Should I go back and retake classes I didn't get A's in?

[glenlorie]

Hi everyone,

I want to first thank you all for taking time out to read my question. I am in my freshman year (second semester) in an ADN program here in Oklahoma. I will graduate in May 2013 and will take the RN NCLEX that summer as well. I then plan to work as an RN at our local hospital while I work on my RN to BSN. My ultimate goal is to become a Nurse Practitioner (possibly for peds). I am 27 years old and I didn't decide on the nursing career until after my youngest son was born in Dec 2010, so I got a late start on college. My gpa right now is a 3.68 (on a 4.0 scale) and I have A's in my nursing courses so far. However, I do have some B's on a few pre-reqs and this is my question: Should I go back and re-take the classes that I made B's in, to get these grades up, before I apply to the Nurse Practitioner program (which please keep in mind, is several years from now).

I have collected some experience during clinical and I have a second interview for a possible Nurse Extern summer program at our local hospital. If I am accepted into the summer program, I can continue working after the program ends as an advanced nurse tech, which I plan to do, just so I will have my "foot in the door" at the hospital I want to work at when I become an RN.

I live in southern Oklahoma, and I plan to apply to OU (University of Oklahoma) because they have a program that is mostly online and the clinicals can be done at the Ardmore hospital (the hospital I am planning to get an extern position at). Although, I'm not going to put all my eggs in one basket and I will be applying to several schools, but this is my dream choice.

Any information helps. Thank you all so much for your time. Enjoy your Sunday!

[sheronep, MSN, RN]

Do not retake classes. Overall they look at your cumulative average and it's more important to get the best grades you can while in nursing school. If you stress about those classes and retake them you won't be moving forward in your new career. You might be surprised that after working a few years your plans may change - from location to specialty.

Good luck!

[sailornurse]

In some universities a passing grade of c or b, you may not be allowed to retake the class, so check first if this is even allowed.

And if it is allowed they may average in the grades for each time you take the classes, re taking a class and getting a higher grade may not "cancel" out the lower grade, so before you do this find out what the policies on repeating classes is.

Your GPA now is pretty solid. Much better then mine when I was a 20 y.o. ADN student, I did better on my BSN. Plus my school did interviews and the GRE for NP admissions.

SailorNurse, MSN, FNP

[bonjournurse2b]

Hi glenlorie,

I have similar plans as you do as far as applying for the NP program at OU. If you don't mind, please keep me updated about your application status(es)! I wish you the best of luck :)