Published Nov 22, 2010
Hargrove86
43 Posts
Hi there!
I am new here, so hello everyone!
I'm 24 and going back to school for nursing. I have a BS in Business Administration from Towson and graduated cum laude in 2008. I am currently taking my pre-clinical classes at CCBC Essex. I took a lot of pre-reqs my first time through school. I took A&P I and Sociology 101 this summer at CCBC and am currently taking A&P II and Psychology 101. I'm signed up for another psychology course, chemistry I, and microbiology this coming semester. Once I finish this coming semester, I will have 4 lab sciences out of the way and will be able to apply for a program. I would realistically like to go back to Towson. I am not a perfect A student in these prerequisites, so far I have a 3.69 and will probably be getting an A in A&P II and a B in Psych 101 since I have been putting all my effort into A&P. I should be able to maintain A's and a few B's. What are my chances of getting into Towson with less than a 4.0? Do you have any advice as to anything additional I should be doing to increase my chances of acceptance? Thanks for any advice you can provide!
thenameismac
263 Posts
From what I read on the site Towson is one of the more competitive programs in the area. That's not to say that you won't do great on your entrance exams. I'm sure all types of people get in but i would apply to more than one school just in case. Why not try CCBC's program?
I would rather get a BS than an AA since it will take me the same amount of time since I already have a degree and can go through an accelerated program.
2012grad
16 Posts
Hargrove86 - You're doing great! I am not an admissions counselor or anything, but I definitely have some input. I would think that anyting below a 3.5 raises a little red flag for committees accepting students, so the fact that you have above that probably automatically puts you in with the competition. From my experience and knowledge of what type of students are accepted, it seems as though nursing schools like well rounded, motivated students. You have knowledge of things outside of nursing and medicine and that will probably look great on your resume. You may want to consider volunteer work at a hospital, not only for building your resume, but also to have the opportunity to talk with nurses. Participating in something for a long period of time shows dedication, so be sure to talk about that if you have anything that fits that description. I think if you maintain your GPA (or don't let it slip much!!), you definitely are in the running for being accepted to Towson. I would also maybe consider looking into the BSN program at University of Maryland, Hopkins, Salisbury, etc. to broaden your horizon. Anyway, it seems as though you are on the right track. Good luck studying!
SkinnyC,RN
7 Posts
The issue you're looking at here is that while you have a great chance at being accepted into the University itself, you're not guaranteed admission into the program. I graduated from the Towson nursing program and I can tell you that it is indeed extremely competitive. My class had about 70 students, but far more applicants. I did know some girls that were rejected with GPAs over 3.6. I don't mean to be so harsh, I just want to be honest with you. My advice would be to apply to Towson, but also consider applying to Hopkins and Maryland. You will be more likely to get a job if you go to a school that's affiliated with a hospital anyway, especially since they've started doing new graduate nurse residencies. For example, Franklin Square has a new grad program and most of those positions are going to the Essex students and I'm willing to bet the same is true for UMMC and Maryland students. Hopkins even told one of the girls I graduated with that they wouldn't hire her because they didn't think she could keep up with the fast-paced environment, but how much do you want to bet they are hiring new grads from Hopkins University? I know this doesn't really answer your question about whether or not you will be accepted in the program, but I still don't have a job after graduating from Towson almost a year ago, and I just wanted to be honest with you. Keep those grades up and apply to multiple nursing programs. Good luck!