Maybe you all can relate or provide some calming thoughts. Or maybe I need to stay off CC and stop worrying. I feel like nursing is just full of rejections for well deserving kids.
My D22 is looking at mostly direct admit nursing programs with the exception of JMU. Her stats:
3.98 UW GPA
No rank, top 10 decile.
No test scores yet and realistically probably low 1200’s, unlikely to submit. Will graduate with 4 APs and 16 honors classes.
-In school ECs-
Varsity state level swimmer
Link Crew Leader
Social Media Chair-Coalition for Social Justice
Peer group buddy for kids with special needs
NHS
-Other ECs-
Special Olympics swim coach
Girls on the Run junior coach
Volunteer/shadow Physical Therapy clinic
Lifeguard summers since 9th grade
Her math courses will conclude with AP Calc AB and a semester of CP Stats. She has taken H Phys Sci, H Bio, H Chem, AP Bio and will take Advanced A&P next year.
I know worrying about admittance is wasted energy but I can’t seem to shake it.
I feel like there are no safety school options that meet her other criteria for college. Did many of your children have back up majors or were they nursing or bust? Thanks for any thoughts, advice or commiseration.
I think it’s natural to be nervous and worry! You will need to find something else to occupy yourself but CC still may help at least a bit.
I can’t really comment on her chances, as I’m not super familiar with what direct admit nursing programs are looking for (other than the generic “high grades”). But what I can say is that there are lots of different ways for people to get into nursing these days:
She can go to a traditional universities, where she applies for admission to the nursing program after attending for two years. I know that students like the certainty of direct admit programs, but if she doesn’t get into one, this is a good option too.
If for some reason she doesn’t get into a traditional nursing program, there are lots of second BSN programs for students interested in nursing who have a bachelor’s in something else. Those programs tend to take about a year and have the same prerequisites as a traditional nursing program.
If she’s interested in being a nurse practitioner or getting another MSN, there are also direct entry programs for non-nursing BA holders. Those programs tend to take 2-3 years, depending on the specialty area.
So for safeties, she should add some other safety universities/colleges that have traditional nursing programs. And she should also know that if things don’t go as planned, there are still options for her to get into nursing through different routes, so no need to super-stress about it!
No disrespect but I think it’s kind of crazy that you are stressed over a kid with a virtual 4.0 and great EC’s who has a bright future and clear goals.
There are so much worse things that many parents are facing, with an explosion of mental health problems and suicide rates off the charts, I think you should try to put things in perspective.
Lots of schools in PA and Northeast your daughter would easily get into BSN Nursing programs. The only places where she would find competition would be schools like Clemson, Penn, Penn State. PITT and larger schools.
Seriously. My daughter was able to get into 8 BSN Direct Admit programs with only a 3.0 GPA and 1140 SAT. All with good merit. All of these schools with undergrad populations of 6K with exception of U of Akron in Ohio. Not sure why people are stressing.
Thank you. She is interested in UDel, Clemson, Pitt, UMiami, possibly Villanova, Temple, WVU, JMU. I don’t feel comfortable calling any of those a safety for DA is I guess the “stressful” part. She loved JMU though and they are more of a 2+2.
I am open to ideas of schools you may think we should consider. Thanks!
At this point we are mostly looking at greater than 10K students, nearby clinicals, not sure how urban she’ll like but considering as long as lots of green space. Prefers DA, wants active social scene, probably option for greek life, possibly club swimming and likely midatlantic area.
No small school, commuter campus. No school where nursing is not on main campus or very, very nearby.
She is in love with the look and feel of James Madison if you are familiar.
but CC still may help at least a bit.