rant.

Blah. I had a rough afternoon on Friday. this will be a slightly longish rant...

I went to Parkland (community college, where I want to get into their RN program) to take my TEAS test. It's basic math, science and english. I did pretty well, especially for not brushing up or studying before hand. Afterwards, I went down to see someone that's sort of in charge of the health professions department, and asked her if I should take the test again, or if my score would be good enough. She said, "well, there's a complex formula, so have a seat."

Okay. before going into the rest of my rant, let me tell you: on Parkland's website, there is a document about what to do before you apply for the RN program; basically all of the pre-reqs, tests you need, documents you need, etc. I have done everything on that list; the TEAS test was the last thing I needed. I've been working hard for basically a year and a half to get everything done to apply to this program.

Continuing.

I sat down, and she pulled up my previous transcripts from U of I, and the other comm. college that I took one class at to get it out of the way. She pulled out another piece of paper that had crazy boxes all over it, like a flow sheet. After looking at my college transcripts, she said I was NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM. ummm, excuse me?!

Apparently, if you have more than 15 hours of college courses, they look at whatever general lab sciences you have, take the GPA from them, and if it's less than a 2.75, you're not eligible for the program. Well, I took two science classes (that weren't specific to my major) in college my freshman year. I got C's in both, because I didn't care about them, and they weren't part of my major, so I didn't put much effort into them. TWO classes. So, my gpa from those combined was a 2.0. Not a 2.75. That means I can't get into the nursing program at a community college. So I said to her, "So, basically, because I have a bachelor's degree from a very highly ranked university, I cannot get into an associate's degree program." She said, "In your case, yes." WTH?!?!!?!? I continued and said, "so, if I had applied right out of high school, I would have gotten in, then." She said, "yes, because you had a 32 ACT and a 3.95 gpa, which is what we would have looked at since you wouldn't have had any college classes."

IS ANYONE ELSE GRASPING HOW ABSURD THIS SITUATION IS?!?!?!!?!?!?!?

I was baffled. I have a 4-year degree from the University of Illinois. I got a C in two classes that I took my freshman year. I have my CNA certificate. I work at a health clinic. I have letters of recommendation from a Nurse Practitioner and an RN ("No one reads those, they're put in a drawer."). I was ranked in the high 80's percentile on the TEAS test, far above most of the applicants to Parkland's program WITHOUT STUDYING. But, I am inelegible for the program.

High school seniors, who don't know anything about life, have no experience, and just need a degree, are applying to this program and getting in.

I can't.

Everything I've been working towards is out the window at this point. The only way I can get it is if I continue to take stupid gen-ed science classes until the average of all my science classes boosts my GPA. Literally. And that's "only putting me on the borderline," according to her.

I cried as soon as I left her office.
I went back to work, and went to the person that hires our nurses and MOAs, and cried in her office. She said she'd do what she could at Parkland, but didn't know if she could do much.
I cried on the phone with my mom.
I cried on the phone with Jason.
I cried to God.
and then I called the dean of the college and told her I need to meet with her.
I'm going to lay it all out. What my qualifications are, why they need me in this program. And how stupid (politely) their application process is. They don't do interviews, so I'm going to do one for them.

and, if they don't let me into the program, I don't know what I'll do.

Please pray.