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I have also found one's GPA considered very important when applying to nursing schools, and especially one's grades in prerequisites. If your desire is to become an RN, I believe you can, but w/o good grades I think you're right in estimating that you wouldn't get into an RN program. I'd suggest attempting to get into the LPN program or an MA program. The wages are lower, but hopefully your financial situation can handle that and your goal of becoming an RN will keep you in the medical arena. If you need to, you could also do the CNA cert. or an EMT-B cert. They're faster, and would get you out of school and, w/ the CNA I'd think for sure, into a job immediately. Experience in the medical field is another factor, besides one's GPA, that nursing schools consider when assessing applicants. You could reassess your options for applying to RN programs after you have a couple years of med. experience under your belt. Although they may not advertise it, some hospitals, once you are employed there in a nursing support role, will pay for you to attend an RN program in exchange for a commitment (often 2 yrs.) to work for them in that RN capacity after you become certified. If you worked as an LPN or CNA in such a hospital, at least you'd not have to think about tuition again, after your years already in school. Another tack is this: Lose that poor GPA by attending a completely different school. Yes, you would have to start from scratch again. Do not transfer in any credits at all. Each college/university will ask you to submit transcripts from ALL other colleges/universities attended, but at least in my state they apparently don't have a data system that actually knows where you've attended unless you tell them. I have a friend who, years ago, spent his freshman year of college pretty much partying and so ended up w/ some failing grades before he dropped out. He started school again in his mid-30s at a different school, never transfered those terrible grades, and redid what classes he needed. That second round, his grades were mostly As. You would need to consider that the new college might be puzzled how you became an LPN or MA w/ no college credits to transfer it, so maybe this is an option only if you choose to work for a time in a job that would not require college to land or if you got a CNA cert. I recognize that, if you did this, it would feel like you're losing 5 years worth of work. I also recognize it likely does not feel it but, from my vantage point of years, you DO have the time to do this if you choose. One more option is to get your EMT-B, work as such for a time, and then go on to get your paramedic cert. In my state that would be a community college AA. Once a paramedic, which will use some of your med.-related prerequisites, you can do an EMT-P to RN online. It is expensive, but it's a clear and existing option to become an RN. The GPA requirements to get into a paramedic program will be lower than for an RN program. Consider putting your plan onto a longer timeline. If Plan A is not working, craft a Plan B. I'm on Plan C myself. If you KNOW you want to be an RN, do NOT give up. One way or another, you can do this. :redbeathe

It's possible that one of the A&P instructors, once s/he hears that you attempted to register for his/her class but found it full, would be willing to give you a copy of that class's syllabus, perhaps particularly if you are attending a community college. From the current class schedule you could pick the instructor who teaches the most sessions of the A&P class, or the one who is likely to become your future instructor, and show up right at the beginning of his/her office hours (perhaps posted on their office door?) w/ your request. I like to think any instructor should wish to help, since instructors, too, benefit from your good performance in a class they teach. If the A&P book you purchased is the one your school's bookstore sells for the class you have in mind, you'll have the additional benefit of being familiar with it once you're in class. I'd suggest you concentrate more on studying the physiology portion of A&P. Doing well in the anatomy part of A&P, for me, depending on spending extra time in the lab w/ the specimens. You'll have opportunity to do that when you're actually in the class. Physiology will include the dreaded Krebs/Citric Acid Cycle. It was not easy for me to understand and I spent a lot of time on it, despite having encountered the very same topic in a Chem class as well as in Microbio. My school's A&P also seemed to emphasize the physiology of kidney excretion, as well as how the body deals w/ ingested proteins, carbohydrates, and fats--which organs break down which, and how the reduced molecules move through the digestive system. Those took extra time to study as well. If you can get a head start on such concepts, I'd say you'll be in quite good shape when you encounter them again in class. Good luck! Initiative and a mind for independent study are great traits to have. :nuke:

I don't think one is eligible for any grants, or work-study, for a second bach. I earned less than $20K last year, but post-FAFSA submission was eligible for loans only. I've pored over some scholarship lists, but those few I appeared to be eligible for were offering small sums to a limited no. (competition here too) of individuals. To try and put together one's funding through scholarships seems a time-consuming process w/ uncertain yield. I'd feel better knowing the money were definitely there before I started nursing school, even if I had to pay it back.:yeahthat:

These are good points; thank you. I don't remember where I'd heard one earns more w/ a BSN than an AA RN. It's possible I mixed future BSN earning power w/ higher starting wages. Good luck w/ your teaching hospital plan! I think that would be a perfect setup.

I'm in somewhat the same position. I have a BA in English and am aiming for an RN cert. I found this link helpful; it has a PDF of accelerated BSNs throughout the US: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/FactSheets/AcceleratedProg.htm These BSNs are specifically intended for people already having a baccalaureate. Some of the schools include a master's option in a nursing speciality. If it's a concern, one thing is to check a school you're interested in against that state's Board of Nursing's list of accepted educational programs. I found a few listed schools were in "provisional status only," which could make one rethink a particular school. I've not looked at MD at all, but I did check out CA a bit and it seemed to me that CA schools have more hoops than those of other states. It's either an entrance test or what seemed to be additional prerequisites. I've found the standard prerequisites seem to be: A&P (probably 3 links); a Bio that includes genetics (which may or may not fall within A&P); Microbiology; Nutrition; a Psych that covers lifespan development; and some level of Math, which seems to be at least through Algebra 3, and sometimes also includes Statistics. It's a lot, isn't it? Especially considering that these classes themselves often have prerequisites. Once you've completed what prerequisites you yet need, which I think can most cost effectively be taken at a community college, you could do an accelerated BSN or an associate degree RN at a community college in roughly the same amount of time--~2 years. The question would be if you have the funds, or the ability to get loans, for an accelerated BSN. It appears a BSN will garner you higher wages than an associate degree RN, so if you're able to get the loans you'd be better off post-BSN. I have found that because I have a BA already, the only financial aid I seem to be eligible for now would be loans. If anyone has different info. re this, please let me know. Accelerated BSNs are pricey, and one is "strongly discouraged" from working during them, so it seems it would all hinge on one's current financial strength. If you have a lot of debt service already, as I do, getting to that RN cert. by any route can seem quite daunting. You may know much of this already, but perhaps there's something useful for you here. I'd be interested to hear what you choose.