There are times I encourage someone with a desire to enter nursing to go to a school with that tract. At our local U, some begin as nursing majors. Others apply part way through, have to interview and apply. The program is structured, and the profs work with the students to have them succeed.
I also encouraged some one to do this at UPenn, At schools with general programs, future nurses compete with pre mess and pre graduate school candidates.
Update: I thought we were swimming for shore, and now she seems to be vacillating. Text: She has always wanted to be a RA and that requires 2.75 gpa. She should drop. Next text: She doesn’t want to give up on her love for human body systems. She wants to give it 100% (she already is) and try the 3rd exam.
Ug - I am too old for college generated parental whiplash! I do think some other allied health fields might be a better fit, but unfortunately her school doesn’t have those majors. At this point, she would pick her school over a nursing major.
We’ve always been one of those anti-quitter families but looking back, there are times in life when quitting would have been the better decision. She has fall break next week and the decision needs made by early November. I do want that decision made and accepted by her. The sooner the better–why keep spending inordinate amounts of time when it’s fairly obvious she won’t be able to stay in that major? Hopefully after some rest and food she can make a decision.
Hugs, sryrstress.
Does her school have any other health related majors? Majors like OT, PT, etc. will require grad school anyway. But they will also require A and P.
I can feel your pain. My guess is your D is also struggling with the decision. This too shall pass! She - and you - will get things figured out.
My son changed his major 3 times. I think it’s important to understand your limitations and strengths. However if this has been a dream it’s not easy to change focus that quickly. From what I understand a lot of medical stuff is memorizing. I agree there are plenty of opportunities in the medical field outside of nursing. However if she is struggling with this class things could really get hairy down the road. What year is she? Are there still pre reqs and electives to take to giver her a taste of other majors?.
I haven’t read all the comments so forgive me if I"m repeating an idea already mentioned.
My suggestion: have her drop the class to preserve her GPA. Have her take a science class over the summer at your local comm college to replace those credits fairly cheaply.
My daughter is a nurse and that major required a ton of memorization. If memory work isn’t her strong suit, then it may not be the major for her.
You mentioned accounting as another interest. My other daughter has a degree in accounting. Your daughter should know going in that it’s the hardest business major. Taking one accounting class will give her an idea if she likes the major. It takes a certain kind of person (who thinks a certain way) to really be able to understand and enjoy this field.
I wish her well.
No, her school doesn’t have other health related majors. Earlier she had wanted PT/athletic training, etc., but had ruled it out for reasons HImom stated–she had job shadowed and seen how often those professions had to lift much larger patients.
This is difficult, but I’m glad it’s kid #3 because I’m better able to view things through a long-term lense than I could have with S1. The looming back-story of course is that I’m worried she’ll make it through any major with her disabilities. We live in the rust belt where there are very few good jobs for educated workers and $10-12/hr for non-skilled.
Yes–a decision will be made and this too shall pass–one way or another. I am grateful for everyone’s posts and thoughts. Thanks!
To answer #24-25–she is a freshman. The school is pretty core intensive, so she does have some time to sample other classes. They have until end of sophomore year to declare their major.
I agree accounting is the most difficult major. I’m a CPA 
People always say we think differently…Yes, one class and she will know whether to stay or drop down to marketing or business administration! Business majors do have that advantage. Whether she can transition and enjoy the language of accounting remains to be seen, but she has good analytical, quantitative, and detail skills and knows the advantages and disadvantages of public accounting.
I like the idea of the science class at community college. Her college is fairly restrictive on what can be taken elsewhere over the summer, but science may qualify.
Would a visit to her campus career center be helpful? Meeting with a counselor and talking about her difficulty with this class but her desire to work in a health related career might result in the counselor suggesting different options for nursing or aside from nursing but still in her interest area. It wouldn’t hurt. And might be good for her to talk to a career “expert”.
^^That is an excellent idea! Thank you.
That is one of the advantages of a smaller school (IMO) The career center can really be a place to take advantage of! They are not just for graduating students!
She should ask what would be necessary to take an Incomplete in the class, how long she would have to finish the class if she takes an Incomplete, and whether doing so would affect her scholarship status. For example, if it becomes clear that she won’t be able to get the work all done by the end of the semester, can she complete it over winter break, by the end of the second semester, a year from now, at any time before graduation? Someone at her college certainly knows their policies about Incompletes.
Yes, it would be good to explore the options for an incomplete, but having had children who have received them, they weigh very heavily on the student and loved ones. This can interfere with the ability to do well and devote full energies to the other courses undertaken.