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I'm a graduate of UAB. It is an awesome school!! UAB is in the heart of downtown and close to so many hospitals. UAB hospital is a great teaching facility with magnet status. I feel one of the great things about UAB is that they teach the why we do everything we do. UAB also has a great skills lab facility. There is also the opportunity to have interdisciplinary skills labs with RTs and med students.
Also, if you are staying in Birmingham after you graduate, there are many hospitals in the area and you most likely will be able to get a job in an area that you want. Let me know if you have any more questions!
Hi there,
Both of the programs you have asked about have excellent reputations. A couple of things to consider are: The cost of attendance, i.e. public out of state tuition vs private out of state tuition and program size- UAB SON has an enrollment of approximately 1800 vs Samford SON enrollment of approximately 600. I have heard good things about both programs, but really, if you could swing a visit, do so. Both are extremely competitive programs. You should chose the program and environment that feels right to you on a personal level and financial level. I am not affiliated with either program as I am enrolled in a night and weekend ASN program so that I can continue to work full time. The kid likes to be fed, and the bank likes the mortgage payment on time-- go figure. In my circle of friends there are some who went to UAB SON, some who went to Samford SON, and some who went the ASN route, and I would trust any of them to care for me or my family members. Good luck with your decision, and if you do come on down, bring some Gray's Papaya!
UAB gets many applications for the SON. Many more than they have room for. Due to this reason I suggest you apply to more than just one program. As a transfer student you will not be guaranteed a seat in the program. I applied with a 3.2 gpa, 8 years as a Navy Corpsman with both base hospital and combat surgical hospital experience, I shadowed an RN in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at UAB, I shadowed another in the Trauma/Burn Unit, I am personal friends with a member of the nursing faculty, I also wrote what I thought was a killer essay, but I still didn't get in. I have no doubt the reason I didn't get in was due to my age. I am a nontraditional student. I would stand out amongst all the 20 somethings in class.
I am suggesting you don't do what I did and put all of your eggs in the UAB SON basket. Apply to all programs and pick the one you want out of those that accept you. For this Fall I applied to 6 different programs and was accepted into 5. THe only decline I got was UAB, for the second time. Oh well, life goes on. :)
I am by no means applying to only those programs, that would simply be foolish and I imagine most candidates understand the competitvness of nursing school admittance. My intention of this post was to get a better feel for the nursing programs at those two universities which are in the pool of many nursing programs i will be applying to along the east coast
KDSkyy44
46 Posts
So, currently I reside in the NJ & NYC. My other half is finishing his fellowship in NYC and is considering a job located in Birmingham. I am applying to nursing school for a 2nd bachelors in 2014 (finishing up pre-reqs and training someone over the next year to replace me at my current job).
I am considering applying to UAB nursing program and would love to hear everyones experiences with the program. US News and World report has ranked them no. 21. What is makes their nursing program so strong?
Thanks for your help!