Will it be harder for me to get in?

mshep12 · Jun 19, 2007

I can't necessarily offer insight...what I can offer is a very helpful site I've found in the process of learning, like you, that I want to be a nurse. I'm guessing you want to be an RN, so here's the link for that article on the site: http://www.nursingprograms.com/rn-registered-nurse.

vjhappy · Jun 19, 2007

I had a HORRIBLE grade point average from my 1st college experience when I was 18! None of them were pre-reqs, but it was 1.9! :uhoh3: At age 32, 2 colleges later and a 3.8 GPA in my pre-reqs, I got accepted into 2 nursing programs. I'll be attending my BSN program in August! Since the essay was apart of the application process, I explained that I simply wasn't serious about college because I didn't know what I really wanted to do. With the other program I turned down, I did really well on the TEAS test.

Because you have such good grades now, you probably have a really good chance of getting in. My only advice would be to apply for as many programs as you can to increase you chances.

Good luck!

ChaseTyMadi · Jun 19, 2007

I know what you mean. I went to school for exactly one month when I graduated high school......15 years ago! When I went back to school my GPA was a O.3:eek:!!! I don't know if all schools offer this, but mine offers a "academic fresh start". You write a letter asking for one, and they wipe all of your previous grades clean. You might want to check into it.

Wsmith16, ADN, BSN · Jun 19, 2007

I did horribly in college as well. All I cared about was graduateing. I applied to both BSN and ADN programs in my area. And I got in to several nursing schools. And guess what I got a dreaeded C plus in AP1 and still got into nursing school beacsue all my other pre-req grades were good. Don't give up just do really well in your pre-reqs and apply to as many schools as possible. You never know.

shippoRN · Jun 20, 2007

Who you were then is not who you are now.

I've got some big fat F's along with every letter of the alphabet on my transcripts; a academic suspension/ immediate reinstatement complete with a GPA that would probably make allnurses crash if I posted it.

I knew I wouldn't be the ideal CC candidate, I instead applied too a private ADN program with hundreds of years of history and an excellent reputation. I was very upfront and clear about my past on my personal statement.

You know what, they accepted me, and guess what my bad grades were never a topic of discussion at my interview.

Look at all your options, keep an open mind about different school options and go for it.

Ready2BRN · Jun 20, 2007

Hi All!
I'm currently taking my prerequisites for nursing school. I was originally a nursing major way back when I started college in 1997 @ age 18. Problem was that I wasn't even really prepared for the intensity of the prerequisite coursework. Long story short, I messed up, changed my major to Kinesiology (study of human movement) and graduated with a B.S. and a 2.7 GPA (yikes, I know). That included one failed attempt at anatomy, a subsequent "B" in Anatomy, and a "C" in Physiology.
I'm now 28 and have spent the last 6 years maturing and trying to figure out exactly what I want to do. I've worked in a hospital as a Physical Therapy Aide for the past 5 years and have come back to wanting to be a nurse. I have been enrolled part time in school for the past year taking prerequisites, including A&P, and now have a 4.0 GPA (considering that I haven't had a 4.0 since junior high, I'm pretty proud of myself)!
I'm wondering if my past will come back to haunt me and I'll be turned down despite the fact that my most current prerequisites reflect a 4.0? Or will my work experience and current GPA help me?
Any insight? I'm so worried that this will take away my chances.

Wow, I could have written your post. Your experience is just like mine!! I am soooo refocused the second time around....I am currently have A's in my pre-reqs but have to retake Micro, Chem and College Algebra cuz I got C's the first time around during my first degree. I'll be applying to several nursing schools in my area once I finish my pre-reqs. I am so determined and know nursing is right for me. I am so sure there are hundreds of people in the same position we are in.....don't let anybody say you can't do it. Go for your dream!!!!

justme1972 · Jun 20, 2007

If you can keep up your GPA when taking the pre-requisites, I really think that a nursing school will weigh that much more heavily when deciding admissions. How competitive is your school?

See if you can get the details of what they admit on, go and speak to a nursing advisor or the Director of the department.

I discovered, only recently, that some programs "boost" about being more competitive than they actually are.

catzy5 · Jun 20, 2007

Hi All!
I'm currently taking my prerequisites for nursing school. I was originally a nursing major way back when I started college in 1997 @ age 18. Problem was that I wasn't even really prepared for the intensity of the prerequisite coursework. Long story short, I messed up, changed my major to Kinesiology (study of human movement) and graduated with a B.S. and a 2.7 GPA (yikes, I know). That included one failed attempt at anatomy, a subsequent "B" in Anatomy, and a "C" in Physiology.
I'm now 28 and have spent the last 6 years maturing and trying to figure out exactly what I want to do. I've worked in a hospital as a Physical Therapy Aide for the past 5 years and have come back to wanting to be a nurse. I have been enrolled part time in school for the past year taking prerequisites, including A&P, and now have a 4.0 GPA (considering that I haven't had a 4.0 since junior high, I'm pretty proud of myself)!
I'm wondering if my past will come back to haunt me and I'll be turned down despite the fact that my most current prerequisites reflect a 4.0? Or will my work experience and current GPA help me?
Any insight? I'm so worried that this will take away my chances.

++

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! on your great progress this past year way to go!!!

As far as having a less then steller GPA in the past, there is nothing you can do about that now. Talk to your advisors at school find out what they need, don't be discouraged by people telling you to get a 4.0 in everything, just keep plugging away at your pre reqs. There are many nursing schools out there and there is no "uniform" approach to how they take you. Some choose students on GPA alone (usually pre reqs). Some have points where you get points for experience, pre nursing exams, pre reqs etc. Some have Essays which you could write a great one talking of how far you come. So don't get down just keep doing what your doing, research your options and apply to many schools!

Your doing a great job keep it up!

coolpeach · Jun 21, 2007

I think you will be fine. I don't know how they do it at every school, but at mine you would be good to go. Here they look at your overall GPA which is a 4.0 which is awsome. If you took a class, and retook it then the new grade replaces the old so your good there. The fact that you have experience in an health care setting can only help you I would think.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 21, 2007

Your story is very similar to mine: not such a great student the first time around (I had a 2.7...barely) to turning myself completely around 10 years later :) I just got accepted to an ADN program, so there's a lot of hope for you!

Based on my experience...I don't think your past will hurt you a lot, especially since you've been doing a stellar job since then PLUS have a lot of work experience in the general field. Every school is different, but a lot of schools see older applicants such as you and I that didn't do so well the first time but have shown improvement and determination (they know that since we're probably the ones paying for school this time around, that we're going to work a hell of a lot harder). So they're usually more interested about how we're performing now than how we did back then.

And if your past performance comes up, just be honest with them about it. They never asked me about mine...and though I didn't fail, I did have a couple of Ds, a lot of Cs and a few Withdrawls.

I think the biggest way it might affect you is that your old grades may not be good enough to place you out of taking some of the required side classes--a lot of schools won't accept anything lower than a C or even a B for credit, and if you did poorly in things such as English Composition, Psychology, etc., you might have to retake them even if you didn't fail. But every school is different so you should see what your school's policy is.

NurseJeanB · Jun 22, 2007

Hello, the ADN programs in my area require only a minimum 2.7 gpa and then they have a lottery to decide who gets in. So a lot of people in my classes who were B and C students chose to go that route. I applied and was accepted to 2 BSN programs which did base on GPA and (one also based on TEAS). I was an average student back in 1986 (Yes, it was a really long time ago) and then I went back to school in 2003. I finished with an overall GPA of 3.83 and in my prerequisites I finished with a 3.93. ( So it can be done and many of the schools look at what you have accomplished in the last 7 years. I did get one D in statistics when I first started college, but I retook it and got an A the second time and they let me replace the D with the A. It seems like when you are a little older you take school much more seriously. There were a lot of returning students in my classes. I start the BSN program in September and I am very happy that I stuck in there and even though it was hard working full-time and taking prereqs at night it can be done and you can get A's. It took me some time and darn if I don't feel like it took forever (I will be 40 in November). (I knew several kids who were taking 3-4 classes at the same time) I decided to only take A & P by themselves. Best of luck to you.