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Please help point a newbie in the right direction!

El-CeeEl-Cee 177 replies10 threads Junior Member
edited October 13 in Nursing Major
hi! I'm new here to the Nursing forum and looking for some advice. My daughter is currently a High School sophomore and desperately wants to be a nurse however she has a severe learning disability in math and I know that this will hinder her ability to not only get into a nursing program but also to excel in one should she gain admission. She is a straight-A student other than her barely-passing math grades, so it's not like she is a poor student overall. Also, her background is unusual and she has life experiences that rival many adults' so I'm hoping this makes her an interesting candidate to potential admissions officers. Are there any lists here on the forum of "less prestigious" or "easier admit" nursing schools, particularly in the NorthEast that possibly will have resources for LD and will look at the applicant in a holistic way rather than write her off due to math struggles? Advice appreciated greatly :)
edited October 13
9 replies
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Replies to: Please help point a newbie in the right direction!

  • kidzncatzkidzncatz 992 replies7 threads Member
    Ursuline College in Ohio has an excellent nursing program as well as services for learning disabled and/or ADHD students. Other possibilities are Widener, Misericordia, and Neumann Universities, all in Pennsylvania. Since Pennsylvania has over 50 schools with direct entry BSN programs, I'm sure there are others willing to consider a student with a math disability.
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  • bearcatfanbearcatfan 1155 replies12 threads Senior Member
    You may want to inquire directly to the admissions office or College of Nursing what role, if any, math plays in coursework and what support is offered.

    At my daughter's school certain majors (including nursing) had to take a math placement test before registering for freshmen classes. She doesn't have to take a math class per se, but math is used in several classes including those where you have to determine dosages or do conversions.

    At other programs we looked at, nursing majors had to take a college-level introductory algebra class as part of the curriculum. So it definitely will vary based on program, but in general there is an expectation of a base level of math readiness.
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  • am9799am9799 938 replies27 threads Member
    Most programs in the NE we looked at only had intro to Stats for math requirement. We looked at Umass campuses and other smaller schools in/near MA. If that's the only concern your student can take the course over the summer at a community college and transfer it in the program. She might also have some issues with Chemistry where calculations might be heavy. Again she can arrange to take classes in the summer so to spread the load though the year.
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  • El-CeeEl-Cee 177 replies10 threads Junior Member
    yes, I have checked many of the curriculums and it seems that Stats is common but other than that her main struggle will be organic chemistry.

    She has taken upper-level math classes at her school, which is a rigorous district in NY that requires acceleration for all students. So she has Algebra, Geometry, Advanced Algebra and then will have Trig next year. She will skip Calculus.

    I would hate to see her disability in this one limited are affect her ability to pursue something she has wanted since she was a kid. I will continue to research and gather info and appreciate all of your help and suggestions! Thank you :)
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  • kidzncatzkidzncatz 992 replies7 threads Member
    edited October 15
    I don't think many nursing programs require organic chemistry. If she will have taken and passed math classes through trig, I don't think she will have significant difficulty getting through general chem. and any math she will need for nursing. If she had had difficulty understanding and passing regular Algebra 1, it would be a different story.
    edited October 15
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  • El-CeeEl-Cee 177 replies10 threads Junior Member
    She struggled greatly with Alegebra but did wind up with somewhere in the low 70's
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  • kidzncatzkidzncatz 992 replies7 threads Member
    Does she have an IEP and receive tutoring/special help for her math courses? This type of help is available at many colleges, though you would have to contact the disability offices to get a feel for the extent of such support. You might also want to post in the Learning Differences sub-forum:


    https://talk.collegeconfidential.com/learning-differences-challenges-ld-adhd/
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  • ordinarylivesordinarylives 3184 replies43 threads Senior Member
    That's a tough one. She'll most likely be able to accommodations for stats or whatever math class her program requires as well as chemistry, and that should help her pass the requirement. The issue will come with the math in the nursing courses. My d had to pass a med conversion test. It's considered a patient safety issue, so she didn't get accommodations for it ( and yes, she does have a disability for which she got them on tests ).
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  • arkymommyarkymommy 30 replies0 threads Junior Member
    Most nursing schools we have looked at are only requiring College Algebra and/or Statistics. These are not in the East but check out Xavier University and Saint Louis University. We are applying to both (D20) and have similar concerns about needing extra support. Both of those schools have excellent tutoring and extra help programs. Also checking out University of CT and Curry College in Boston. I remember seeing something online about both schools with extra tutoring and help at both schools. Good luck!!
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