Nursing school demands a great deal of time, effort, and commitment. For many students, the journey to graduation isn’t always straightforward and may require more than one attempt. That reality was all too familiar for Alexis Ledezma, a student in the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program at Galen College of Nursing’s Wichita campus.

Like many students, Ledezma began his journey in 2023 with general education courses, which he described as challenging. By the second quarter, those challenges intensified. Struggling to balance work and school became overwhelming, creating stress that ultimately affected his performance.

“I cried a lot that quarter. Ultimately, I ended up failing out. I was dismissed, of course, took that first quarter of last year off, and just kind of reset,” Ledezma said.

The setback took a toll on his confidence. He began to question whether nursing was the right path for him at all.

“It really hit my confidence, in the sense that it’s like, well, I can’t pass anything on the first try. At that point, I felt like there’s no point in me coming back if I’m obviously just going to fail again,” he said.

During that time away, Ledezma even applied for a job with American Airlines. However, on the final day to submit a readmissions application to Galen, something unexpected happened. A friend came over to talk through the decision with him. Although the application was completed and ready to go, Ledezma hesitated, unsure if he deserved another chance.

“I just don’t know, you know. I just felt that they’re probably going to be like, ‘Oh, well, he failed three times, why are we going to let him come back?’” Ledezma said.

That’s when his friend stepped in and made a decision that would change everything.

“As he’s, like, handing me my computer back, he hits submit. I just kind of looked at him, and I was like, why did you do that? He’s like, you weren’t going to do it, I thought I’d give you a push,” Ledezma said.

A couple of weeks later, while driving back from an interview with American Airlines, Ledezma received an email, he had been accepted back to Galen. This time, he approached his studies differently.

“When I had gotten my readmissions letter, I went down this whole rabbit hole on TikTok. It’s like, how to study for nursing school, how to do this, how to do that. I was trying a bunch of different things, like note-taking strategies,” he said.

From there, Ledezma developed a new system of learning. He changed the way he studied, experimented with strategies that worked for him, and began to see results. Exams that once felt impossible became manageable, and classes he feared failing became opportunities to succeed.

“I think the biggest thing was I just needed to have more grace with myself. If I felt like I was genuinely struggling while studying, I would just kind of stop what I was doing, and just take a minute, reset, you know, like, I’ve got this, I’m smart,” Ledezma said.

Ledezma says that failure isn’t necessarily the end, it can be a turning point. With support, determination, and a willingness to adapt, he found his way back to the path he once doubted. All of that hard work paid off and, with support from the educators and staff at Galen, he is now on track to graduate in 2027.

Ready to start your journey?

At Galen College of Nursing, you can take the first step, or even a second chance, toward a career that truly makes a difference. Like Alexis Ledezma, your path doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. Whether you’re just beginning or starting over, Galen offers programs like the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and practical nursing options to help you move forward with confidence. With supportive instructors, hands-on learning, and resources designed to help you succeed, you can find your own way to overcome challenges and grow stronger along the way.