STUCK with no LUCK

Published

Hey everyone!

In need of some perspective, guidance, and advice from anyone willing to help! I'm new to the nursing world (a little over one year LVN) and I've been thinking of furthering my nursing education by obtaining either an ADN if not BSN. I currently live in CA which I seriously think has the hardest and most ridiculously impacted nursing systems/schools to get into. sigh. especially for someone lacking in a good science GPA, aka me.

I pursued nursing in my mid-twenties after literally having an "awakening" when my grandpa was sick and going in and out of hospitals and nursing facilities. It wasn't until then that I realized how viable nurses are in healthcare and how much nurses can make a difference and really impact someone's life. especially when they are at the most vulnerable time in their life such as for my grandpa. Not only are families important in the care and outcome of how a person heals and gets better, but nurses are just as important. Although my grandpa passed, he was always telling me how great the nurses were and how well they took care of him. Even just a simple smile and greeting him made his day. My grandpa was the most loving, caring, and most awesome grandpa anyone can have. I loved him dearly so to know that he was cared for and loved up to his passing was soothing and comforting to me. This really opened my perspective to nursing and healthcare and sparked a new passion to become one.

I started taking nursing prerequisites in 2015 at a local city college. DIDN'T do so well in a&p as I hoped. Actually failed on my first attempt because I overwhelmed myself in my first quarter by taking back to back science classes which were a whopping 10 hour a day. I repeated and got a C in a&p. Although I managed to finish all the pre-requisites in a year, I tanked in a&p. So my science GPA (anatomy, physio, micro) is around 2.5. I know, horrible right? so disappointed. I have a 3.7 GPA overall for my other prereqs (sociology, English, speech, nutrition, psych, human development, math, etc). My TEAS was a whopping 68%. Because my science GPA and myTEAS were so weak, I was discouraged from applying. especially after hearing my classmate, who has a 3.9 GPA, got waitlisted.

BUT that did not deter me from nursing. I decided to take the vocational route and got my LVN license in 11 months. Now I'm one year + into being an LVN and I love love my job. I love patient care and I love doing for my patients what the nurses did for my grandpa. Even if it's a simple smile or words of encouragement, it makes my life more fulfilled seeing them smile back and knowing I did something to help someone else and eased their pain.

OMG, didn't know how much I have written! I'm talking too much now. But I sincerely do need some of you guys' expertise and advice on what I should do next? I picked up my old transcripts and went through them with a school counselor. Because my science GPA is low, she advised that I re-take the a&p. But because some schools have a strict no repeats policy, I would have to consult with the schools if Im even able to repeats. especially if I had already repeated a&p from an F to C. She also told me that my local city colleges, de Anza, CCSF, CSM, all have waitlists of 2-3 years. sigh..... She advised I seek further such as out of state.

My dilemma is:

- Should I repeat my a&p, or can I since I already did one retake? and since I took it in 2015 and some schools have recency of 5 years... would that still be considered a repeat if it's expired?

- My first teas is 68% and most schools only take first tries. Should I retake even if I know they won't accept it?

- and LAST but the one I least want to choose, Go back to the vocational school that I took my LVN license with for $93,000 for an LVN-BSN bridge that's also not regionally accreditated?

I've been thinking about going back to school for some time now but I feel really stuck on how to proceed with this. The longer I linger, the more I'm starting to feel discouraged. All the local colleges are either impacted, have 2+ year waitlists, or are impossible for me to get into with my science GPA. My whole nursing path, I practically grew reading from this website so where better place to ask for advice than this website! Any advice/comment/shout-out is greatly loved and appreciated ?

THANK YOU all for reading and listening for this long!

- A

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

First of all- do NOT do that ridiculously expensive program.

Is there any way you can re-locate for a couple years to give yourself a fighting chance at getting into an affordable program?

WGU offers a fully accredited pre-licensure BSN program in five states (including California but the competition there is insane). TX has the greatest capacity and clinical sites all over. It is designed so you can work AND attend the program. And as an LVN, you can make a living wage. Cost is under $40k inclusive.

https://www.wgu.edu/online-nursing-health-degrees/rn-prelicensure-nursing-bachelors-program.html

You clearly have the grit and determination to succeed.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Addictions, Psych.

Probably don't do a program that isn't regionally accredited -- the credits you take there won't transfer.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

@meanmaryjean @WhaleTailsThank you guys for the response! I'm so happy!

I have considered relocating out of state but just haven't gone as far as to research the different schools. I'll definitely look into WGU! Some of my friends actually went as far as Boston and Denver and graduated so I'm optimistic.

And I agree, the more I read into the program and the more they're itching for me to start, already shows they're only interested in my money and not genuinely helping me.

Thank you, guys !

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Addictions, Psych.
7 hours ago, averya said:

@meanmaryjean @WhaleTailsThank you guys for the response! I'm so happy!

I have considered relocating out of state but just haven't gone as far as to research the different schools. I'll definitely look into WGU! Some of my friends actually went as far as Boston and Denver and graduated so I'm optimistic.

And I agree, the more I read into the program and the more they're itching for me to start, already shows they're only interested in my money and not genuinely helping me.

Thank you, guys !

I'm halfway through a two-year RN program at a community college in Boston -- let me know if there's anything you want to know!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion