rileym14

Hey Everyone. This is my first post on allnurses.com, although I have been lurking these forums for the last five months. I am requesting some wisdom/assistance in the matters of my preparedness for applying to nursing school. First off, a little background. I graduated December 15, 2012, in 5.5 years, from Grand Valley State University with a BS of Health Professions. My original aspiration was to become a registered dietician, then a physical therapist. Aspirations for the future as a professional ran dry during this time, as I played college lacrosse and was more concerned with partying and what not. Following graduation, I picked up a job as a care worker at an assisted living facility for those individuals afflicted by mental illness, at which I currently am employed. During this time, I have decided that nursing is a good fit for me to begin a long, fulfilling professional career. After 5 months of working, I decided to enroll in some courses for retakes and become proactive about nursing. My aspiration is to get into an accelerated nursing program in Michigan, yet realize that an ADN program may be the most practical route. Now comes the "bad" part. I have retaken micro 3 times and physiology twice, the most recent of which were in the past Fall 2013 semester. For micro, my first few attempts were D,F,B-,A-(A- in Fall 2013). For physiology, my three attempts were as follows, F,D,A-(A- , once again in Fall 2013). Furthermore, during this fall semester, I took nutrition and orgo/bio combination, earning an A in both courses, while working full time. This bumped my cumulative GPA to a 3.1, with a pre-req GPA of ~3.5. Aside from this, I have a B+ in BIO, A- in anatomy, A in cadaver and business and biology minors. As for my future plans, I intend on getting my CNA before January is over. During this time, I hope to attain a job as a CNA in a hospital, as well as spend time volunteering with those afflicted by cancer. Sheesh. Now that all the prefacing is done, I will present my questions. Is my portfolio respectable for nursing programs? I know this varies by school, but most people have GPAs ranging in the 3.5+ range. While mine is low, I feel that I can make up for that in work and volunteer experience. Is this true? I suppose I am looking for any bit of advising in this matter that wise individuals on this forum can provide. I am not feeling too confident in my chances of getting accepted. I intend on applying to Lakeview College, Lewis University, Oakland university, Wayne State, University of Michigan, University of Detroit Mercy, Macomb community college, Grand Rapids CC, and Muskegon CC. If anyone could give me their personal experiences, especially those with less than favorable odds, I would appreciate it. Thanks for your time.