Hello fellow nursing school hopefulls. I have been using AN.com since I got out of the military and started on this journey towards my RN. In the last year and a half I have seen alot of joy, anger, frustration and strife on this website. Recently I posted some information on another thread in reponse to a Community College vs Ivy League debate, needless to say that thread was shut down. However, I think my findings are relevant beyond that debate and wanted to share them with you all.
If we follow the trends of AN.com it seems that everyone and their brother has a 4.0, but thats not an accurate indication of what the competition really looks like. A 4.0 is a very rare grade to get, one bad test in one class at a bad time and bam 3.95. Based on my states data (so there is sure to be some error when taken nationally) there is only a .5% chance that a transfer student has a 4.0!
How easy is it to get a 4.0 GPA in community college? Well 1 in 200 students in my state that transfers from a community college to a 4 year school has a 4.0, so its not that easy.
Of course this includes a few assumptions as I dont have the grades for all 9,702 students that transfered, but I do know that 50 transfer scholarships based soley on GPA were handed out and the cut off was 3.93 (so I assumed all 50 were 4.0).
Also I only have the instate transfer data, I am sure a few students that transfered out of state had 4.0's. But I am sure the ratio is pretty accurate for any transfer student as it doesn't take much to ruin a 4.0.
That being said, all of you out there that are worried about not getting into school because you don't have a 4.0, don't. If my state is a decent sample, it is highly unlikely that there are multiple applicants to your school with a 4.0. Not to say that you shouldn't still try your hardest, but a slip here and there isn't the end of the world.
Admissions was looking for the total package. A compelling essay, impressive ACT score, and an outstanding interview were key elements to getting accepted. Experience in business sales and healthcare were interesting aspects of my CV. I really love helping people and patients thank me, how awesome is that?
Super-excited about starting the program in June! :redbeathe
Congrats Zambodia! When did you find out you were accepted? Yay! It's good to see there are people who don't have the best looking GPAs that are still being accepted by actually being looked at as the whole person, not just a Gpa. As a matter of fact, I had a 2.71 gpa when entering NS (didn't do so great in my non science classes, while working part time throughout school and helping my mom watch my 4 siblings while she worked). If my NS hadn't taken the time to really get to know me, my circumstances, my healthcare experiences, my drive, and other things, I would have never been given the chance to prove myself. Now I'm graduating towards the top of the class this May! Good luck to everyone with less than perfect GPAs!
While I think that your argument does apply in many cases, sometimes you do have to worry about getting as close to a 4.0 as possible on prereqs.
For example, the school that I am applying to not only tells applicants that 2nd degree seekers should aim for an A on certain prereqs , but they also give extra pts. for taking these prereqs at their school. However, the regular track BSN students do not necessarily need to get an A in prereqs. Why? More spaces for traditional students.
The result: the 2nd degree students are held to a higher standard, but both groups take the same nursing classes. Seems a bit strange to me, but I am (of course) playing the game. So - yes I needed to get an A in prereqs and taking them at a CC would have hurt my chances of getting into the program. Too bad, because I like my local CC and it's much cheaper.
The bottom line IMO is that you should do your homework and find out what the requirements are for the programs you want to apply to. Then, aim slightly above the stated minimum gpa, test scores, etc. You may not need a 4.0, but if it says that you must get at least a 3.0, I would shoot for a 3.5. There will always be more applicants than there are spaces and the ones who have stats that are a cut above the minimum will more likely be accepted.
I agree, many schools you DO need close to a 4.0. Around here at the private BSN programs you'll be fine with a 2.7. But any of the state universities you really need at least a 3.7. I know people who have gotten rejected with 3.8 and 3.9s
I've taken my science pre-reqs at both comm. colleges and a university. I have even taken over some pre-reqs due to recency requirements. Three science classes were taken at two different CCs and two classes were taken at the university. My CC classes were so much harder, even the ones I repeated to update although they were essentially review!!!
To me it is all subjective and heavily based on what your particular professor expects of you (those sadists ) . My CC profs just wanted more out of me than my university professors did.
Obviously, when it comes down to an acceptance or denial @ a point system oriented NS the higher the gpa the better off you are. If the school you are applying to doesn't take into consideration volunteer work, life experience, interviews, etc. those gpa points are life or death no matter where they come from. In the end, there is simply no time effective way for these programs to compare apples and oranges when they have 200+ applicants for each cohort. You just have work hard and do your best or be waitlisted like the rest.
If you only have 3 prerequisites, I think you are basically forced to get a 4.0 Perhaps, statistically, not that many people will have a 4.0 after taking more courses, but for only three classes????
In one of the CCs I attended, there was plenty of cheating going on in order for students who couldn't handle the academics (and perhaps the studying) to get an A in the class. There were large numbers of people getting an A in those classes (and a lot getting an F). Also, a lot of students repeated them and then got the higher grades.
When students really need an A, it forces some of them to do desperate things. I didn't find too much cheating in the upper level science classes. It was much more serious. But, since only three classes count now, I guess a number of students will be in the nursing program who will be dropping out very very quickly. The sad thing is, they are taking the seats of people who are more motivated and could probably make it through the program. A set up for failure (but if you subscribe to the theory that CC is there to give everyone a chance, including poor (bad) students, then it works....).
Here you definitely need close to a 4.0, if not a 4.0 to even be looked at! I am not talking over all 4.0 either...I am taking about AT LEAST a 4.0 in the 'big 3' as I call them
anatomy, physio, and micro
A lot of schools out in the US basically require those 3 science classes (plus maybe gen bio/chem in order to get into anatomy and micro) but 2 BSN programs I am applying for req o-chem too!
Having said that, chem isn't favorite amongst pre-nursing students....a lot of people fear taking it and if they do, end up barely getting C's
So yes all in all not only does the programs I am applying to require more subjects (and harder ones too) than traditional programs across the US, but they also only take the best. So people are getting 4.0s in the hardcore sciences plus the additional o-chem requirement.
So yes, will someone with 3.5 get into one of the programs, maybe...barely maybe due to a high overall GPA or letters of rec or something. What about the 4.0 student? Definitely...
Competition is fierce...
don't slack off,
don't think that because you attend the university that has the BSN program your going to get in (you won't, plenty of schools in the area take transfers over university students) **unless the program specifies it favors university students***
research research research your program! know whats required and when. I have admins tell me they get 1,000 applicants, of only barely half are even ELIGIBLE!
take a CNA class, see if this is what you want to do! I have plenty of students (mostly 2nd bachelors people) that think they won't be doing dirty work...uh yea right....
When students really need an A, it forces some of them to do desperate things. I didn't find too much cheating in the upper level science classes. It was much more serious. But, since only three classes count now, I guess a number of students will be in the nursing program who will be dropping out very very quickly. The sad thing is, they are taking the seats of people who are more motivated and could probably make it through the program. A set up for failure (but if you subscribe to the theory that CC is there to give everyone a chance, including poor (bad) students, then it works....).
Yes I totally agree with the bold.
Right now, last I heard from my physio professor (he keeps in touch with all his students and they update him as they are in their programs) One of the local ADN's class started at 40...guess how many are graduating?
13, yes you saw it correctly!
And whats sad is all the cheating and everything, they get into a program and end up dropping out. Like the what, 27 from the school mentioned above? I am pretty sure not all 27 failed out or whatever but those odds suck. And that program is one of the best in the area.
My physio teacher thinks that the pre reqs aren't preparing the students well. You do these pre reqs which are hardcore sciences... and learn to think and study a certain way. Then when you get into nursing school its totally different! And the people that get in, probably can't adapt to that.... its sad but true.
For example, the school that I am applying to not only tells applicants that 2nd degree seekers should aim for an A on certain prereqs , but they also give extra pts. for taking these prereqs at their school. However, the regular track BSN students do not necessarily need to get an A in prereqs. Why? More spaces for traditional students.
The result: the 2nd degree students are held to a higher standard, but both groups take the same nursing classes.
Hmm, I feel like it's the opposite. I am an ABSN student and got in with a 3.4 GPA for my previous degree and I got C's in some pre-req nursing classes. I don't think I would ever have gotten into the traditional program because there are a lot more students trying to get into that than there are in the ABSN program!
Our program is three prerequisites to get in: Basic Chemistry, Basic Biology, and Basic Math. Not bad, huh? I don't think it is a very good measure of how a person will perform in nursing school. But,....I am not the boss. That's why you need a 4.0 to get in.
) . My CC profs just wanted more out of me than my university professors did.
Trilldayz,RN BSN
516 Posts
Congrats Zambodia! When did you find out you were accepted? Yay! It's good to see there are people who don't have the best looking GPAs that are still being accepted by actually being looked at as the whole person, not just a Gpa. As a matter of fact, I had a 2.71 gpa when entering NS (didn't do so great in my non science classes, while working part time throughout school and helping my mom watch my 4 siblings while she worked). If my NS hadn't taken the time to really get to know me, my circumstances, my healthcare experiences, my drive, and other things, I would have never been given the chance to prove myself. Now I'm graduating towards the top of the class this May! Good luck to everyone with less than perfect GPAs!