambling :)

You usually have to keep a 3.00 in grad school in order to contiune in the program- at least that's how mine is so I'd think a lot of schools might not even consider less than that. Keep in mind for the appplication process that they consider more than the GPA, as someone mentioned before. You often get to write a personal essay, have an interview and they consider your recommendations and GRE scores. Contact the schools you are seriously interested in- they should be able to give you a "profile" of the average GPA and GRE scores of their students and tell you their cut offs- that way you will have a realistic idea of your chance of acceptance and whether you should even apply there. Requirements vary from each program....

People have mentioned that things don't "add up." While doing my bachelors degree in another subject then nursing, I decided I wanted to do be an NP. I took the prereqs while working on my undergrad degree, graduated right on time with a social sciences undergrad degree and went on to the "grad" program. To clarify, my nursing program is 3 years total. In about 18 months I completed my RN portion (during this time I also took grad classes and them for 18 more months I just focus on the NP portion. When I graduate, I will not have a bachelors degree in nursing (because my school says I didn't really earn one becasue I only took nursing classes) but I will have a masters degree in nursing, even though I won't have one in nursing. SO add it all up and I will have spent 7 years in school and earned 1 bachelors degree (not in nursing), the ability to sit for the NCLEX and a masters degree= basically the same as double majoring and then going to grad school. So it is possible to get a bachelors in something else and become a RN in about 5 and 1/2 years.... it adds up in a psycho way and you have to learn fast... obviously there are certain people who dont learn well this way and shouldnt do the program.... Someone questioned the value of a bachelors in something not nursing- it gives you a different perspective on things. Many of the accelerated programs are difficult to get into and result in students that can usually handle this rigorous type of program. This program might not be right for everyone but works for some. I dont have the citation at the moment but studies have been done that have found NPs who do these accelerated programs without an undergrad degree in nursing do ok the first couple of years out of school and then actually surpass in performance nurses who go about the degree the "traditional" way... Yale has one of these programs too. I'm not sure about how well people who do the RN programs in 12 or 18 months due but I'd imagine they could also possibly out perform traditional RN program nurses if these programs are highly selective or there could be no difference. I think it depends on the student and on the quality of the program.... because I know several bachelors level RNs that I would not want taking care of me and an excellent diploma nurse who could care for me anytime... :)

I have an undergrad degree not in nursing. I'm doing a program right now where I do the RN portion and MS portion together (11 quarters total). I got my RN after 6 quarters and now I'm doing just my NP clinicals. My advice is don't stress over the RN portion and the NCLEX- that's what I wish someone had told me! They're important but if you do a good program you'll be prepared! I hated the "RN" portion but I love the "NP" portion because it's actually what I want to do! The program can be very stressful at times because there is so much to learn so don't let it get to you if you do this type of program. Remember to take time for yourself. The program doesn't get easier, you just learn how to deal with everything better- that's how you'll make it through it. I have 3 more quartes to go... Each quarter for me is about $3,400 plus your living and stuff.

national health service corps loan repayment program- you work for 2 years in an area that needs healthcare workers and they payback some of your school loans- they have positions all over the us- maybe you can find something in fl... they also have some sort of scholarship program - not sure how it works- maybe they give you money for school and you work for them for a certain amount of time... here's the link--- hope this helps http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov/applications/lrp_07/index.asp

I know someone who works in the nursing admissions office- a big mistake that people make is they don't address what the program ask for in the essay- if they ask for specific information, include it! My application asked why I wanted to be a nurse, what personal attributes I felt I had to offer and why field I wanted to work in and I why. I specifically and clearly addressed each of these. Think long and hard before you write your essay ("superficial" essays blend together- you want to make yourself stand out and show you really want to be in the program and belong there) and then have someone else read it to catch mistakes you might have missed or odd wording. Spelling errors make a bad impression and could suggest you aren't taken the process seriously... Make the essay personal- if you don't interview for the program this is one of the few opportunities the selection committee has to get to know you. If you have any bad grades, don't mention them unless you have a really good reason- like you had a major life changing experience at that time-take responsibility and talk about how you have grown from that experience- don't blame the experience or teacher for you getting a bad grade... make sure you don't ramble and stick to the page limits. Include only relevant info.... those were some other problems people tended to make.... good luck! Don't freak when you get a letter from the admissions office and it's sitting there unopened!

I kind of have the same situation as Kirish34. So because the FNP is so general does that mean as a FNP you could work in an OBGYN office doing womens health if you wanted to? I've tried to look at the scope of practice documents but couldn't find it clearly explained anywhere... The broadness of the FNP role will allow you to do that without placing you at risk of practicing too outside of your actual certification area?