abmsam

Just do your research. That's my only advice. Talk to AS MANY current students as you can - students in different programs around the area. Find out the attrition rates of other schools. I can guarantee that they are nowhere close to 50%. I agree that 50% is not the FAIL rate. It is the attrition rate - the rate at which a program loses students for one reason or another. I withdrew. I did not fail However, had I not withdrawn, I would have been risking failing a TWELVE hour course. That does not look very nice on a transcript, and it would have been very difficult for me to get into another school had I flunked that semester. My point is this: keep in mind that while students withdraw for many reasons, they most often withdraw to save an otherwise excellent GPA. Remember, GPC is very choosy about who they accept into the nursing program. These are not idiots withdrawing because they are poor students. In the end, it's a very personal decision. You weigh your options and determine the risks versus the benefits. As for me, I made the wrong decision, and paid for it dearly. Though, now I see that it was a blessing in disguise. Good luck to you all. Those of you who graduate form GPC's nursing program have my most humble respect. I'm graduating from UGA this year Summa Cum Laude, and I couldn't hack it. I LOVED GPC for my pre-reqs, but boy, the nursing program was a different story. Again, best of luck. PS: Current students: is RR still teaching at the Lawrenceville campus? I just loved her.

The last class pinned was 73 students, but both the beginning class size (both campuses combined) is 150. That's a little more than a 50% dropout rate.

Me: 1280 SAT as a sophomore in high school NET: 96th percentile GPA: Currently 3.86, even when considering the C I brought home from GPC's nursing program my first semester Advanced and AP courses throughout Accepted into a major prestigious university as a JUNIOR in high school 99th percentile on the NLN nursing entrance test at another nursing school Graduating MAGNA CUM LAUDE from another major university in three months And I'm proud to say that I withdrew from GPC's nursing program halfway through my second semester. I've moved on to better things. Read my previous posts if you care to know my story regarding GPC...I'll won't go through it all again here. GPC was simply a ridiculous program full of instructors who could not have cared less about our futures. My hat is off to any graduate of the program. This University honors grad couldn't hack it.

Of course they have problems, but most of the class does not fail. In my opinion, there stands the difference between GPC and other programs. Other programs seem to manage their problems more effectively than GPC, with far fewer "casualties," if you will. Good luck at Perimeter. You know you're good if you make it through, and to you, I tip my hat.

It's difficult for one to make such a monumental decision by one's self when you have not actually attended the school yet. The only information to which prospective students have access while making this decision is from other current and former students. You don't hear these things about any other local program. You just don't hear complaints to this extent from former or current students of NGCSU, Ga Baptist, etc. Students who leave GPC for other programs report an unbelievable difference in the confidence and competence of their new programs. Nursing school should not be easy, but when upwards of 50% (even as high as 75%) of a class fails or is forced to withdraw to save a GPA, there is a problem that reaches far beyond just typical "difficulty." Nursing is difficult, but should not be impossible.

My pre-reqs were great. After I withdrew from the nursing program, I actually stayed at GPC to finish more pre-reqs that I needed to get into UGA. I have nothing against GPC as a whole. The nursing program, on the other hand, is fairly useless.

I'm one of those. Wait listed at two different schools and I didn't have a year to wait. I moved on to teaching, which I love, but I still have a passion for caring for the sick. Maybe someday.... Nice letter. Good luck in your new program, wherever that is. GPC is NOT typical. Only those who have experienced it truly understand.

First, nurses should NEVER have trouble finding a job. The shortage is devastating right now, and I would NOT choose GPC simply because you think you have a better chance of finding employment if/when you graduate. Second, nursing school is NOT what you make it. It is a combination of your interests, study habits, motivation AND the instructors and school. GPC is lacking in instructor ability as well as a clear program direction. Take it from someone who has been there. You do not want to get yourself into that. Nursing school is never easy. GPC has such high standards for accepting students into the program, and even these elite students fail. The only common thread is the school itself. The accusations of "unfairness" may be exagerated. Why? Because the instructors and administrators are not unfair on purpose. Many of them simply do not care, thus are not concerned with being effective teachers. They don't try to cheat you. They just do not put enough time into the students. I'll get of my high horse now.

I'm so sorry for your predicament. I went through exactly the same thing. I passed first semester with 79.XX and withdrew from the second semester at the midpoint. I'm sorry to say that the second semester is twice as difficult, due the extra clinical hours and much more complex content. Do a search of the forums for "GPC" and "Georgia Perimeter College" to read some of the personal stories, including mine. You may also find some of the issues expressed as questions, which could help you to develop your own questions and considerations. In my opinion, the entire program needs a full "reconstruction." It needs new professors, a new curriculum, a new outlook. As extreme as it sounds, I simply do not believe that the current administration of the program can change the direction. Good luck to you.

I beg to differ! There are two instructors that care, but the rest are just as bad as Clarkston's. You're pretty much on your own. Congrats on passing the first semester! I also ended up with 79.76, which earned me a C that first semester. One additional correct answer on any one test would have gotten me a B.

HOPE does depend on your grades. Gotta have a minimum 3.0.

Well said, dmarie. I had to withdraw at the midpoint of 2nd semester, and I cannot describe to you what it did to me. It emotionally and physically broke me. For months. I'm a bright lady, and began the program with a 3.8 GPA. I was forced to withdraw to save my GPA. Failing an 11 hour course will dash any dreams of getting into another good school. That was not an option. And you're right, it is a shame that we have such a nursing shortage and GPC is running off really competent, compassionate future nurses. I gave up on the career completely, after being waitlisted and finally not getting in at NGCSU and Athens Tech. Get out when you can, and go to a school that cares about you. When a couple hundred people begin, and 28 finish, the numbers speak louder than any words.

The questions are made up by the instructor who gave the lecture. Therefore, if the test is over eight different lectures given by five different instructors, those same five instructors wrote the test questions that apply to their lecture/s. It is very hard to take a test that is written by five or six different outlooks. This is part of what my class went to the Dept Chair to express, to no avail of course. Just read, read, read. There is no way to predict what they will test over. Good luck.

Actually, very few graduate from GPC. 26 out of the original 150 students who began in Fall 2004 finished. The numbers are daunting. Try to apply to other schools now, just in case. Best of luck to you.

Good luck to you. And, yes, get out soon. This place will ruin you. I am a 2005 casualty of the program, and I'm just now recovering. Several who withdrew 2nd semester when I did are having success at North Georgia and Athens Tech, making A's. It's sad that these same students were failing GPC's program. Run!