Scared to apply to grad school

Sweet charm, ASN, RN · Aug 17, 2015

Won't hurt to apply. Confidence comes from within.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2015

I have been told by my family, I am not smart enough all my life.

During my growing-up years I was regularly called 'stupid' and 'sorry' by a verbally abusive parent.

I'll be starting grad school tomorrow. Although the mean-spirited words of my family have remained embedded in my mind for years, I enjoy proving people wrong and surpassing their modest expectations of me.

So, if someone insists you are not smart enough, challenge them. Prove them wrong.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Aug 17, 2015

You need to pull yourself up, no one can do that for you. How about an online program that would give you flexibility with you having a young child?

There is nothing wrong with some self esteem. As a grown up, it really is up to you to put all of your family past into a place where it doesn't affect you now, or reflect on your own young child. And if you need support, I would seek either a support group, counseling, something that will clean your slate to move forward.

Best wishes!

Dranger · Aug 17, 2015

You'll be fine but a word of caution everyone else is doing it....

twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN · Aug 17, 2015

I also have had many family members, friends and professors say that I wasn't smart enough to make it through either nursing school or associated classes. At one point in my life my parents wanted to have me put in special ed classes, not knowing I was probably gifted and acting out. Now I have a 3.6 GPA in George Washington University BSN-DNP program.

One of my favorite sayings is that you can't go by what others say you can't do because they are only basing their opinions on their own limitations.

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Aug 17, 2015

All of the yeah-saying is good but if you need a reality boost, contact one of your former professors with whom you were on the best terms and ask to sit in a graduate class for a few times. I assume that you are BSN if you think about grad application, and your professors either have their own grad classes or have contacts. Ask for a no-credit, no scores, no homework, just being a "guest". If possible, get two classes, one a hard one like pharmacology, another something you just enjoy, but if there is no choice, get a hard one. You may need to think of your own legend why you need to do it but something like "I want to go grad but just cannot decide between education and NP, have time and money only for one degree and I am staying at home with my baby and so cannot shadow" usually works just fine.

Then sit in a class, give yourself hard two months committment. I bet that at the end you will feel better about the whole thing. This way, you will have minimal or zero financial committment (they may still ask you to register for class) and get a taste of what grad school might look like while having a baby in the house and what you need to do to continue your education.

I did two grad classes this way while still in school, had no problem with arranging it.

Rnfortuna · Aug 17, 2015

Thank you! Great idea.