Recent undergrad graduate but wants to pursue nursing

[AlanxYu]

I just finished with my Psychology Major from UC Davis and with an overall gpa of 2.2... I messed up really bad during my first 2 years of undergrad because I was bouncing everywhere as I didn't know what I wanted to do yet. During my 3rd year I finally settled on trying for nursing but noticed my school doesn't offer that major. So right now I'm taking some time off and just volunteering at a hospital. Should I go to a cc and retake my lower div classes to get my gpa back up and then start applying or what? I REALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO! There seems to be a lot of options out there but I don't know which one to go towards. Any suggestions would be great as I could take anything given to me at this moment! Thank you!

[Zyprexa_Ho]

Take your sciences/prerequisites and kill them. Look for a school that only considers prerequisite GPA as an admission factor.

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

Your grades are going to limit your options. Nursing schools are strict and expect over achievers. 2.2 isn't even at the minimum schools will look for in an ABSN program. You may want to contact schools you want to attend and ask if there is a pathway to getting into their nursing programs. In nursing grades absolutely matter. Excuses are pointless because everyone goes through challenges. Also in nursing even if you are "bouncing around" your patients deserve A level care.

[guest908299]

Definitely don't give up yet!

I'd start looking around for ABSN programs (Accelerated BSN) near you and see what specific prerequisites they require and how they calculate their GPAs. There are quite a few ABSN programs in CA. Then start retaking prerequisite courses, focusing on the sciences (biology, micro, anatomy, physiology, etc) and really working toward A's in all your repeated classes.

Keep volunteering and try to pick up a paid job in healthcare too. A few options I'd consider - CNA, medical scribe, EMT-B (requires taking EMT course, so may or may not be an option for you).

Start meeting with advisors from the schools you're interested in and discuss your situation. Discussing what you struggled with during your years as an undergrad and how hard you had to work to retake courses and improve your GPA should help you create a strong personal statement. Plenty of schools do look at the big picture, but you'll need to start working to raise your GPA first. If you're dedicated it can be done.

Good luck!