[Raymond CA]

I just found out a week ago I was accepted to Rush University's 12-month Accelerated BSN Program for Jan. 2007!!!

I applied Early Decision, came to Rush in Feb. to take the TEAS exam and interview for 30 minutes, then just got my letter last Saturday!

It took 2.5 years for me to get into nursing school---a bit over 2 years since I decided I wanted to become an ICU nurse.

The whole process was tortuous, confusing, and sometimes as stressful as hell, so if anyone has any questions about getting into an ABSN program, feel free to email me directly or ask here.

[karmyk]

Congratulations!!! You've worked really hard to get to this point, and you deserve it. Best of luck during the program! I'm sure you'll do extremely well. =)

[Fun2Care]

Congrats & good luck!

[MBA2BRN]

Originally Posted by Raymond CA

I just found out a week ago I was accepted to Rush University's 12-month Accelerated BSN Program for Jan. 2007!!!

That's what it took to get in. 2.5 years of hard work, of continually having to prove myself to unsupportive parents, of staring into my pillow late at night wondering if I had made a huge mistake by leaving my engineering job, of sacrificing social life/dating life/trips/partying/etc. Because of my poor GPA from a decade ago, I had to work that much harder to make sure admissions people were convinced I was a new, incredibly focused, and dedicated soul.

I did it! And in doing so, I transformed MYSELF into a better person.

I am VERY happy for you! I don't think a lot of people did a great job with his/her first degree from what I have read on this web site. But you did an excellent job making up for your past in both grades and mature extracurricular (including work) activities. So CONGRATS to you!!!

[prinsessa]

Congratulations!!! It sounds like you worked really hard to get in there. Rush is a great school. It is one of the schools that I plan on applying to next year.

[Jessy_RN]

Congrats!

[NICU_nurse2b]

WOW Awesome story!

CONGRATULATIONS!
:hatparty:

[Raymond CA]

Thank you, everyone! I look back at the last 2.5 years and wonder how I had (and still have) the energy! Haha...

I hope my story inspired those of you who are dipping your toes in the water, waiting to plunge.

[nyforlove]

Congrats Raymond--and another benefit--another male nurse! You did an amazing amount of work over the past 2 years and are obviously the right type of material for an Accelerated program (I'm currently in the second half of mine). Just wanted to say one thing--getting through UC Berkeley's engineering program--regardless of gpa--is quite an accomplishment..I went to UPenn and friends in the undergrad engineering program there had so much hard stuff to learn and very few got great grades---don't discount that achievement-you obviously have an accomplished, technically-excellent mind and are putting it to great use as well at this stage in your life.

[Raymond CA]

Thank you so much! If I could be 17 and do it all over again, I'd burn, baby, burn through college!

Congrats to you on changing careers and going to SUNY Downstate! Another lawyer-turned-nurse! One of my EMT classmates now is a criminal lawyer/paramedic.

Indeed, having to overcome the burden of my undergrad debacle helped make me tougher and have to hustle more than usual. That grit and determination has helped me the last few years get past obstacles I would not have been confident of overcoming several years ago. Life is good!