Sharing the anticipation/anxiety of admissions..

[JHHarten1]

Hello all, I'm new to this community and I've seen so many helpful, practical and caring people post here -- its great.

I'd like to get a little feedback and some opinions on what I might consider doing to make myself both more appealing and competitive for the college of nursing for UNM (Univ. of New Mexico). I've posted a similar post there for more locale based views, but I value all views in general.

I'll be able to apply for the BSN program here for the Fall. By then, our program will have fully changed from a letter of recommendation/volunteer/GPA based admission system to a strictly GPA based system. My GPA will be 3.34 cumulative and my science GPA will be at 3.9. I'm transferring from the college of engineering and bringing with me Calculus I & II with both a B and C respectively. (not sure if that matters at all).

So, I've seen people with lower GPA's accepted to other schools and that makes me feel a little better about my own, but I'm wondering if you guys think my GPA is moderately competitive when our school admits 40 people out of 300 or so a semester. Have any of you been accepted to a BSN program with a similar GPA situation with equal to or more competition?

Also, I feel a bit self conscious about my GPA as my engineering adviser, upon my leaving the engineering school, told me that my GPA "sucked" and that I really need to work on getting my GPA even higher. What say you? What else can I do to maximize my chances based on the info given about my shcool? (I plan on asking my adviser here tomorrow as well).

Thanks for reading this and any views you express :)

[macizu, BSN, RN]

Now I don’t know anything about UNM since I’m in Texas but believe me when I tell you this, your GPA is just FINE!!!

You’re going to have students with better GPA than you and students with worse GPA than you. That’s just a fact.

Now that being said, if there are any classes that you got a C in and think that you could do better if you took it again, TAKE IT! It shows that you improved and it bumps up your GPA as well.

Trust me you have a very good GPA. Now if your GPA was under 3.0 then I would say that you might have something to worry about since most nursing schools usually require a GPA of 3.0 or better. But since it’s not, then you don’t.

Don’t stress yourself over something you have no decision over like being admitted. Just apply and hope for the best.

[JHHarten1]

Thanks for the kind words of support! I feel a bit better about it and a bit more confident. My adviser stated that its best to just focus on my GPA right now as volunteering and letters of recommendation are no longer used in the admissions process, but I'll definitely take your advice and retake a course I should have aced, in which instead I earned a C (English 101 here I come!!). I also plan on volunteering and shadowing anyway just to make absolutely sure. Although being that I'm an adrenaline monkey and that I took a basic-EMT course a few years back and loved it, I'd imagine I'd love nursing just the same :) (Especially in the ER).

[nondelicacy]

I agree with macizu. you're engineering advisor is crazy! since when is a 3.34/3.9 a bad gpa?! If it makes you feel any better, one of my good friend actually got accepted into the nursing program here on my campus with a 2.5 gpa (the program accepts 120/700). I don't think you should spend so much energy worrying about the competition since you do not have any control over it. I wish you the best of luck on your endeavor! =)

-L