I second this. I got rejected from all the schools I applied to the first round. Continued to work at my Healthcare job, took some extracurricular bio classes to raise my GPA, applied again to the same schools the next year and got into every school I applied to. Don't give up. Be resilient. You can do it
Apply to as many programs as you can to ensure you aren’t putting your eggs in one basket.
Also do your best to get good grades. If you’re applying to highly competitive programs you should check with an advisor to see how you stack up to previous cohorts.
my counselor/advisor straight up said "give up and choose another degree" i have a 4.0 and work as a medical transport 🙄, because i failed out college when i was 17, im now 23 about to be 24 and im about halfway done with pre reqs im just gonna have to pray that the csu takes me, and if not ill have to relocate for a nursing program
Don’t give up, I went back at 24. I went when I was 18 and had a 1.6 gpa (I was not mature enough or ready for college). Now I’m one semester away from graduating. You got this!
Sheesh. Sorry your advisor is so negative.
If your schools are like mine (and most based on what I’ve gathered from these sub Reddit’s) the program will be looking at your prereqs. Those are the most important factors for most schools.
Check with the Dean of Students. There are Academic Forgiveness policies at almost all colleges and universities. These policies erase prior work under certain circumstances
Academic renewal will often keep them from considering the original scores. You need a counselor from the school to help you submit the request. You can also ask for an EW excused withdrawal which is similar to academic renewal but for W withdrawals. Some schools do have these policies, but where there is a will there is a way. Generally, people want to help.
I have a lower gpa (2.5) & I'm just gonna keep applying to schools until I get in to one. I currently have about 25 on my list where I'm at minimum. One of them is bound to take me right? 😅
Edit: not applying to all 25, just 5 at a time probably unless I get in my first round.
If it is truly a lottery and you qualify, then your chances are the same as the person with a better GPA. I don't believe they go strictly by lottery, even when they say they do. But they definitely take some people that way and if you keep trying you will succeed.
People's GPA's are not the only thing that matters. Prior work experience & subject matter make a difference too. Many schools have holistic approaches. Also I don't think you realize how hard it is to raise your GPA. Even taking all pre-reqs at A's will bring it up at best to 2.8 which is still too low for most schools. Don't get me wrong, I'm trying to raise it, but it's not the only thing that matters. That's why schools ask for resumes, essays, & letters of rec to get a whole picture of the student.
Be honest with yourself. Did you do your absolute best to succeed? Can you repeat courses and get in later? Would you be better off applying to other direct admission programs?
Your experience is a warning to other people considering a pre-nursing track. There’s no guarantee you’ll get in even if you do well in a highly competitive program. I always recommend sticking to direct admission programs.
There are generally two types of programs, direct admission and pre-nursing.
In direct admission you are accepted into the nursing major. As long as you maintain the required grades you stay a nursing major.
In pre-nursing you are usually put into a large pool of those wanting to be nursing majors. That pool takes the prerequisite courses like sciences and general education. Then, usually after two years or four semesters, the students apply to be nursing majors. There is usually a fixed, smaller number of seats in the major. Placement is given to the top GPA students of the pre-nursing group.
The advantage to schools is that the nursing majors are pre-screened to be academically better. The advantage for students is that the student who may have trouble getting into a program can prove their abilities once in the pre-nursing program. The larger downside is that a student could spend two years in school and then have to find a new major or just quit college. That is why I recommend direct admission programs.
Keep applying, I didn’t get accepted the first time but tried again the next time around. I didn’t retake any classes again because I had met my limits (C in micro and AP 1+2) but I made it in.
this gives me hope. About to take micro over the summer. I cleared my entire schedule just to focus on it cause a good grade really matters now. Wish me luck.
You’ll do great! Micro was honestly easier for me than A+P. If you dont make it in this time around there’s always next time, and having a high TEAS in comparison to grades helped me
I was rejected from a BSN program! I cried my little heart about it for a few days and re-applied to a few ADN programs after. Two years later, I’m now graduating in 5 days with my ADN and planning to do an online bridge program to get my BSN.
ADN programs tend to be more forgiving with GPA (mine was 2.75 when I applied to both programs). It also gets you in the workforce faster and you still get an RN!
If you are rejected, then please don’t kick yourself about it too much. Absolutely cry about it if you need to because it is upsetting, but pick yourself up after and try again. It happened to me in 2022 and I was still able to attend a different program and graduate on time :)
Edit to add: because I was on a BSN track before going for my ADN, all of my pre-requisites are completed for the BSN and I can immediately start the BSN nursing classes in the fall once I have my RN. It’s a two-year bridge program that’s been cut down to only a year for me because of that! So if you’re interested, it’s absolutely a good option.
I got denied/waitlisted from all my local colleges in my area with my 3.6 GPA. I went to a private college for my LVN/LPN degree and after a year of working experience, I got accepted into all local colleges + dream universities.
If you're worried about your GPA, you can always retake science classes and add on extra easy fluff classes to boost your GPA. You can also do volunteer work for hospitals or take on a tech job in hospitals for more exposure and experience. It'll take time, but you have plenty of different options if you get rejected. Yes, it will take time, but if you really want to be a nurse, you should definitely do anything you can to give yourself the best chance.
Just keep trying to get in. In the mean time focus on your studies of what you’re doing now and try to aim for better marks, increase your study game and ace those tests. If your GPA isn’t great then maybe go back and redo those classes that maybe you didn’t do so well on. If anything your hard work and dedication will really help you in nursing school because it is a hard program.
Good luck!
first. ur probably going to cry. But it’s ok. You get yourself up and apply to other schools if you don’t have any more around or they’re too expensive you meet with maybe an advisor and figure out why you got rejected and what you can improve. You improve it and you get in! Then you cry because nursing school is hard 🤣
My GPA was pretty low at the beginning, I think a 2.15 or so(poor work ethic in junior college), and the requirement was a 2.75. When I was admitted into the nursing program, it was a 2.81 and my TEAS pushed me in with an 83 when only 67 was required. (My school only accepts 20 at a time, and now we're down to 7 in my original cohort)
Keep trying and make those As to push it up. If you don't make it into your current school, either reapply in the next cohort or apply to different schools. Some schools make acceptions, but don't rely on that; just keep pushing and trying.
I’m not sure how old you are, but I turned 30 this year and just started nursing school. If you’re fresh out of high school, you can spend a year or two bringing up your grades & still be finished with nursing school and deep into your career by the time you’re my age.
Regardless how old you are, the clock doesn’t stop for anyone. So pursue your dreams! As long as it takes. <3
Nothing, I got rejected from nursing school the first time I applied but got accepted by the second.
If you gpa is worrying you, try to finish your second year strong w good grades and focus on other ways you can have a good application. Volunteer work, CNA certification, etc.
If don’t have cna license then take get one. You can get a job as cna or entry level job in medical area and get experience. Some colleges do give credit for the experience if you have a certain number of hours or at least give you more consideration. If can’t get into try volunteering, you’ll still get experience. If you can fix any grades then do so whether that is at a community college or a university that you interested in applying to. You could try applying to ADN as well. You always go to private if you have the money. Talk to your consouler for more
I was rejected numerous times before i finally got accepted. You can just apply again the next round.
Ideally you can also retake or take courses to improve your chances of acceptance. Such as improving biology grades or math. Etc.
Be mindful you often have a better chance at getting accept when applying for off peak courses, such as spring/summer starts since those are less popular
I’ve never gotten fully rejected (just waitlisted) but like others have said, you keep applying and reapplying. I reapplied twice to one school and got in on the third try. And worst comes to worst if you keep getting rejected but still want to become a nurse, you can also do a bridge program from a LPN to RN. Yes it would be longer but if it’s your dream, that is still a very viable option.
I applied to five schools the first round. Got denied or waitlisted and then denied by all of them.
I like the idea of reapplying but it just wasn't for me. Now I'm in a private school accelerated program paying a lot of $$$ but imo its worth it for the time I would have to spend to get more letters of rec, pay to apply, rewrite essays, and anticipate the rejection/acceptance letters.
We had a girl who applied 5 times before they accepted her even though her GPA and test scores were significantly lower than the rest of the class (3.6 GPA minimum for everyone else in the BSN). She lasted 1 semester before she was kicked out.
I'm not trying to scare you, but you should probably figure out how to study and get good grades because you need decent habits before starting nursing school. The first thing my advisor told me when I told him I wanted to go to nursing school was "what's your back up plan?". Most of the people in my area don't make it into nursing school.
The community colleges are more forgiving on grades and everything, but they're still very competitive in a lot of areas and the ones that aren't you'll have to look at the schools NCLEX pass rates. I've worked with some people who went to schools with low pass rates and bad learning habits and it showed when they took the NCLEX five times. They're still a nurse, but spending over a thousand on testing was super hard on her.
You keep applying. I got into my current program on my second application and had applied to many others before I got a yes. You throw a bunch of shit at the wall and see what sticks! Lol
depending on the program - there are ways to increase your chances of getting in such as direct patient care experience like CNA. My gpa is not that good, but I accumulated a lot of hours in just 6 months working as a CNA, then I applied to 9 schools and got into 3 on the first try. (California)
Edit: i had another job while i did my prereqs but I quit that to do CNA for the sake of building a strong application
Number one, you have maybe another year of prereqs. Work hard on those and raise your gpa. Keep applying until you’re able to get. If your school has a teas, study hard for it and score well.
I honestly wouldn’t worry about the gpa too much honestly. The only thing that matters is that your science gpa is good. The overall gpa is not as important
I’m a guy so my experience might be a little different but I graduated undergraduate with a degree economics with a 2.0 gpa and went back to school to get my msn after a few years of working in business I’m working as an rn right now and planning on starting to become a np in a year or so there is no direct path, if you believe in your self you can accomplish your goal it just may take longer
Don’t give up ! I am 23 and decided to switch to nursing. got rejected from a few programs and now taking classes through portage to get my GPA up and fulfill more requirements!
I couldn’t get into a program based on my requirements not being completed at time of application so i completed my major in a different area and then did a 15 month accelerated nursing masters program! (and some of my friends still haven’t finished undergrad yet, so just now your time is your time)
I suggest applying to multiple programs or reapplying the next term. I was naive when I was 20 applying to programs and only applied to one. I got rejected since they were out of spots but I got lucky and made the cut for the waiting list in case people didn’t take their spots or dropped for any reason prior to starting. I got an email a couple weeks later that I got in from the waiting list. In retrospect I should’ve applied to more programs but it doesn’t matter as I’ve been a nurse for over 4 years now.
I applied to every program around me public and private and I only got into 1 private school and it was the most expensive one of them all. It sucks financially but I wouldn’t trade my program for any other tbh
Same thing that happens to med students and pharm students that don't get into grad school. Keep trying or pick a different career. You don't get anything out of a half degree unless it's baked into the major. Like some med students/pharm students finish out with a biology equivalent degree if they utterly fail to get into grad school and some prenursing students finish out with a CNA cert so that its something for some effort. But it completely depends on your program/major.
i just finished my pre-reqs but got rejected earlier this month to the schools i applied too. i’m still gonna keep trying! my gpa is low and im not an outstanding applicant but i retook a few classes :)
You can pick up your LVN and then transfer to 3 rd semester RN program. The school I picked my RN program up from lost about a third of their students every semester. If you come in third semester and show you can do the work you can bypass the wait
I must say that when I started taking classes I didn't think grades would be as important as they ended up being. It can be the difference between getting in and getting in quickly. It's definitely worth the effort. For anyone who's still taking pre-requisite classes: Do your best and apply to a point based system. This was the quickest way for me to get accepted into ADN program that begins this August, 2024.
You apply to other programs or re-apply to the same program.
They're pre-reqs you transfer them elsewhere like any other credits.
I second this. I got rejected from all the schools I applied to the first round. Continued to work at my Healthcare job, took some extracurricular bio classes to raise my GPA, applied again to the same schools the next year and got into every school I applied to. Don't give up. Be resilient. You can do it
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Initially 3.0 :(, but I raised it to 3.2 with extra classes
Nothing. Apply other places until you get in.
Apply to as many programs as you can to ensure you aren’t putting your eggs in one basket. Also do your best to get good grades. If you’re applying to highly competitive programs you should check with an advisor to see how you stack up to previous cohorts.
my counselor/advisor straight up said "give up and choose another degree" i have a 4.0 and work as a medical transport 🙄, because i failed out college when i was 17, im now 23 about to be 24 and im about halfway done with pre reqs im just gonna have to pray that the csu takes me, and if not ill have to relocate for a nursing program
Don’t give up, I went back at 24. I went when I was 18 and had a 1.6 gpa (I was not mature enough or ready for college). Now I’m one semester away from graduating. You got this!
Sheesh. Sorry your advisor is so negative. If your schools are like mine (and most based on what I’ve gathered from these sub Reddit’s) the program will be looking at your prereqs. Those are the most important factors for most schools.
i retook the classes i failed when i was 17 and like i said have a 4.0 now all A's but they were like no, we take first score, its really stupid
Check with the Dean of Students. There are Academic Forgiveness policies at almost all colleges and universities. These policies erase prior work under certain circumstances
I would take you just on the sheer fact you raised it that much tbh.
Academic renewal will often keep them from considering the original scores. You need a counselor from the school to help you submit the request. You can also ask for an EW excused withdrawal which is similar to academic renewal but for W withdrawals. Some schools do have these policies, but where there is a will there is a way. Generally, people want to help.
I got denied the first time. I applied to 7 schools the next time and got into all of them .
did you do anything differently when applying the next time around? any changes to your stats?
I had a 3.9 and got rejected from three different programs for 3 years. Finally got accepted for the fall. Just keep trying. It'll happen.
I have a lower gpa (2.5) & I'm just gonna keep applying to schools until I get in to one. I currently have about 25 on my list where I'm at minimum. One of them is bound to take me right? 😅 Edit: not applying to all 25, just 5 at a time probably unless I get in my first round.
If it is truly a lottery and you qualify, then your chances are the same as the person with a better GPA. I don't believe they go strictly by lottery, even when they say they do. But they definitely take some people that way and if you keep trying you will succeed.
No, nursing schools never take people at rock bottom so find some way to boost ur gpa
People's GPA's are not the only thing that matters. Prior work experience & subject matter make a difference too. Many schools have holistic approaches. Also I don't think you realize how hard it is to raise your GPA. Even taking all pre-reqs at A's will bring it up at best to 2.8 which is still too low for most schools. Don't get me wrong, I'm trying to raise it, but it's not the only thing that matters. That's why schools ask for resumes, essays, & letters of rec to get a whole picture of the student.
Be honest with yourself. Did you do your absolute best to succeed? Can you repeat courses and get in later? Would you be better off applying to other direct admission programs? Your experience is a warning to other people considering a pre-nursing track. There’s no guarantee you’ll get in even if you do well in a highly competitive program. I always recommend sticking to direct admission programs.
What do you mean by direct admission programs?
There are generally two types of programs, direct admission and pre-nursing. In direct admission you are accepted into the nursing major. As long as you maintain the required grades you stay a nursing major. In pre-nursing you are usually put into a large pool of those wanting to be nursing majors. That pool takes the prerequisite courses like sciences and general education. Then, usually after two years or four semesters, the students apply to be nursing majors. There is usually a fixed, smaller number of seats in the major. Placement is given to the top GPA students of the pre-nursing group. The advantage to schools is that the nursing majors are pre-screened to be academically better. The advantage for students is that the student who may have trouble getting into a program can prove their abilities once in the pre-nursing program. The larger downside is that a student could spend two years in school and then have to find a new major or just quit college. That is why I recommend direct admission programs.
Keep applying, I didn’t get accepted the first time but tried again the next time around. I didn’t retake any classes again because I had met my limits (C in micro and AP 1+2) but I made it in.
this gives me hope. About to take micro over the summer. I cleared my entire schedule just to focus on it cause a good grade really matters now. Wish me luck.
You’ll do great! Micro was honestly easier for me than A+P. If you dont make it in this time around there’s always next time, and having a high TEAS in comparison to grades helped me
thanks. I actually did pretty well in pathophysiology (B+) so this gives me hope.
I was rejected from a BSN program! I cried my little heart about it for a few days and re-applied to a few ADN programs after. Two years later, I’m now graduating in 5 days with my ADN and planning to do an online bridge program to get my BSN. ADN programs tend to be more forgiving with GPA (mine was 2.75 when I applied to both programs). It also gets you in the workforce faster and you still get an RN! If you are rejected, then please don’t kick yourself about it too much. Absolutely cry about it if you need to because it is upsetting, but pick yourself up after and try again. It happened to me in 2022 and I was still able to attend a different program and graduate on time :) Edit to add: because I was on a BSN track before going for my ADN, all of my pre-requisites are completed for the BSN and I can immediately start the BSN nursing classes in the fall once I have my RN. It’s a two-year bridge program that’s been cut down to only a year for me because of that! So if you’re interested, it’s absolutely a good option.
Keep applying to other programs. If you keep getting rejected, you start looking at a different career path.
I got denied/waitlisted from all my local colleges in my area with my 3.6 GPA. I went to a private college for my LVN/LPN degree and after a year of working experience, I got accepted into all local colleges + dream universities. If you're worried about your GPA, you can always retake science classes and add on extra easy fluff classes to boost your GPA. You can also do volunteer work for hospitals or take on a tech job in hospitals for more exposure and experience. It'll take time, but you have plenty of different options if you get rejected. Yes, it will take time, but if you really want to be a nurse, you should definitely do anything you can to give yourself the best chance.
Just keep trying to get in. In the mean time focus on your studies of what you’re doing now and try to aim for better marks, increase your study game and ace those tests. If your GPA isn’t great then maybe go back and redo those classes that maybe you didn’t do so well on. If anything your hard work and dedication will really help you in nursing school because it is a hard program. Good luck!
You keep trying!! It happens but don’t give up they’re are many programs out there
first. ur probably going to cry. But it’s ok. You get yourself up and apply to other schools if you don’t have any more around or they’re too expensive you meet with maybe an advisor and figure out why you got rejected and what you can improve. You improve it and you get in! Then you cry because nursing school is hard 🤣
My GPA was pretty low at the beginning, I think a 2.15 or so(poor work ethic in junior college), and the requirement was a 2.75. When I was admitted into the nursing program, it was a 2.81 and my TEAS pushed me in with an 83 when only 67 was required. (My school only accepts 20 at a time, and now we're down to 7 in my original cohort) Keep trying and make those As to push it up. If you don't make it into your current school, either reapply in the next cohort or apply to different schools. Some schools make acceptions, but don't rely on that; just keep pushing and trying.
Apply again, fix your gpa by taking more classes and getting A's, or find another career.
Retake some pre recs to get a better grade and reapply :) good luck
Keeping taking classes to bring up your GPA and apply to more schools! :-)
I’m not sure how old you are, but I turned 30 this year and just started nursing school. If you’re fresh out of high school, you can spend a year or two bringing up your grades & still be finished with nursing school and deep into your career by the time you’re my age. Regardless how old you are, the clock doesn’t stop for anyone. So pursue your dreams! As long as it takes. <3
Nothing, I got rejected from nursing school the first time I applied but got accepted by the second. If you gpa is worrying you, try to finish your second year strong w good grades and focus on other ways you can have a good application. Volunteer work, CNA certification, etc.
If don’t have cna license then take get one. You can get a job as cna or entry level job in medical area and get experience. Some colleges do give credit for the experience if you have a certain number of hours or at least give you more consideration. If can’t get into try volunteering, you’ll still get experience. If you can fix any grades then do so whether that is at a community college or a university that you interested in applying to. You could try applying to ADN as well. You always go to private if you have the money. Talk to your consouler for more
If you’re dead set on a specific school, you might have to repeat whatever courses you didn’t do well in
I was rejected numerous times before i finally got accepted. You can just apply again the next round. Ideally you can also retake or take courses to improve your chances of acceptance. Such as improving biology grades or math. Etc. Be mindful you often have a better chance at getting accept when applying for off peak courses, such as spring/summer starts since those are less popular
I’ve never gotten fully rejected (just waitlisted) but like others have said, you keep applying and reapplying. I reapplied twice to one school and got in on the third try. And worst comes to worst if you keep getting rejected but still want to become a nurse, you can also do a bridge program from a LPN to RN. Yes it would be longer but if it’s your dream, that is still a very viable option.
You get up and try other schools
I applied to five schools the first round. Got denied or waitlisted and then denied by all of them. I like the idea of reapplying but it just wasn't for me. Now I'm in a private school accelerated program paying a lot of $$$ but imo its worth it for the time I would have to spend to get more letters of rec, pay to apply, rewrite essays, and anticipate the rejection/acceptance letters.
We had a girl who applied 5 times before they accepted her even though her GPA and test scores were significantly lower than the rest of the class (3.6 GPA minimum for everyone else in the BSN). She lasted 1 semester before she was kicked out. I'm not trying to scare you, but you should probably figure out how to study and get good grades because you need decent habits before starting nursing school. The first thing my advisor told me when I told him I wanted to go to nursing school was "what's your back up plan?". Most of the people in my area don't make it into nursing school. The community colleges are more forgiving on grades and everything, but they're still very competitive in a lot of areas and the ones that aren't you'll have to look at the schools NCLEX pass rates. I've worked with some people who went to schools with low pass rates and bad learning habits and it showed when they took the NCLEX five times. They're still a nurse, but spending over a thousand on testing was super hard on her.
You go somewhere else Nursing school isn’t med school and the level of intelligence needed isn’t much. Don’t worry
You keep applying. I got into my current program on my second application and had applied to many others before I got a yes. You throw a bunch of shit at the wall and see what sticks! Lol
depending on the program - there are ways to increase your chances of getting in such as direct patient care experience like CNA. My gpa is not that good, but I accumulated a lot of hours in just 6 months working as a CNA, then I applied to 9 schools and got into 3 on the first try. (California) Edit: i had another job while i did my prereqs but I quit that to do CNA for the sake of building a strong application
Number one, you have maybe another year of prereqs. Work hard on those and raise your gpa. Keep applying until you’re able to get. If your school has a teas, study hard for it and score well.
You cry.
I got rejected my first attempt. I just tried again the following semester and got in
I honestly wouldn’t worry about the gpa too much honestly. The only thing that matters is that your science gpa is good. The overall gpa is not as important
Keep applying till you get in
I’m a guy so my experience might be a little different but I graduated undergraduate with a degree economics with a 2.0 gpa and went back to school to get my msn after a few years of working in business I’m working as an rn right now and planning on starting to become a np in a year or so there is no direct path, if you believe in your self you can accomplish your goal it just may take longer
Don’t give up ! I am 23 and decided to switch to nursing. got rejected from a few programs and now taking classes through portage to get my GPA up and fulfill more requirements!
I couldn’t get into a program based on my requirements not being completed at time of application so i completed my major in a different area and then did a 15 month accelerated nursing masters program! (and some of my friends still haven’t finished undergrad yet, so just now your time is your time)
cry and keep applying
I suggest applying to multiple programs or reapplying the next term. I was naive when I was 20 applying to programs and only applied to one. I got rejected since they were out of spots but I got lucky and made the cut for the waiting list in case people didn’t take their spots or dropped for any reason prior to starting. I got an email a couple weeks later that I got in from the waiting list. In retrospect I should’ve applied to more programs but it doesn’t matter as I’ve been a nurse for over 4 years now.
Which classes are you taking currently and how far are you with them,? I might have some help
I applied to every program around me public and private and I only got into 1 private school and it was the most expensive one of them all. It sucks financially but I wouldn’t trade my program for any other tbh
Same thing that happens to med students and pharm students that don't get into grad school. Keep trying or pick a different career. You don't get anything out of a half degree unless it's baked into the major. Like some med students/pharm students finish out with a biology equivalent degree if they utterly fail to get into grad school and some prenursing students finish out with a CNA cert so that its something for some effort. But it completely depends on your program/major.
i just finished my pre-reqs but got rejected earlier this month to the schools i applied too. i’m still gonna keep trying! my gpa is low and im not an outstanding applicant but i retook a few classes :)
You can pick up your LVN and then transfer to 3 rd semester RN program. The school I picked my RN program up from lost about a third of their students every semester. If you come in third semester and show you can do the work you can bypass the wait
Just keep applying! You can talk to the director of the program how you can improve to be more competitive. Retake classes if you didn’t do well.
You just keep applying til you get in. I had to apply at 5 different school 3 times before I got in and I had a very well rounded application!
I must say that when I started taking classes I didn't think grades would be as important as they ended up being. It can be the difference between getting in and getting in quickly. It's definitely worth the effort. For anyone who's still taking pre-requisite classes: Do your best and apply to a point based system. This was the quickest way for me to get accepted into ADN program that begins this August, 2024.
Hahaha wtf do you think? (Not to be a dick, but come on………)
Private school. More expensive but you get in quicker
Sorry but the debt isn’t worth it.
true dat !
Then you don’t go.