Trouble Entering Nursing School - Help

Logos · Jan 27, 2007

I took some classes at the local community college, about 17 years ago. Two of them I blew off and never bother dropped, just stopped going, you know what that means! I went on to graduate with a BS from a different University & never had any reason to care what the GPA I had at the community college. - Until now! Who knew they would count? & The good GPA I got in my area of major from the University- did not count at all. I have gotten A's on everything so far, Chem Bio, A&P, but it still did not bring my GPA up enough. So I applied to have those grades removed. That means they still show up on my transcript- but they have a little # sign next to them and they are not counted towards my GPA. You had to be out of school over 4 years, have changed majors, the classes must be in classes not required by your current major and you must have completed 18 credits with a 2.5 or above before they will remove the "offending" grades. :)

ukbsktbll · Jan 28, 2007

Well I took them back in 2003-2004 so i guess it hasn't been 4 yrs. Is that how it is in all states?

JaxiaKiley · Jan 29, 2007

I had that problem, too. Luckily, I found a program that was only concerned with the pre-req GPA. If you cannot find a similar program, you might consider becoming an LVN first, and then doing a bridge program.

PsychGrad2BRN · Jan 29, 2007

I can sympathize with your situation. When I started college back in 1992, I did not do so well either. My major was Pharmacy and my GPA for the first two years was a 2.4. I changed majors to Information Systems, did somewhat better, and graduated in 1997 with a 2.8 cumulative GPA.

Fast forward five years later, I decide to go back to school for Psychology after deciding I wanted to switch careers into the mental health field. So I take several courses and earn a degree in Psychology, with a 3.9 in those, raising my cumulative GPA to 3.2.

I have changed my career from Information Technology to Social Work and last spring I decided to pursue nursing (I want to work as a psychiatric nurse). I took a chemistry course over the summer and A&P I last semester, earning A's in both. The rest of the prereqs (Developmental Psych, General Psych, Sociology, English, etc.) were completed during my undergrad years. Last semester I applied to four programs. The one that accepted me was a diploma program, which I am starting in September. They only took into account the grades of the courses that were needed for the program. In my case that is nearly 3.8. They did not look at the GPA from my first two years in college since they only go back seven years for the science courses.

See if there is a hospital diploma program in your state, and what their admission policies are. Like many others have posted here, many schools only take the prereq/coreq grades into account for admissions purposes.

Good luck in your efforts.

MB37 · Jan 29, 2007

Are you stuck in one city or can you move? Most states have several programs, including public university and CC and private schools. Even if you want a BSN, don't rule out ADN programs - if you can find one nearby that will look at prereqs only, you can start a bridge as soon as you graduate. You can take most of those classes online, and if you are serious about CRNA school you need a few years hospital experience, including in critical/acute care areas. You can get your hospital experience while working on your BSN. Also, figure out what you can afford. Many private schools have somewhat more lax entrance standards due to a shortage of people who can afford to go there. The school I am applying to works exactly like yours - they look only at cumulative GPA, and take the top 12 (accelerated) and 24 (upper-division) applicants. If you did poorly in geology in 1982, it counts for exactly as much as the A&P II you took last semester. Weird, but it's how they do it. Keep looking, you'll find a program that works for you.

lavender rose · Jan 29, 2007

Well I have not entered nursing school yet, so I hope this is the right area for help for me. All the Nursing Schools I have applied to looks at your culmulative GPA. Well that is a problem for me cause i started off with a different intended major, took some engineering courses, and some other engineering prerquisites that I didn't post great grades in. I found them uninteresting and just did not do well. So my overall GPA does not seem as good. If you were to just look at the nursing prerquisites they are all great grades. All A's and some B's. My problem is the average GPAs are on average .3 points away from my current GPA. Is this a problem most people had or what can be done about this. I am so lost and just want to get into nursing school and am having so much trouble doing so.

I can't believe for just 3 points that people make such a big thing about. Look at the grades A's and B's that should tell them hey let this one in the NSG program. Keep talking to them. There has got to be a way. It seems now days they are making it harder to get into school. After I pass the boards, I am hoping to take real soon. To get into the Rn, I have to take all my pre req's again cause I took them at an adult school and the colleges won't accept them from an adult school. Its tough. Well I hope one of these days these postings will say I HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED. Yes! Real soom Take care!

lavender rose · Jan 29, 2007

Well I have not entered nursing school yet, so I hope this is the right area for help for me. All the Nursing Schools I have applied to looks at your culmulative GPA. Well that is a problem for me cause i started off with a different intended major, took some engineering courses, and some other engineering prerquisites that I didn't post great grades in. I found them uninteresting and just did not do well. So my overall GPA does not seem as good. If you were to just look at the nursing prerquisites they are all great grades. All A's and some B's. My problem is the average GPAs are on average .3 points away from my current GPA. Is this a problem most people had or what can be done about this. I am so lost and just want to get into nursing school and am having so much trouble doing so.

I can't believe for just 3 points that people make such a big thing about. Look at the grades A's and B's that should tell them hey let this one in the NSG program. Keep talking to them. There has got to be a way. It seems now days they are making it harder to get into school. After I pass the boards, I am hoping to take real soon. To get into the Rn, I have to take all my pre req's again cause I took them at an adult school and the colleges won't accept them from an adult school. Its tough. Well I hope one of these days these postings will say I HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED. Yes! Real soom Take care!

ukbsktbll · Jan 30, 2007

Yeh it is crazy especially with the high demand of nurses. Well I know I can get in the private schools here, just wanted to try a lower cost university first.

lavender rose · Jan 30, 2007

What school is that. I just got to find the right place. A lot of the private schools just really need a good GPA and u to pass the NET. That is what I am going to check out next.
Whats the PSB. I know some based mainly on the NET.

I took my LVN at an adult school. But one thing about that. If you want to move on to RN program the preq's are not transferable to a COLLEGE. They would have to be taken over. That's what I have to do. But I am willing, Its actually the only way. Still waiting to get my permission to apply for a test date. A friend of mine is with me cause she is in the same boat. So we are helping each other. But you know what- I am looking forward to going back to school again. I kinda miss it. Going for a year and a half kinda grows on you. I know this time around it will be more challenging. But taking the preq's will be a good refresher. At my work I really do not get to practice anything as to LVN. I hoping to get into this hospital I am applying at.