Should I just stick to nursing?

[MikeDee123]

I messed up really bad my first 4 years of school. I originally went for accounting but got D's so I ended up getting a bachelors in Business Mangement. I graduated with a 2.7 GPA. After graduating and working for a while I went back to school to go for nursing. I got an A in anatomy and microbio and Physio with a B.

I recently got accepted into a nursing program and I currently work a job in a hospital as a Patient care tech (or CNA).

 

I know my gpa is very low, but here is where i need help. I still have 6 more science pre req classes to take, so obviously I need A's in all those classes and ofcourse the GRE.

The 3 schools I am looking at need a min GPA of 2.75 with at least 750-1000 hours patient care experience.

 

So, If I were to apply with 3,500 or more hours and all pre reqs with A's (except physio), but barely over the min GPA(science GPA will be a lot higher) do I have a shot at all?

Would the last 9 classes (assuming I get A's) be shown as a trend to PA schools? or should I just finish the nursing program and hope to get all A's and B's then apply for PA?

Or just stick with nursing and go the NP route?

The NP route takes longer for me becuase the nursing program I currently am in is for associates degree in nursing.

[Blue Goose]

You need to look at the metrics of the accepted students, not the minimums. As for your recent classes, each school views this differently, and without knowing the specific schools, it's hard to comment. FWIW, with a low gpa I would apply to a lot more than three programs.

 

 

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[curiousprepa]

Nursing has a higher GPA scale. If you are looking to raise your GPA and not commit to becoming a nurse, then I would not suggest getting a nursing degree. The program is designed for people to pass NCLEX and work as nurses.

 

On average to get a C-, the average percentage that all nursing students should achieve is usually above either a 75%, or a 78%. The questions are all geared towards working as a nurse, and thinking as a nurse.

 

If you are looking to become a NP, then there are entry level master programs that may offer grade forgiveness.

 

I found this out the hard way.

 

If you like medicine, then talk to PA schools and medical schools about your situation. They are more than happy to answer your questions to becoming a stronger candidate.

 

Good luck!

[Guest MedLib42]

Depends on how much you're wanting one over the other. Nursing and PA are two completely different models - (nursing model vs. the medical model). I would choose the career you are going to be most happy with in the long run rather than the one that's going to give you the shortest amount of time in school, or be the easiest to achieve. If you're not sure, shadow a few NPs and PAs and get an idea. There are accelerated RN-to-NP programs, especially if you have a Bachelors (even if it's not in nursing).

 

A GPA of 2.75 likely isn't going to be competitive for any PA school. You can look for schools that only really put emphasis on the GPA of the last 40-60 credits, (they do exist) so if your more recent GPA is really high, that's an option. I know Pacific in Oregon is one of them. Otherwise, check to see what the average accepted applicant's GPA looks like for the schools you're considering. That's the best way to determine whether you'd be a competitive applicant there. Chances are, you'll need to spend some time improving your GPA to somewhere above a 3.0 for most schools.

 

There are plenty of PAs who went the RN route first. It's a tough option, and I don't recommend it if you're already 100% sure PA is the right path - it's harder to get A's and B's in nursing school, it's a lot of stress if you're not going to stick with nursing, and you'll need a great answer for "why did you decide to go the PA route rather than continue with nursing" in your personal statement and during interviews. But you do still have the option of becoming a PA should you go the nursing route and change your mind later, and good nursing school grades (and RN experience) can definitely look good on a PA school app.

[db_pavnp]

I found this out the hard way.

 

Would you be willing to expand upon this further?

 

I tend to read on this topic as one who has been on the fence between paths.

 

I think the concern over getting a fair shake grade-wise is valid.  Undergrad coursework can be a GPA factory, however clinical coursework is way more focused on getting students through whatever license or certification exam.  Clinical programs can be characterized by numerous faculty with dubious motives and questionable teaching abilities.

 

If I were the OP, though, I would probably avoid sacrificing one in the hand for two in the bush here if I had any concerns over money.  Working as an RN will offer you a solid income with mobility, shift flexibility, and top notch experience.  It will move your resume to next level and you won't be scrambling to find more than three programs you can scrape by the minimums with.

 

It is not a bad idea to investigate direct entry MSN programs, however they have GPA minimums as well.

[curiousprepa]

Would you be willing to expand upon this further?

 

I tend to read on this topic as one who has been on the fence between paths.

 

Any pre professional program, whether it is law, medicine, nursing, or enginnering, require a certain way of thinking that takes time to develop. Some people grow into this level of thinking naturally. Others require work.

 

In my previous cohort, no one had a 4.0. The people receving mostly A's and B's in their classes have worked 8 to 10 years as advanced patient care technicians, and advanced surgical technicians. These people are close to the age of 40. Regardless of age, most people in my program just wanted to work as nurses.

 

From my experience with nursing, it is heavily dependent on ATI Nursing to prepare students for NCLEX. My nursing instructors also utilize Lippincott Nursing Practice, Kaplan NCLEX, and Davis Success books for fundamental nursing, medical surgical nursing, pediatric nursing, and maternal nursing. Practice procedural manuals are also heavily used by nursing instructors.The content previously described is pretty heavy.

 

I think both are going to require money, time, and dedication. One is a big responsibility in care, while the other is a big responsbility in medicine. I also think that learning about the profession will help in the long run.

[ToppDog]

You've already been accepted into a nursing program, so are any of the 6 pre-req's included in the nursing curriculum?  If so, I would continue in the nursing program.  Even if they aren't, I would continue with the nursing program & knock out the other pre-req's a little at a time.  If you do awesome in nursing school, many schools won't care if you sucked in a business major, plus you'll have more options available when it comes time to apply.

 

I'm in a similar, yet opposite, situation.  I have a fairly decent gpa (3.something) & tons of HCE (over 40,000 hrs easy), but I only have the bare minimum of pre-req's because I can only afford to take one at a time.  So, in a similar way, I was limited on the number of schools I could apply to, & now some of the pre-req's I took & got excellent grades in are becoming too old for many of the PA schools out there.  But, instead of retaking pre-req's to satisfy a few PA schools, I have decided to only take classes that will work for both PA school & nursing school, & I will go wherever I am accepted first.

 

Your situation is similar in that by the time you finish your six pre-req's, you may still be limited in the number of schools you can apply to.  You could easily find yourself in a situation two years from now, where you haven't been accepted into any PA schools yet, & regretting that you could have been working as an RN if you hadn't quit nursing school.

[pmed8]

ToppDog,

 

I am sort of in the same position as you. I am aiming for PA school but starting to look at accelerated BSN and MSN programs as backups.

[ToppDog]

That can never hurt.  Good Luck !!!

[G. Davenport]

BSN to MSN makes no sense when you can go from BSN to DNP for about 70 SH (and in some cases less). MSN to DNP will only reduce that 70 by about 10 to 15 SH.

 

 

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[healthleadership]

Hello. I am new this forum. I cannot tell you whether you should stick to nursing or not , but I would highly advise you to follow your passion.  I know this is the standard cliché but it rings true.Recently I matriculated into a health care professional-MD transitional program  targeted for working professionals that allows me to follow my dream(although I am not even a PA or a nurse). I didn't have to relocate,leave my job, or take the MCAT.  I have never felt so happy being in a room learning the very material that will help me become a doctor and serve my community. The point I am getting at is not to brag yet is to concisely demonstrate that  your passion will direct you into the path you are desiring. And everything will fall in place...Good Luck with everything and blessings,