UALR RN PROGRAM

lizv · Sep 17, 2010

Hi!! I am responding to your post as a UALR RN student. Just helping you out a little. :) I'm currently in the program and I just started this fall.

First, if you want to get into the accelerated, you should apply EARLY, as in ASAP because i believe they only have 40 spots for accelerated and the rest are traditional students. Our class has about 200 that got accepted. about 180 currently because you have to pass a summer course and if you don't you fail. And to get into the program, it's a first come first served basis w/ the points system figured in. They keep accepting past the deadline till they have 200 students along with a waitlist. Hope I'm making sense.

Based on your GPA...I think you will get in with no problems! You might even have a good chance at UAMS granted you have fulfilled their reqs. I will say my GPA is lower than that and I applied wayyy after the priority deadline (last resort, I wanted a BSN and applied UALR last minute as my "back up") and I still got accepted!! You have to have a minimum of 2.5 overall GPA. Then you are ranked on a points system based on the pre-reqs for the program. The more pre-reqs you have completed the higher your points, the higher you get rated. (points added for higher grade, points taken away for failed/ retaken courses etc). I believe they have a list of courses you must have completed prior to admission and then a couple you can take after you are accepted. They have group advising sessions and I recommend you go to one of those, before you apply u have to go in for an advising appointment anyways. Those are listed on their website. It's helpful and they will go over the points system. Also, the admissions test is the HESI EVOLVE A2 and if you score high you get added points to your overall score. (again, i don't remember the pts exactly but they will tell you in the group advising session).

I think my avg was like an 86....it's math, english, anatomy, physics, chemisty, etc. The test isn't very hard. The math is like elementary math. Just study the book they tell u to get and you should be ok.

I am currently able to work FT along with school. The good thing about UALR's program is the classes aren't extremely long ( i see some programs have 9-3 classes etc). If you have fulfilled all the pre-reqs then your looking at about 8-10 credits per semester. Currently I have class 2 days a week and clinical, my classes are 3 hrs (i.e 0900-1150) each and clinical is 6 hrs. I believe this changes to 12 hrs( option of two 6hr clinicals or one 12 hr clinical) once you advance on.

I don't have kids or even a husband, but I know several peers have kids and are in the program. I imagine it will take a good support group, flexible schedule ( the nursing instructors don't care - its their schedule and u must abide by it) and a lot of multi-tasking to make it work but I'm sure plenty have done it so you shouldn't be the first!

Hope this helped you! Good luck. Any questions just ask, I'm still pretty new to the program though. I like it so far.

Witty3RN · Sep 20, 2010

Thank you so much you really helped a lot. I will have all my pre-reqs done by the end of the Spring 2011 semester except Microbiology and Chemistry. I really hope that I can get into the accelerated program but if not I still would like to attend the regular UALR nursing program. I don't have all the pre-reqs completed to apply to UAMS and don't want to wait a whole another year.

I'm a bit worried that I may not get into the accelerated program because the application due date is Feb. 28, 2001. I will not be able to count A&P II that I will be taking Spring '11 semester or take the points for that class. And the fact that I haven't had Microbiology or Chemistry as well, may put me behind lots of other students applying that have already taken those classes. Either way I'm just glad to know that UALR takes around 200 students into the traditional program. Once again thanks so much for your reply. Best of luck and get me updated on how the program is going.

Michele

lizv · Sep 20, 2010

Yeah I was surprised they have such a big group of students. They have three sites for classes though: Benton, St. Vincents and UALR. I'd suggest just apply ASAP and cross your fingers! I understand about not wanting to prolong going into school! Worst case scenario (besides not getting in =/) is that you get into the traditional route. I think your GPA is good enough to get in...unless you score very poorly on the HESI. I'd suggest making an appointment early for advising with the nursing department. Good luck!

Witty3RN · Sep 20, 2010

There is an early group advising for 10/20/2010 - signed up for that today. Also I'll find out what the soonest date to submit an application. In the meantime I will start reviewing for the HESI. Thanks!

lizv · Sep 20, 2010

aww good luck! Also, if you're not already a UALR student, you have to apply to UALR separately and be admitted and then also apply to UALR nursing. It's a bit tedious! I'm not sure when you will need to do this...I'm not aware that the nursing dept accepts a spring class so you might want to clarify with the nursing dept first before you apply. I know UALR has like a $50 application fee, don't know how long you have until you have to reapply does that make sense? For example, you get accepted in the spring but you don't enroll in classes, I'm not sure if you have to reapply for Fall, etc. And take the HESI sooner so if you perform well, you'll get extra points on your application! I imagine you have some time to take it - they will have plenty of dates for you to pick from. :) I hope everything goes well for you!