<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I am a nursing student. I finished my two years in a comm college and then transferred to a university to do RN-BSN. The problem here is I went to a university for one and a half years not knowing what I wanted to do. Then in comm college I had to take bunch of pre-reqs for nursing then nursing program. I have accumulated more credits than any other students can. My GPA at comm college are not so great either...but when I transferred to Uni to do RN-BSN, I have worked hard to keep my GPA up and its most above 3.5</p>
<p>My probem is with that kind of transcript is there any hope in getting to a good grad school. Also, I am interested in working with NGOs/int'l organizations related to healthcare, human rights & education advocacy/policy/public health... I am so confused am I to follow which route??? MPH, MPA, MPP, IR....which route would be best for me... I am starting to prepare for my GRE</p>
<p>I plan to work for a yr. as a nurse and I know that wont help in admission process...what type of volunteer work, or part time job I need to get in order to get work experience that would compensate for my GPA. I really want to get to good grad school...Please help!!!!</p>
<p>I am new to this forum and didn't find any threads with dilemmas like mine.</p>
<p>Actually, your work as an RN CAN help with graduate admissions, particularly if you can land a position related to your planned graduate field. Given the shortage of RNs nationwide, this may be easier than you think. </p>
<p>You may have to work a bit more to get appropriate certification (e.g. public health nursing) but the opportunities are there particularly in urban and very rural areas. It's probably obvious, but since you mentioned NGOs, language study should be a priority in addition to your regular nursing courses. A Public Health Nurse who speaks fluent Spanish (or any one of a number of Asian languages) will be highly recruited almost everywhere in the US. Look for employers who will cover your tuition for advanced study. Almost everyone does this, but local and state agencies might not, or might have rather restrictive programs.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, start looking at potential employers in the categories you mentioned - most will have websites that detail open positions and the qualifications they are looking for. Then, as you gain focus on what sort of jobs you're interested in, the necessary credentials will become obvious. Also obvious is talking to the career services folks at your university as well as any instructors who have the kind of work experience you're interested in. Don't be afraid to ask around. Take a look at International Nursing Review published by Blackwell-Synergy. It will give you a lot of ideas as to what's happening and what kinds of qualifications are in demand.</p>
<p>Finally, don't worry TOO much about your GPA - first because there's nothing you can do about it, and second because you'll have plenty of opportunities for advanced study in your career and those grades will carry more weight than a couple years at some CC five or six years back. Give yourself more than 1 year as an RN, take advantage of your employer's tuition reimbursement program(s) and give yourself time - there will always be people who need your skills and education.</p>
<p>Here's one place to start:
Project</a> HOPE Job Postings</p>