<p>I think I've failed three of my classes this semester and I'm FREAKING OUT! I know it's too late to do anything now. I've tried contacting my student advisor by email and even the dean, both of which might be on vacation due to quarter being over for two weeks. I don't want to be kicked out, I just want another chance. I screwed up badly. Last quarter, I got straight A's and was put on the Dean's list, but I was having a hard time this quarter. Semesters are only 11 weeks long and there was a time during this past semester that I knew I was falling behind, but was too afraid to look at my grades because I knew I wasn't doing work to the best of my ability. I know I can do the work; the quality of my work is not the problem, it's the motivation that I began with isn't there and I'm TRYING SO HARD to get it back..but now I just cry constantly as if I'm doing something wrong and have been choosing the wrong path for me. I was reconsidering whether nursing was right for me...and I had this ridiculous notion that I should be doing something more worthwhile. Don't get me wrong, I think nurses are amazing and provide services to greatly help people, but the thing was...I didn't want to profit from the sickness of others. Ridiculous thought, right? There was a greater extrinsic value than there was intrinsic. I wanted my parents to be satisfied with me getting a job and working. I'm still really confused because there are so many great nurses. I'm trying to get it together, I just need academic probation and I know I can do the material and get high marks. It's pathetic that I'm screaming for academic probation, but this is what I want. I want to do something for my parents to be proud of. I want to have a skill that I can take where ever I go to help people and I'm stupid for not realizing this sooner. What are the chances of academic probation? Can I be able to stay there, even if I've failed three classes, but got A's on the previous four classes? My GPA will still be higher than a 2.0, if this happens. I'm just...blahh. :(</p>
<p>Sorry for the long post...
Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Have you read your student handbook for your nursing program? It will probably spell out your options specifically. Nursing programs are usually sequential for course work, so if you are allowed to stay, you may have to repeat a year, if you cannot go on without passing a required course. If school personnel are not available right now, I would send an email asking for an appointment asap. Have you really committed to nursing? It sounds like you may be on the fence, doing what you feel you should do to please others versus what you want to do. It is hard to know if this is your calling when you are so young. This may be a nudge in another direction or a wake up call to refocus. At least you have some time to think about it. Last year while speaking to a Dean of Nursing, she told me she had a 2.0 after her first semester. She could have quit, but she refocused and soldiered on, to earn her nursing degree. Now she is a Dean of Nursing. Good luck.</p>
<p>Yes, you need to talk to your advisor ASAP and find out your options. As noted above, read the program’s requirements carefully before you meet the advisor. </p>
<p>I’ve seen some nursing programs that allow students to repeat a limited number of classes. (When I was in college, I had to drop out of a computer programming course because I was failing, then retake it the next semester.) It may be in your best interests to take a lighter course load - drop the class that is the worst, and then put your full effort into doing well in the remaining classes. </p>
<p>When you read the program requirements, you may see that some classes must be passed because they are in successive order, while other classes can be taken during a different semester or over the summer. </p>
<p>Taking an online course during the summer can work out particularly well and can be affordable, while you also work and live at home.</p>
<p>A huge percentage of students take more than 4 years to graduate. As long as you can afford it, it is not so bad - particularly if you end up with some time to earn some money to off-set the extra cost.</p>
<p>In any case, try your best to pass the more important classes. Then, before you sign up for classes for the next semester, carefully consider whether you want to stay in nursing or take a different major. There are multiple other health care professions.</p>
<p>“If a person saves a life, we call them a hero. If a person saves 100 lives, we call them a nurse.”</p>
<p>“Nurses - we’re the ones who keep the doctors from killing you.”</p>
<p>Charlieschm…I love your post! So true…</p>
<p>Thanks for your replies. I don’t think it was the work load that was bothering me. I was just losing the motivation I had in the beginning of the program. I was looking through the “catalog” book that has all the classes and academic policies. It says all students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher, which I still will have. Nurse students can only retake courses once, but I do not see anything about failing multiple courses. I scheduled an appointment for this Friday morning with the dean. How or what do I even say? How do I start?</p>
<p>If you search academic probation on CC, you will find lots of information. I would be honest about being distracted, but would focus on your plan to stay focused during your meeting…and then make sure you follow through. Are you meeting with your advisor as well? I think you will be referred back to an advisor eventually.</p>
<p>I spoke to the dean today and apparently I am not on academic probation since my GPA is still higher than 2.0 even when I failed the three classes. My advisor sent me the schedule for next quarter, so I will be taking the three classes again. The dean also wanted to follow up with me 4 weeks into the next quarter just to make sure everything was okay. I am so grateful for them showing concern over my future. Thank you SO much for your help!</p>
<p>Best of luck to you… ASmartStudent!</p>
<p>Congrats on your Dean being supportive of you and allowing you to repeat the 3 courses you failed the last quarter without being placed on academic probation. However I would recommend you put together a good plan to maximize your chances of being successful in retaking the courses. Even if you feel your motivation has returned to the level it was in the prior quarter where you received 3 “A’s” IMHO it would be in your best interest to become involved with the Academic Advisement (or whatever it is called at your school) Center and avail yourself of any individual or group tutoring that is available for the courses you are repeating. This will help you to become refocused on academic success right from the beginning of the quarter. If you subsequently find that it really is not needed you can always stop attending. Just my perspective. Good luck (let me “rephrase” this - make your own good luck).</p>