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Today, I (58F-IDC/ILC ++-) got into graduate school. My last year of my Bachelor’s degree in nursing was completed during a year where I had breast cancer, my father died and my daughter got married. I had DMX in June 2025.

I attribute this miracle ( graduation with a good GPA despite BC challenges) to the Waiting Room Revolution which taught me how to manage my illness journey in my terms.

I hope you find this resource helpful!

When I was a young high school student decades ago, I had rampant unidentified inattentive ADHD and to be honest, I’d never have even gotten into university from high school today. My high school grades ( including grade 13 which was mandatory then) were pathetic and while university was expected by my parents, and thus I thought I’d need it, I felt pressure to keep going despite my mediocre grades and lack of interest.

In university, had great ECs, participation in the student newspaper, university politics and working jobs. Anything to avoid studying which I hated. And my transcript showed that.

I miraculously graduated with a 3 year Arts major Bachelor’s and after grad I took a few more courses (where my grades were slightly better) but ultimately, I started working full-time and never really settled into one thing. I also had babies and during those years, since my partner was travelling a lot (and also making more money and not breastfeeding anyone) I became the one who stayed home or close to home, working a bunch of different jobs. Eventually, I started a business which I ran for ten years. When that finished, I worked in a call centre and while I lived the job, it was going nowhere.

During 2020/21 I took a post-graduate certification in a science topic and got a 95% GPA. I decided to do a second start nursing degree but my grades were so pathetic, even my own alma mater said ‘even if you got 100% on each prerequisite, you would not be competitive.’

They suggested I go the Practical Nursing route. It was easier to get prerequisites for that and being able to say I was a nurse was good enough.

I went back to high school, for prerequisites and went to Mohawk’s 715 PN, graduated with a 90 or so and then Western opened a bridge to BScN for RPNs. Miraculously I had enough university grades that met the minimum (70%) and started in 2023.

I had major challenges in my life during BScN including losing my father, making a wedding for my daughter and getting a catastrophic illness. I finished with an 86.5 GPA and took a year to recover, get work and get settled.

Today I got in to the MN Leadership at Western. Still waiting to get answers for another program and considering applying to another as well. I feel my applications will be solid.

1980s me is laughing so hard at this turn of events she just peed herself.

You aren’t cooked. It might not be a straight line, but there is a line. You don’t lose all your chances once you hit 23, 30, 50 or 90. In fact a friend of mine who was a holocaust survivor got 3 bachelor’s degrees after she turned 60 and tuition was free. She learned right into her eighties. Heck, my mom still teaches occasionally in public high school and she’s almost 80.

Your path may have veered but there’s always another.

When I was a young university student decades ago, I had rampant unidentified inattentive ADHD and to be honest, I’d never have even gotten into university from high school today. My high school grades ( including grade 13 which was mandatory then) were pathetic and while university was expected by my parents, and thus I thought I’d need it, I feel pressure to keep going despite my mediocre grades and lack of interest.

I had great ECs, participation in the student newspaper, university politics and working jobs. Anything to avoid studying which I hated.

I miraculously graduated with a 3 year Arts major BA and after grad I took a few more courses (where my grades were slightly better) but ultimately, I started working full-time and never really settled into one thing. I also had babies and during those years, since my partner was travelling a lot (and also making more money and not breastfeeding anyone) I became the one who stayed home or close to home, working a bunch of different jobs. Eventually, I started a business which I ran for ten years. When that finished, I worked in a call centre and while I lived the job, it was going nowhere.

I took a post-graduate certification in a science topic and got a 95% GPA. I decided to do a second start nursing degree but my grades were so pathetic, even my own Alma master said ‘even if you got 100% on each prerequisite, you would not be competitive.’
They suggested I go the Practical Nursing route. It was easier to get prerequisites for that and being able to say I was a nurse was good enough.

I went back to high school, for prerequisites and went to PN, graduated with a 90 or so and then Western opened a bridge to BScN for RPNs. Miraculously I had enough university grades that met the minimum (70%) and started in 2023.

I had major challenges in my life during BScN including losing my father, making a wedding for my daughter and getting a catastrophic illness. I finished with an 86.5 GPA and took a year to recover, get work and get settled.

Today I got in to the MN Leadership at Western. Still waiting to get answers for another program and considering applying to another as well. I feel my applications will be solid.

1980s me is laughing so hard at this turn of events she just peed herself.

You aren’t cooked. It might not be a straight line, but there is a line. You don’t lose all your chances once you hit 23, 30, 50 or 90. In fact a friend of mine who was a holocaust survivor got 3 bachelor’s degrees after she turned 60 and tuition was free. She learned right into her eighties. Heck, my mom still teaches occasionally in public high school and she’s almost 80.

Your path may have veered but there’s always another.

Hi everyone,

As we start to hear responses about the program ( no I haven’t) I was just wondering what people taking leadership’s goals are with the program?

My own are to work in leadership, but I’m also considering other programs that are similar but not specific to nursing.

I’d love to hear the thoughts of others if possible so that when we hear (hopefully good news) we know what to do!