Some pre-nursing advice!

Faeriewand, ASN, RN · Mar 26, 2006

Well do they go by a point system? Or do you just have to knock off your pre-reqs and then apply and wait?

What other schools are in your area? Could you do LVN to RN at the college? Private schools cost a lot more but you get done faster and then start earning the wages of a nurse.

stpauligirl · Mar 26, 2006

I'm currently studying at a community college and there's an ADN nursing program there and I'm planning to apply into it. The problem is, after talking to aspiring nurses who planned to apply in the same college, that it's pretty competitive and the waiting list is horrendously impossible to get into unless one is super brainy & that's not me. So what should I do... just stick in my community college's waiting list or is there an alternate plan? Please help.

In general admittance into nursing programs depends on your GPA. The higher, the better your chances. Apply and see what happens. Good luck.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Mar 26, 2006

And concentrate on math and science. An A in biology goes a long way, as does having a B or higher in the level of math you'll be required to take as a nurse. A level higher is even better.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Mar 26, 2006

These "aspiring nurses" that you talked to, how do they know what's truly going on at your community college? Did you read, and are you familiar with the college catalog and the information listed by the department of nursing? Are these other students on the waiting list already? Or, are they just expressing sour grapes and spreading their disappointment? You cannot go by a bunch of gossip by aspiring nursing students who may not be telling you the correct information. One of the lessons RNs learn in school is to go to source documents to verify information. In the case of the patient, that would be the chart. In the case of an aspiring student that would be the written admitting policy of the nursing department at the school you want to attend. Most all nursing schools today have waiting lists because there just are not enough nursing instructors to teach all the people who want to become nurses. Follow the directions to get accepted into the nursing school as they are spelled out by the nursing department. Once you are on that waiting list you wait your turn to start nursing classes like everyone else does. Be a leader and independent thinker here and not a follower and someone who is easily misdirected by people who may not be giving you accurate information. Don't allow the emotional disappointments of others to affect your own decisions since your circumstances may be very much different than theirs.

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Mar 26, 2006

If it makes you feel any better, the school I applied to said that they MIGHT have one or two sets available for next semester...and this came from the head of the nursing department...and over 200 applied last year...so if that many apply again for those one or two seats...I looking at a slim chance of getting in...a long waiting list will be in my future...I feel like instead of waiting to see if I get in, I am waiting to see what number I will be on the waiting list. At my school they do it as a lotto system, so it does not matter if I have a 4.0 in my pre-requ's and a 3.5 over all and have medical experience....my name goes in the same hat at the guy that goofed off and barley passed his classes, "just enough to apply":angryfire

narcissistic · Mar 26, 2006

Thanks guys for all the advice. This is our selection procedure:

"Only students having admission requirements met by the application deadline will be considered for selection. 80% of those eligible will be selected based on GPA admission requirement courses, and 20% will be selected on a random basis. If a student is not offered a space in the program, a new application is necessary for the following semester. No waiting list is maintained."

^ It's for the "Associate of Science Degree in Nursing."

For the General Education:

- Psychology: (101)

- Sociology: (101, or 102, or 103)

- Communication: (100 or 103)

- Math: (96)

- Humanities: (French 101)

- Physical Education: (Nutrition 101)

Cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 in the following admission courses:

- Math 96

- Chemistry 100

- Biology 125 (Microbiology)

- English 101

- Anatomy & Physiology 101 & 102

My question is what is a 2.5 GPA (I know that sounds pretty dumb)? Does that mean that in these admission courses, I have to have a grade of A for all five of them? And is it okay if there's not an A (but a B or C) for my general Ed?

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Mar 27, 2006

this means your gpa all together. do you know how to figure your gpa?here is a gpa calculator:

http://www.aad.berkeley.edu/gpacalc.html

or you can do it by hand:

calculating gpa

each letter grade is equivalent to a certain number of quality points.

a 4.0

a- 3.7

b+ 3.3

b 3.0

b- 2.7

c+ 2.3

c 2.0

c- 1.7

d+ 1.3

d 1.0

e 0.0

given the understanding of how quality points equate to grades, here's how to compute your gpa:

compute your quality points by multiplying the number of credits for each class by the quality points for the assigned grade.

example:

course grade credits quality points

eng 1110 b = 3.0 x 5 = 15.0

mat 1225 a- = 3.7 x 5 = 18.5

com 1101 b+ = 3.3 x 3 = 9.9

mus 1250 c = 2.0 x 2 = 4.0

15 47.4

divide the total quality points by the total number of credits and you have your quarterly gpa.

example: 47.4 divided by 15 = 3.16

to compute your cumulative gpa, divide the total quality points you have earned at spu by the total number of credits you have earned at spu.

if you currently have a lower cumulative gpa than you want and you'd like to raise it to a certain point, follow the steps below to see if that is possible this quarter:

let's say you have completed 30 credits with a cumulative gpa of 2.93. you are currently enrolled in 15 credits and want to know what gpa you need this quarter to raise your cumulative gpa to a 3.0.

1. add the total number of credits you have completed to the total number you plan to complete this quarter.

example: 30 completed

+15 in progress

45

2. multiply that total by the cumulative gpa you want to attain.

example: 45 x 3.0 = 135

this is the cumulative total number of quality points you want to achieve by the end of the quarter.

3. subtract the number of quality points you have already earned (30 x 2.93 = 87.9) from the total you need at the end of the quarter.

example: 135

-87.9

47.1

this is the number of quality points you need this quarter.

4. divide the number of quality points you need this quarter by the number of credits you are taking this quarter to see what gpa you need to achieve your goal.

example: 47.1 divided by 15 = 3.14 if you earn at least a 3.14 this quarter, your cumulative gpa will be 3.0.

hope this helps.

thanks guys for all the advice. this is our selection procedure:
^ it's for the "associate of science degree in nursing."
for the general education:
- psychology: (101)
- sociology: (101, or 102, or 103)
- communication: (100 or 103)
- math: (96)
- humanities: (french 101)
- physical education: (nutrition 101)
cumulative gpa of at least 2.5 in the following admission courses:
- math 96
- chemistry 100
- biology 125 (microbiology)
- english 101
- anatomy & physiology 101 & 102
my question is what is a 2.5 gpa (i know that sounds pretty dumb)? does that mean that in these admission courses, i have to have a grade of a for all five of them? and is it okay if there's not an a (but a b or c) for my general ed?