Mail Monday: Getting into Nursing School!

Sometimes I think the struggle to get INTO nursing school is as intense as the struggle to get through it!

I will be a 3rd year college athlete and I will also be applying to the nursing program come Spring and I was wondering if you had any advice you could offer on how I can better my chance of getting into the program. I am an average student with a 3.2 GPA but I work very hard to maintain my grades.

I have a terrible habit of not only over thinking, but of doubting myself. I fear that I am not smart enough to get accepted into the program and that if I don’t get into the program in the spring, it’ll throw me off and take me even longer to finish school.

So, from me to you, I ask what can I do to become a better student and stop this mental self destroying within me to help me get into this nursing program.

Any advice is appreciated, thank you!

My first advice to Danielle (not her real name) is to stop being so hard on herself. A 3.2 is nothing to sneeze at, especially for someone involved in athletics (over achieve much?!?) Most nursing programs use more than just GPA, so it’s important to look into the scoring criteria for each one. For example, most schools use an entrance exam such as HESI or TEAS, so scoring well on those can really improve your chances.

Anyone who has gotten through school with a 3.2 and a host of other responsibilities is going to do just fine in nursing school…the challenge with nursing school is more to do with being able to handle large volumes of information and tasks. This is why I stress so heavily the importance of learning HOW to study as well as getting and staying organized.

It’s also important to realize that many of your classmates have the same worries…so you won’t be alone! As you go along this path, just focus on doing your best, learning the material, and try to stop all the negative self talk…it only adds to your stress!

When I started back up with school, I hadn’t taken a class in about 18 years, and I started off with chemistry! To say I was nervous is an understatement…but I set up a consistent study schedule for myself and stuck to it. I found that looking over the chapters before lecture was helpful, and by the time I started A&P, I saw how beneficial it was to re-write my notes after class…hands down this is the best tip I can offer!

As always…good luck with school…and stay safe out there!

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