dreag87

@hey_suz @Lev

Thanks a lot!!! I needed to hear that. I've been waiting what seems like all my life to get into nursing school. Now I'm finally here and this is happening. I guess I didn't anticipate how different AND difficult this semester would be so I do what I do best, second guess myself and my abilities. I guess if I made it this far I can make it the rest of the way!!!! Just gotta push way harder.

thank you @nynursey_ I am planning to see a counselor tomorrow!!

@MoopleRN I'm looking for ADVICE moreso than validation. I'm wondering if this is this is a normal feeling for some students during the course of nursing school. I heard that 2nd semester would be the hardest, I guess im just feeling the pressure and allowing it to get to me.

All my life I just knew I wanted to be a nurse. I graduated high school in 2005 and right away I chose Pre-Nursing as my college major. After fooling around and flunking a few classes my freshman year, I finally decided to get serious and buckle down. By then my GPA was in the dumbs (1.48) so I decided to finish all my nursing pre-reqs in hopes to raise my GPA into an acceptable range to start applying to nursing school. After my fair share of "denial" letters I finally got accepted into a 2yr Associates program (it was better than nothing). First semester went better than expected, I finished with a 3.57GPA overall and I was chosen as the VP of my graduating class!! Now I'm in my second semester doing Med/Surg+Psych combined and I don't know what the heck happened to me. I have NO motivation whatsoever. I barely study, I drag myself to school everyday just to sign the attendance sheet, I hate clinicals and I'm doing more memorizing than reading for understand, which we all know is pointless when it comes to nursing school. And when I actually did put forth effort to study for my 1st exam, I got a 76% (failed by 1 question). I keep telling myself it was the long 6wk winter break that has me in this rut but I just don't know. I cant really talk to anyone about how I'm feeling because all my family and friends have been rooting for me all these years and would be sooo disappointed if I shared this with them. Especially my mother who thinks I have a serious problem following things through till the very end. I just don't know....I want a good job, I want to make decent money, have a sense of security and live a happy/fullfilling life but, Do I have to be a nurse to achieve that? I've worked in the medical field pretty much ever since I was able to work. I've been a unit secretary at a local hospital for the past 5years. I love my job but it cant pay the bills (especially when I move out and start a family). Now, approaching age 27, I'm wondering who I really am and most importantly who I want to be. Where do I envision myself in the future? I know nursing opens up a lot of different pathways that go way beyond the clinical setting, but you still have to go through all that grueling schoolwork and state boards. And then a BSN program :-(. In terms of longevity I just don't see myself happy in this career path at all. Thing is, it has always been nursing for me, so I never seriously considered other possible career paths. I also don't feel like being in school for the rest of my life, I already wasted so much time. I love to lend a helping hand, put a smile on people's face, organize, plan and be creative but there's no job title for that. I don't know I just need help, advice, words of encouragement before I make a decision that can alter the rest of my life. HELP ME PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!

This school is such a joke!!! First off their customer service is HORRIBLE!!! Your lucky if you get to speak to a live person. The staff there comes and goes like a revolving door so be prepared to be bounced around between advisors. It's way to expensive for a school that IS NOT nationally accredited (CCNE) and whose credits don't even transfer to other colleges; besides ... Read more.. those who they have agreements with. My acceptance letter stated I was admitted for Fall of 2013. When I went to pay my $500 deposit to hold my classes, the told me I will start in Spring of 2014!!! How misleading is that?? Thank God that the other school I was accepted to was able to enroll me at the last minute. When I called St. Paul's to ask for a refund, they inquired as to Why? I explained to them that I was misled about my intended start date and I was not willing to take the semester off. Her response, "Ok, I'll process your refund today." No apology no explanation. ***THIS SCHOOL DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR STUDENTS ONLY THEIR POCKETS*** And it took them 4 weeks to get my $500 refunded. Long story short Nursing is a great career if the foundation is solid. I know its tempting but beware of these pop up, fly by night, accreditation-PENDING, we accept everybody nursing schools. Do your research, check out the curriculum, compare prices, look up the pass rates, ask about student-teacher ratio, check accreditation statuses, take the tours, read the reviews, talk to current students and alumni and find out the facts before you dive in. I live in LI and I ended up going to school in NJ (I won't mention the name bc I don't want to sound bias) But the experience from the very beginning was nothing like I had dealt with at St. Paul's. I am so happy here it almost brings me to tears when I think about. With all the nursing schools in NY, I truly believe this is the school God intended for me to go to. The staff is just wonderful, curriculum is highly organized, same teachers for 10+years and the upperclassmen are so helpful. Wherever you decide to go just remember this will be your home away from home for the next 2-4 years. Choose wisely!!!!