3.6 W GPA, 2.9 UW GPA, 1260 SAT, and anxious. Posted on here & realized direct admit nursing is a reach- Where can I go for a Pre PA track?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Thinking of majoring in Psychology, Public Health- honestly if you all could reccomend schools and corresponding majors that would be great. I was planning on being a PMHNP- psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner- but after posting on here and college confidential, I was told it nursing schools can be a major reach with a 2.9 UW. My other option has always been a psychiatric physician assistant. If I pursue this, I can apply for any major, complete the pre requirements, and then apply to the ever competitive PA schools after my bachelors. Please reccomend state/major schools that accept students on the lower end of the GPA scale- and take a holistic look at Weighted. Like CU Boulder and UMaine states clearly on their website that they look at weighted. Thank you!

ECs: Social Studies NHS, Neurology Internship, Receptionist at Nail Salon, Babysitting, President/Founder of Psych Club, UNICEF Volunteering, Model UN, HOSA, Cheer

Demographics: Female, South Asian, Maryland- public high school third richest county in USA so fairly competitive I think? Veteran father, First gen immigrant parents, Income around $130,000,

Coursework:
AP Compsci, English 9 Gifted & Talented AP
Psych, English 10 GT, Alg 2 GT, APES, AP Human
Geo, US History GT, Biology GT, Human Growth &
Dev GT/Dual Enrollment English 11 Honors, US
Gov Honors Independent Research 1 & 2 GT,
Chemistry GT, French 2, 3, 4 Honors Math 141
College Algebra dual enrollment English 121 dual
enrollment, Modern World History honors,
Anatomy & Physiology, Band, Precalc honors
Business Calc GT, PE/Health

In summary, all AP, Honors, and GT and I only took three regular credit classes all through
hs: Anatomy & Physiology, Band, and PE/Health

Alg 1 GT, French 1, Geometry GT were taken in
middle school

GT is weightiest same as AP.

Had mental health issues, family issues, and was in and out of the mental hospital my sophomore and junior year. Began with Covid and It’s apparent on my transcript, as I had an amazing freshmen year with a 4.2.

Awards: County cheerleading champs?

Essay: I would like to preface and say that the following is not to brag, just to try to encompass every little good thing I may have. I think my common app essay is fairly strong, unique, and memorable. I discussed the unique identity complex I had about being a muslim military brat, how I eventually accepted myself, and how my dad was treated after 9/11. It’s partly a narrative piece of a memory. Everyone I showed it to either raved
about it, or said it’s a good essay. I was told I was an amazing writer by a few. And yes, it is focused on me.

I wrote briefly about my situation in the Covid section in common app, but in a positive light by discussing how I grew and am in a much better place now. I was told not to do this by people on here, but everyone outside of this in real life (like my counselor) and my post on reddit didn’t have a problem with it. One recommended I do it.

Thank you!

1 Like
7

Did you see @MDparent22’s post on your previous thread: Very anxious. Very low GPA & SAT. [Nursing] Please chance me! - #24 by MDparent22? Have you looked into any of the Pennsylvania options?

Is there a particular reason why you’re trying to nail down a particular profession right now? Perhaps you want to go to school as undecided, or maybe undecided with a health focus (some colleges have something similar). You could take coursework that might apply to nursing, or PA-prereqs, or perhaps you’d become interested in counseling, medical social work, or another field. There is not necessarily a need to nail everything down before you graduate from high school.

If you’re looking for school suggestions, what is your budget? What are your preferences (your earlier list seemed to have large colleges in the midwest and northeast…are those your preferences or just the nursing programs you thought were a fit)?

One school you may want to look into is the U. of Lynchburg. It is part of the Colleges That Change Lives, an association of small school commended for their undergraduate education (Lynchburg’s CTCL site). It has a nursing major, but it also has a Health Promotion major which has two tracks, one for allied health and one for working in a community setting with issues such as stress management or substance abuse.

5 Likes
8

So it sounds like you want to be either a psychiatric nurse practitioner or a psychiatric PA. Terrific. Both lead to the same basic career, and are in demand. PA school is definitely a difficult admit, so another option is an accelerated post-bachelor’s nursing program where you get a BA or BS in whatever you want, then do another 3 semesters or so to get your RN. Then you can work as a psychiatric RN for a few years, and then go into a masters program to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner. (Then if you work in an underserved area, you can get tuition reimbursement from the government.) Here is an example of an accelerated post-bachelors nursing program: Accelerated BS in Nursing

4 Likes
9

I agree that you may want to keep your options open during your undergraduate years. PA programs are much harder to get into than accelerated nursing programs but you could apply to both if you do well and take appropriate courses (biology, chemistry, etc.) as an undergraduate.

1 Like
10

In Maryland, I’d keep Salisbury and look at Towson as well, and perhaps Frostburg.

These are some Pennsylvania schools where I’d look into greater depth into their nursing programs, but that also have several other health-related majors (especially Thomas Jefferson).

  • Bloomsburg: 7k undergrads
  • Cedar Crest : 1k undergrads, almost entirely women
  • Indiana University of Pennsylvania: 7300 undergrads
  • Thomas Jefferson: 3800 undergrads
  • Robert Morris: 3k undergrads
  • West Chester: 14k undergrads
  • York: 3500 undergrads

This website described pretty much all of the Pennsylvania nursing programs, and for many of them included the passage rate of the NCLEX exam.

2 Likes
11

Please…if this is your real name as your screen name…please get it changed.

4 Likes
12

OP, I just want to take a second to write you a little note of encouragement. I know it must have been sort of shocking and stress-inducing for you to come here and find out that your chances of admission to your planned programs are lower than you had been led to believe! But hey, you get huge credit for the fact you decided to get a second opinion here, even at the risk of hearing something discouraging–that took a lot of courage. Now that you know what the realistic odds are, it puts you in a position to make a smart plan. You may not get into your top picks, heck you may not get into any direct admit nursing program at all, but there is 100% a path to your goal of being a psychiatric clinician, if that continues to be your dream. You are doing a good job!

12 Likes
13

OP- hugs to you and I echo what Darcy and Fiftyfifty have written. Good for you for being open to feedback!

Just a quick word on your goals- a LOT of fantastic professionals who work with children on mental health issues are not nurses (nor PA’s). There is the entry route via social work (case workers play a huge part in helping kids navigate “the system”), Occupational Therapy (you may get called in on a patient with autism or cerebral palsy but those are highly complex conditions which impact physical, mental, social health and you need to be on top of all those things), Counseling, Speech Therapy (especially hospital based working with trauma victims) Patient Advocate, Parenting Educator, etc.

Nursing is a hot field right now, but if your interests are in the pediatric space, take a look at some of these other fields which in most cases are easier to get licensed.

Hugs to you. The world needs more people who care about kids!

6 Likes
15

@AustenNut That’s an interesting list. It includes schools that offer only an LPN, schools that offer only an RN to BSN program, schools that have a coordinate program with a community college, hospital diploma programs, but strangely, no community colleges. There are also some omissions (mostly newer programs) and because of the mixed bag of types of schools, I don’t think the rankings make a lot of sense. Still, it’s a start for someone looking a Pennsylvania nursing programs. See also:

https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/Nursing/Documents/Board%20Documents/RN-Programs.PDF

https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/Nursing/Documents/Board%20Documents/RN-Pass-Rates-2021.pdf

Of course, the OP is now considering PA and perhaps other health care options.

1 Like
16

Have you thought about Salem State University in Salem, MA? Here is their 2020-2021 Common Data Set: https://records.salemstate.edu/sites/default/files/reports/2022-03/CDS_2020-2021.pdf

They have a nursing program and I have worked with many of their nursing students in my daily profession as a NP.

1 Like
17

Hi! Thank you for your help and advice. The colleges I listed before all have nursing and are schools that I actually want to go to. I really, really don’t want to go to a small school in the middle of rural PA. I know that maybe I can’t be talking because my GPA is so low, but no CC is not an option for me. My parents will be so disappointed in me. Before end of sophomore year, I have always been at the top of my class, so they have always had very high expectations for me- like JHU. They STILL want me to waste money on an application to give it a shot. Years of teachers telling them non sense like “She’s the best in my class,” “She has such a bright future ahead of her,” “I know she will be able to go into med school when she is older, she can always ask my daughter for tips.” Just sweet but an unnecessary pedestal I’ve been put on that my parents ingrained in their mind. Also yje south asian community is also ruthless. I would be shamed. Like my parents don’t want me to apply to UAkron even though they have a great nursing program and my dad went there, but they don’t want me to because since we used to live there, everyone who knows us will know that I went out of state to Ohio to go into nursing. NURSING. They look down on nursing, and would gossip about how I’m not going into medical. Major state schools in the midwest east coast and northeast are where I can see myself. My GPA is not a true representation of me. In a healthy state of mind, I know that I can achieve in difficult courses needed for such programs. I also wasn’t able to really prepare for the SAT, as I was in and out end of sophomore year summer, to this july. I have always put forth my very best work in difficult classes before my drop, even in middle school classes with high school credits. That’s what I expected from myself always, and I am expecting that from now on too. I am not in and out of the hospital now, and my parents and I are on better terms, so I have 0 excuses. Most of everyone who knows me knows this, which is why they try to convince me to shoot so high because they don’t know my GPA.

18

I totally understand, and I am wishing you the best. I understand if you don’t want rural, and if you prefer a larger school. That’s totally understandable. Letting us know what you do want would be helpful in providing suggestions.

Just to clarify, however, the schools I listed a few posts ago are all 4-year colleges. @kidzncatz was, I believe, referring to the link that I included in that post which listed BSN programs along with other nursing programs. You still may want to take a look at Thomas Jefferson (in Philadelphia) if you’re serious about a career in a healthcare field, and West Chester may also appeal after you look into it. I’ve read a lot of good things about it and would not be considered rural, either.

I am glad that you’re feeling better and more confident in your future academic performance. I understand the pressures of an immigrant family and community. I will say, however, that this may want to be something you learn to address at some point. Whether it’s where you go to college, what you choose to study, what career you enter, whether you choose to have a long-term relationship with someone, who you should have a long-term relationship with, whether you should have kids, how you should raise the kids, etc, there will always be issues. You want to make sure that at some point along the line you learn what it is you want to do and how to get others on board with it, otherwise you will be living others’ expectations for your own life.

I am not saying that you shouldn’t target big state schools or go for a certain degree of prestige/name recognition. I am saying, however, that at some point you will need to confront the expectations issue, if not now, then at some point in the future.

7 Likes
19

Thank you for your advice. I made a few edits to my comment before to explain how bad it is. I cannot tell you the number of times in the past month I’ve been told something along the lines of keeping medical school in mind always, because maybe I will decide when I am older after having a family. I in no way ever I want to go to med school. In the beginning, nursing itself was a disappointment to them. But they accepted it. Sort of.

3 Likes
20

Also, I know your confused that I have made 0 comments on budget. That is because my parents don’t discuss it, because they literally said they would spend any amount of money and even sell family wealth. if I get into a top top school. They want it so bad, and honestly just for themselves and their reputation. I am grateful they are willing to help pay for my tuition, but my mom was mad at me the other day and literally said that my dream school used to be Columbia and to look where I am now, and I replied about how Columbia would be stupid considering how expensive it is and it’s in NYC and I don’t want that many loans, and she said I would’ve sold all my wedding gold. LIKE WHAT?

21

I agree that you should try to update your username if you are revealing your real name.
At some point you should consider a slightly different path to your goals. You’ll get there!! There are so many fantastic colleges and programs. You will find the right path once you look inward and become realistic about your targets and safeties. It sounds like it’s time for a mature, honest conversation with your parents. Best wishes!

2 Likes
22

So sorry - pls try not to let your parents’ dreams and expectations get you down.
One step at a time. May you be well. May you continue to improve study skills in hs , and be prepared for college so you can work toward your goals.

8 Likes
23

Another school with good nursing and good prep for many healthcare careers is Duquesne in Pittsburgh so take a look at their website and programs.

I also want to make sure you saw darcy123’s post from your other thread, you absolutely can still become a nurse.

5 Likes
24

OP- hugs. I am also from an immigrant family (different ethnicity) so I totally get where you are coming from.

A tip for you- from my own life experiences-- you do you. Yes, you need to respect and honor your parents. And yes, you need to be grateful that they are willing to sell everything they have to pay for college. But just because they’ve decided that medicine is your path, doesn’t make it so.

They are coming to terms with nursing vs. physician? Guess what- you can throw a curveball. There are tons of fantastic healthcare fields. Epidemiology, Health Policy, Nutrition, Biostatistics, Agronomy (yes, it’s health care. Children in places with poor crop yields grow up with a host of disease and development issues). If you had three days I could outline for you the fantastic careers you could have- actually saving lives- which do not involve having someone bleed all over your scrubs, or cleaning up fecal matter from your shoes.

If you are destined to be a nurse- and understand how hands on, in your face, the human body is after it’s been hit by a truck or shot in the face, or helping to deliver a baby which is going to live three agonizing days… then that’s your destiny and more power to you. But if you want to leave the door open to any of dozens of health professions, just find a college which meets your needs academically-- and get there and figure it out.

I know nurses who went back to study nursing after other careers, and nurses who did direct elect, and nurses who hated nursing but loved healthcare and now do other things (one runs a huge operation- a bunch of satellite clinics for a large hospital system, so the doctors have to defer to HER since she’s the boss!) She has a BSN from a college you haven’t heard of, and an MBA from a top program btw…

You are young. I get the idea of the family being shamed. But unless your parents plan to scrub in with you every day and deal with the active, physical challenge of being a nurse-- you can put this decision off for a while and just go off to college to explore “Health Care” as a field without committing yourself right now.

Biostatisticians help map disease transmission around the world. They are one of the reasons why millions of people did not die of Ebola during the last outbreak. How cool is that?

13 Likes
25

PA school is more competitive than nursing school.
Honestly, I think you should stay close to home.

There are accelerated nursing programs you could apply to after completing a bachelors degrees. Look up ABSN or Direct Entry MSN-RN programs.

1 Like