Second Degree Accelerated BSN - Low Undergrad GPA

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Hi Everyone! I wanted to create a post for those of us who had less-than-stellar undergraduate GPAs but still were accepted to Second Degree BSN programs. I know that I trolled these forums during the time I was taking pre-requisites and applying in order to gain some reassurance that all of my hard work would not be in vain. Thankfully, other posters gave me inspiration that it could be done and I hope that I can continue the inspiration for others like us.

I was a student-athlete at an Ivy League school where I proceeded to over-focus on my sport and not in the classroom. As a result, my GPA was a sub-par 2.8. After a few years in the working world I decided to volunteer at my local hospital. I was inspired by the nursing care and decided to pursue a nursing career. I knew that in order to make up for my unacceptable UG GPA I had to get straight A's in my pre-requisites, and proceeded to do so. I also continued volunteering at the hospital and shadowed an RN and an NP. I made sure to obtain excellent recommendations from a professor and my current supervisor at work. I studied for the GREs and got a 1400.

It was definitely difficult to manage working full-time, taking classes part-time and volunteering, but in the end it was well worth the effort! I crafted my personal statement as someone who had found their passion and since then done everything in their power to achieve their dream of becoming a nurse. I said that I no longer identified as that under-achieving person and was willing and able to become an asset to the nursing profession.

I applied to four Accelerated Second Degree BSN programs and was accepted to three, and in the end decided to attend Penn, where I will start this summer.

tl;dr - YOU CAN DO IT! BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF US OUT THERE!

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I know you posted this a few weeks ago, but I just had to say your post makes me feel so much better. I have a BA and graduated with a GPA of 3.3. At the time, I thought that was pretty good. I applied to a 2nd degree accelerated program in February and won't hear back until July or August. I have a 4.0 in my pre-reqs, so initially, I thought I would have no trouble getting accepted. Now I keep reading all these posts from people with much higher GPAs who were not accepted, and I was starting to lose hope. Your post reminds me that nursing schools will look at more than just gpa before making a decision. Thanks again for the words of encouragement!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.

I had to log in and post when I saw your thread. To the poster above me, keep the faith. I know Nursing schools these days seem to becoming more and more competitive due to the overwhelming increase in applications. But, my first degree GPA was a 3.2 and my prerequisite GPA was a 3.7. I remained confident in myself and got accepted into the only ABSN program I applied to and graduated.

Best of luck to the OP at Penn!

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thanks for this post! it gives me hope that i can get into an accelerated second degree BSN program!

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I had to log in and post when I saw your thread. To the poster above me, keep the faith. I know Nursing schools these days seem to becoming more and more competitive due to the overwhelming increase in applications. But, my first degree GPA was a 3.2 and my prerequisite GPA was a 3.7. I remained confident in myself and got accepted into the only ABSN program I applied to and graduated.

Best of luck to the OP at Penn!

Did you have any volunteer hours? :)

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Thank you for this. I also have a less than stellar 2.8 from my undergrad..from a very good school, a very long time ago. I was just not focused at 18. I am now -ahem -quite a bit older and have lots more direction. I am encouraged by this post. I am confident I can get 4.0 out of my prereqs but am quite worried about whether my youthful lack of focus might ultimately bite me ...

anyway thank you for posting! :)

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