triumph1134

Oh yeah, I really don't care where I go. I don't care about anything like that. All that is important to me is accreditation. I don't want any potential employer to think less of my education based on where I go to school. When I say that, I mean for profit and banana republic institutions. I thought about going to school out of state, but I really didn't know of any place where I would surely get in. I always figured Oregon was my best shot. I also looked into Nevada which is where I received my bachelor's degree, but I wasn't done with the prerequisites. They wanted a year of chemistry. I only have Microbiology, all 3 A&P, and 3 general bio courses. It seems like schools want different psychology classes and exotic types of classes that I just don't have. I'm always looking to go anywhere. Usually, the prerequisites are the barrier.

Yes, One of my big advantages is the ability to change location. One of the two schools that I interviewed for is 4 hours south of Portland. I do have family here (mom and dad), but I know that I can always come back

What I mean by major du jour is that A LOT of people are choosing nursing as their major. It's in the top 5 majors in the country. Out here in Portland, it has to be at the top. My A&P classes were all packed at 75 students per class. Almost all were there for nursing. Community college nursing schools are typically accepting at a 10% rate. The schools usually give us the statistics, so it's not an embellishment. You saw my qualifications. I applied for 6 schools. Three were Portland metro schools. Three were rural. I was rejected by four right off the bat. One all out rejected me with a 3.9 prerequisite GPA. For the last 2, I did the interviews. I'm waiting to hear back, but I know that I am a longshot for both. I don't want to sound like I'm bitter or a jerk or anything like this. It's a constant battle out there. It's tough not to be shellshocked by the process. In Oregon, there aren't many four year schools out there. They are OHSU, Linfield, Concordia, and University of Portland. While I didn't apply for any of those schools, I do know this: All but OHSU are private (40k a year at least). All are considered great schools. All are ultra-competitive. OHSU is the only one with an accelerated program (I believe). I talked to people about this one. It's also ultra-competitive. Portland is a cool place. Unfortunately, things are a little on the tough side out here. Like I said, I don't want to discourage you. The problem is, there is no school infrastructure for nursing. Looking at my catalog, it seems that Texas does. Our 3 largest universities don't have nursing programs. When you become a nurse, there are few better places to live. The problem is becoming one out here is very tough right now. Once again, I'm sorry for my harsh rhetoric. I just want us all to be successful. Reality tends to help more than a bunch of embellishments and half-truths.

I wish you the best of luck. I hope things go well. I'm in a very similar situation than you. Couple of pieces of advice. 1) You might want to apply to more than one school. I don't want to scare you, but I learned the hard way. I just got a rejection letter from a community college in Oregon with a 3.9 prerequisite GPA (even though overall is 3.5) and a bachelor's degree from UNLV. 2) Be patient. I'm 30 and have been in school for years and years. I know it sucks to wait, but it will be worth it. 3) One at a time is the best idea because grades are extremely important. 4) A job at a hospital (no matter how menial the work) is a great way to learn the ropes. I work in patient transportation which requires NO technical skills, but I get tons of valuable experience with patients. Good luck

I'm looking for a little advice from anybody who's been there. A few days ago, I received a letter from a community college nursing school that I applied to telling me that I have made it to the next round. They are telling me that it will be a 5 question essay exam covering diversity, personal values, motivation for nursing, tolerance to stress, and transferable skills. It's only going to last an hour and a half. They are grading me on organization and grammar, so I can't just blurt out thoughts. Should I go with quantity on this one, or just take one of my qualities and run with it? I also would like any advice from people who have done this before. Thank you all so much for your help.

I apppreciate all your advice. I might want to look into LPN. I do know an LPN. There is a problem in this state getting a job as one (according to his advice), but I think you might be right that it is a good jumping off point.

Thank you for your post. I'm sorry, I only get access to computer once a day, so my responses will come a little late. I understand your point about sitting for the same exams. That is completely true. The main problem is money vs. reputation. If I were to go to a for profit school, whether it be true or untrue, there is a reputation attached to it. When it comes to the application process when getting a job, the truth is this: Employers will take the better school when all else is equal. It is also very, very expensive. It's not that I'm downgrading the schools, it's just the reality of the situation.

Hello, I found this forum and thought I would give it a try. I know you have all heard this question before, but every case is different, so here goes: I am a 30 year old male who is looking to get into nursing school. I live in Portland, OR. This is an area where nursing school is the major du jour. There are routinely 600 people applying for 50 spots which only allows the elite to get in (by the way, that's for community college). It's tough, because I've been spending countless hours applying to schools with little to show. It's application season and I'm really only qualified for about 4-5 schools(all community colleges). It seems that many schools have different prerequisites that disqualify me from applying. Also, the rural colleges tend to disqualify people who don't live in their area. Here are my qualifications: Bachelor's in Hotel Administration UNLV: 3.4 GPA Associate from Portland Community College: 3.4 GPA My A&P and Microbiology classes are done B,A,B,B are my grades in that order I've been getting more A's in my other prerequisites lately My overall GPA will never be above a 3.4. I got an A in my last class and it went up 1/100th of a point I work in a hospital in the transport department (not CNA certified) I don't care where I go to college as long as it is accredited and not a for profit institiution such as University of Phoenix, DeVry, etc. I don't want to spend a ton of money, but beggars can't be choosers. I would do a bachelor's to bachelor's if possible, but I've heard those usually require a higher GPA. I want to apply, but it's hard to spend time and money on something that is completely uncertain. Are there any schools that would be good for a person like me. Thank you so much to anybody that can help me out. Chris