Transfer to California BSN

[Parker Shubin]

Hello! 

I am currently a freshman at UCLA who learned while volunteering in the hospital that nursing is the career path I want to pursue. As UCLA's nursing program doesn't allow students out of the school of nursing to change their major to nursing, I now plan on applying as a transfer this upcoming Fall while completing the rest of my pre-reqs at CC. Here are the schools I plan on applying to: 

CSU Fullerton 

CSU Los Angeles 

CSU San Marcos 

CSU San Bernardino 

Loma Linda University

Azusa Pacific University

National University

Mount Saint Mary's 

Pepperdine 

The problem is- my GPA is low, around 3.117, so my grades are definitely the weakest part of my application as I have some solid extracurriculars and a mean personal statement. Anyone have any advice on what I can do to increase my chances of getting accepted somewhere as a transfer? I will be taking my main nursing pre-reqs, including anatomy, physiology, and Microbiology this upcoming year.
 

Any advice is greatly appreciated! 

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

Hello, fellow Californian here.  You should be able to get into a nursing program.  What is the reason for your GPA?  If you can explain this in your statement, it will help.  If you got a low grade in something, you could also retake it.

You should also apply to the UCLA nursing program as a new student.  I would imagine getting into UCLA to begin with would help.

A back up would be to apply to some CC ADN programs.  If you end up completing one of those, you can do a bridge to BSN program later and most employers will pay for that.

Most nursing schools are most concerned with your grades in the nursing prereqs, so do your best to get all As in those.  If you got a C in Astronomy, for example, nursing schools won't care because it is not relevant to nursing.

You could also consider completing a program to become Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Home Health Aide (HHA).  These are offered through the Red Cross and many community colleges.  If you can work part time in such a role for awhile, it will help your application.

When I did my nursing prereqs (I lived in L.A. at the time), I ended up having to go to several different CCs for them because the classes were impacted.  My parents lived in North San Diego County, so I even took some classes at Mira Costa!  

Another thought on prereqs - I also did some through UCLA Extension.  This helped because I was able to get UCLA professors (they teach Extension also) to write recommendations for me - that carried a lot of weight.  They can also introduce you possibly to nursing school professors so you can do some networking.

Finally, talk to some nursing school admissions counselors and voice your concerns, get some advice.

(Note:  I went to Johns Hopkins.  I was waitlisted by UCLA, but within a couple months they accepted me).

Good luck!