May 2011 NAU accelerated nursing program hopefuls!

U.S.A. Arizona

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I'm finishing up some prerequisites and taking the HESI test on Tuesday for the January deadline. I'm a bit nervous! I wanted to see if there are any other accelerated program hopefuls applying for NAU this spring!?

Also, for the HESI, I heard that there is a&p, chem, bio, math, NO physics, but is there a grammar and a reading section?

Good luck to all in the application process!

I will let you know. I apologize I didn't read your entire message to see you were going traditional route.

I just contacted NAU about accelerated program and they said they get 100 applicants for 30 spots. That is not a very good ratio of acceptance. Makes me a little concerned. In the application it states "We have received as many as 80 applications in the past"; so I wonder if perhaps she didn't exaggerate that number a little. Any one know any details about how many applicants they typically get to the accelerated program.

They didn't know the number of males in the program either. I was just curious

Hey guys,

Sorry for the late reply...I've been travelling for the last week, so I haven't had reliable internet access. Here's what I said about the HESI in a different section: "What I did study from was the HESI test guide provided by Elsevier who makes the HESI test, and my anatomy book. The test guide is great for folks who have already taken basic courses in the sciences, and just need a refresher, it's not so great for people who have to actually learn the material for the first time. The math in the test guide is spot on, if you can do their problems, then you'll ace the test in this section. Same with the vocab and grammar.

If you still have your anatomy book, my best advice is to read and understand the first couple chapters that usually contain basic chemistry and basic biology, and that will be more than enough for the HESI."

As far as the sciences, the HESI is tricky because it's not really nit-picky specific, but there are definitely specific questions that one would have to know entire systems to answer (if that makes sense)...I definitely used the process of elimination to pare down answers, and then used my knowledge to make an educated guess. Unfortunately (or fortunately for those of us who test well), test taking skills are almost as valuable as the knowledge...

I hope that helps! Oh, and as far as being able to backtrack, I don't seem to remember being able to do that, but I didn't try. You CAN take the tests in any order you choose though.

Best of luck! And 100 applications!? Hoooooooollllyyyy, that does NOT make me feel good :( My GPA is okay (not perfect), and my HESI is fine (not perfect), but I have 2 classes IP this semester, which will ding me....oh well, my app is in and there's nothing I can do but wait, which is HARD! Just gotta be in the top 1/3...

Oh, and abvincent, I *think* they only had 60 applications last year...here's the thread from last years hopefuls where I read that NAU accelerated Nursing 2010 - Page 4- Nursing for Nurses

Thanks Run. I bought the study guide ($40!) and am reviewing. I can't believe how much of the biology, chemistry I don't know. Kinda frightening!

I wish it was over...of all the schools I researched, NAU is the only one requiring the HESI for entrance in an accelerated program.

I also found out NAU tends to only have 2-4 males in each accelerated group. I was thinking it'd be somewhere around 10. Oh well.

I was contemplating NYU as well. I just spent a week in NJ/NY and spent new years in the city with friends who live there...it was a ton of fun! For being a born and raised small town girl, I never thought I'd enjoy the city as much as I did, so I'm taking a more serious look at that school.

As far as being male...I think you have your pick of schools, just since the male/female ratio is so disproportionate. It's interesting how in my EMT and related classes there were far more males, but when it comes to nursing (you'd think the logical next step), a class of 30 has 3 males. It's a bummer, I've worked with a few really great male nurses. I hate to say it, but they're great to have around since they don't get so, umm...shall we say "catty." There are plenty of female nurses who aren't "catty," and I'm sure plenty of males who are...just from personal experience, those few that are more difficult to work with stick out a lot more in my mind, unfortunately.

I really wouldn't worry too much about the HESI, it's kind of luck of the draw when it comes to the questions you'll get. Like I said, I studied maybe a total of 4-5 hours in a feverish haze, and did just fine. I also looked at chem for maybe half an hour and took the course 4 years ago and scored in the 90's. Really, you'll just be relieved it was that easy and over with when you're done.

Where are you from ab?

I live in Phoenix now, but I am originally from small town Iowa. I lived in Chicago 7 years after I graduated from college.

I have a set path, I KNOW I want to be a nurse anesthetist. I have shadowed one a couple times, I have done all the steps to make certain I would enjoy it. I wanted to do medical school originally, but I chased money and ended up in a career field I absolutely hated--a career in that field moved me to Phoenix. I saved and saved to get to this point to chase what I really wanted...and here I am, applying and hoping. I have a set path in my head, so whatever gets me there is what I am chasing.

I really hope NAU works out as it is my number one choice---the education is quality and as an in-state resident it is cheap. But if not, I still plan to apply to NYU, as its deadline is Mar 1. If I don't get in to either, I will find the next best option. I won't stop until every school on my list has rejected me; at which point I will simply rinse, wash, repeat and apply to every one of them again the next year.

How about you? I appreciate the feedback on the HESI by the way.

Run, thanks for that info. It makes me feel a little better.

Ab, I felt the same way about the science when I reviewed the Elsevier guide. I set the curve in A&P and I missed a lot on the practice test. I'm just foucsing on reviewing my A&P notes now. Where in IA? We lived in IA (Fort Madison) for a year. Just moved back to AZ in August. We liked it a lot but I'm glad we aren't dealing with snow everyday right now.

Best wishes to you both.

Wow, it's great you know exactly what you want ab! As for me...not so sure. Born and raised in MT and wanted to get out of the state after high school, but UM gave me an offer I couldn't refuse for my undergrad (I literally got paid to go to school for 4 years..it was awesome) so I stayed in state. After I graduated, I couldn't find meaningful work ANYwhere, so I ended up getting my EMT-B and volunteering at the hospital in the ER in hopes of snagging a job if/when there was an opening. I was working a foodservice job at the time to pay the bills, and my boss (who was great), basically said you're too smart for this, find what you want to do, and if you can't find anything in 6 months, you're welcome back here. That was the kick in the pants I needed, so I moved home, started school again for the remaining prerequisites, and here I am. I now have ACLS and a personal training certificate under my belt, so really...all I know is that I love bodies. How they think (my undergrad is in psychology), how they work, what they do when they don't work, how they move, etc. We're fascinating creatures, and I love figuring us out.

I'd love to get out of MT and see what the rest of the country has to offer! And I love skiing and snowshoeing and other snow-related activities, but snow is such a pain in the ass to get around in, so I wouldn't mind a milder winter...or at least a place that has warmth close by.

I've heard differing opinions on AZ, but people seem to like Flagstaff...do you two have any insight on that?

Well it is over. My insights?

Study chemistry, how? I have no idea. There were at least 15 questions where I had no idea.

I scored in the high 90s for Math, English and Reading Comp (96, 98, 93.48)

It was ok, but draining. By the end I just wanted it to end as my eyes were glazed over! NAU is the only school I know that requires these tests for the accelerated program. I am slightly boggled by why the chemistry section is tested when no chemistry courses are required pre-requisite/s to the program.

None-the-less, NAU is my #1 choice and so I did what I had to do to hopefully get in. If not, on to somewhere else! But with any luck, NAU will accept me.

Good luck to those who haven't taken the HESI test yet. Somehow someway, study for the chemistry or else figure out how to guess well!

Yikes. I guess my advice about chemistry was not so great...my bad :(

I think you have a great chance of getting in ab...the #1 thing they look at is prerequisite GPA, and you're definitely good there. Then they look at HESI scores, then how many prerequisites you have IP. I'm pretty sure the rest of the app may sway the decision one way or another if you're on the fence between getting accepted or not. Now it's just a looooong couple months of waiting....

I really wish I knew how many people have applied...

Run,

I am not overly concerned. I don't sweat waiting. I am just working on each of my applications, NYU at the present moment, and then I will focus on one to a school in Nebraska. The rolling application deadlines make it possible to go one by one.

I didn't do bad on the HESI, I just would have scored in the high 90s if I hadn't had to take the Chemistry section. I got nearly perfect scores in the math, English and reading sections.

Hello to you both ! I am applying to the yuma program for fall and will be taking the hesi on feb 14th. Let me know if you have any tips on applying or the exam...best of luck!

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