I'm almost in tears right now and don't know what to do. I have been a stay-at-home mom for 5 years now with a 4-year-old and 1-year-old. I have always wanted to work in obstetrics; however, I wanted a family first. Now that my baby is getting older I am interested in taking the pre-reqs for either an ADN program or an LPN and then bridge to ADN...depending on issues with my closest school.
I was talking to a "friend" who is always pretty negative about stuff. I was telling her about my plan to enroll for the pre-reqs soon and she was like...
"You do know that it's very competitive to get in, right?"
"High school is different than college. College is a lot different and a lot harder."
"Those people competing aren't going to be high school students. They're going to be wives and mothers and people who work that are going to be competing for your spot."
"I'm just trying to inform you since I've been there."
"I'm just telling you because I live in reality and you are dreamy."
"It doesn't matter that you had a 3.8 in high school...if there are 250 people with 4.0's trying to get into the same program and end up with 4.0's on the pre-reqs."
I told her exactly how I felt about all that she said. I felt like she was saying, "You're too stupid. Don't apply." I feel like people, usually my husband, always try to make me feel stupid or uneducated. I was in the top 5% in high school! I feel like I am a smart girl and I feel like I can do it. Does it make me nervous that there is such competition? Sure. Does it make me want to do something else? No. Do I think I'll be accepted the first try? I hope so! I told her how I felt and she just said she was trying to help and that I was being sensitive. If she was just trying to help, she could have said something like, "Well, just make sure you do as well as you can on your pre-reqs since it's competitive." But no, everything I said she kept saying something against it.
I have to admit that I am a little discouraged now and am doubting my abilities now. But, and no offense to anyone...she has an AD in Business Administration. I'm sorry, but that is NOT the same thing as nursing!! My husband occasionally makes me feel stupid because I stay at home and have no degree. But I am a smart girl! I'm not stupid! I just want to shout that to the world. Just because I did things in a different order doesn't mean I'm stupid and incapable of getting a 4.0 on my pre-reqs and getting into a nursing program! God...why do people have to try to beat you down??? :crying2:
I got to the part in your message where you said your so-called friend called you stupid and was so angry at this statement, I skipped the rest of the message and felt compelled to immediately reply.
DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS "FRIEND". First off, friends don't say things like that. And second, sure... I'm not going to sugar coat it - it is challenging to get into NS, but it's NOT impossible. If you want it bad enough, you'll get there and you'll succeed too! Take everything this pessimistic person said to you and manifest it into determination.
If you have any community colleges in your area that offer nursing programs, they might be a bit easier to get into. For instance, they usually still have entrance exams and GPA minimums, but if they have a wait list like ours do in Phoenix you get on the list and then eventually your number comes up. Our state universities are competitive but it still doesn't make them unattainable. Maybe even check & see if there is a private college/university in your area; sometimes they have the ability to admit middle-of-the-road applicants over 4.0 ones because they are a private school. It all depends on which direction you want to go.
Keep your chin up and know in your heart that YOU CAN DO THIS!
Don't forget to send this "friend" a picture of you during your pinning/lamplighter ceremony - I would be so tempted to sneak in a middle finger in the picture.
"Those people competing aren't going to be high school students. They're going to be wives and mothers and people who work that are going to be competing for your spot."
That irritates me. It is not completely true.
Hi. I'm Laura...I just got accepted to Nursing School. I start August 24th of this year. I graduated from high school May 28th of this year. So believe me, not everyone will be wives and mothers. True, it's NOT high school any more...(thank goodness) BUT you CAN do it. It's mostly up to you...you have to make up your mind to go for it. Don't listen to negative things. (trust me, my mom of all people was trying to keep me from getting my hopes up and saying that I can apply again next year before we even knew if I got in!!) Just don't even listen. You have to know that you WANT it bad enough to make it happen. Believe in yourself. Keep smiling. Surround yourself with positive people!! Nothing good is ever easy. (my preacher said that in church yesterday...I thought it was fitting for applying for NS and just NS in general)
Also...I did get upset and discouraged sometimes while applying and especially waiting. I would get angry with my parents and even my boyfriend sometimes. But they explained their reasoning...I'm just now starting to understand it....They wanted me not to get my hopes up because they didn't want to see me get hurt and disappointed. I'm sure your pessimistic friend loves you and is being protective. If you don't think this is the case, then surround yourself with only positve people!!
Good luck and best wishes! Keep smiling :) you can make it happen...
I'm doing the backwards student thing, too, and let me tell you, people have had me scared out of my mind about everything from getting into NS to taking two science classes together to taking the HESI. So far, nothing has been as hard as everyone said it would be. So, try to take people with a grain of salt. You have the motivation to do it, and that's a big part of it.
:crying2:
determined 2succeed
53 Posts
drinkmoresoup,
I got to the part in your message where you said your so-called friend called you stupid and was so angry at this statement, I skipped the rest of the message and felt compelled to immediately reply.
DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS "FRIEND". First off, friends don't say things like that. And second, sure... I'm not going to sugar coat it - it is challenging to get into NS, but it's NOT impossible. If you want it bad enough, you'll get there and you'll succeed too! Take everything this pessimistic person said to you and manifest it into determination.
If you have any community colleges in your area that offer nursing programs, they might be a bit easier to get into. For instance, they usually still have entrance exams and GPA minimums, but if they have a wait list like ours do in Phoenix you get on the list and then eventually your number comes up. Our state universities are competitive but it still doesn't make them unattainable. Maybe even check & see if there is a private college/university in your area; sometimes they have the ability to admit middle-of-the-road applicants over 4.0 ones because they are a private school. It all depends on which direction you want to go.
Keep your chin up and know in your heart that YOU CAN DO THIS!
Don't forget to send this "friend" a picture of you during your pinning/lamplighter ceremony - I would be so tempted to sneak in a middle finger in the picture.