[crok9014]

I am applying to CCAC Boyce's Fast Trac Program this summer. My GPA is only 3.3... any chance I'll get in?

[rbs105]

You should be fine...did you take their entrance exam?

My only regret w/CCAC Boyce is that I felt unprepared as a nurse (clinically). I was well prepared to pass boards, but I had a very rough first few months and actually switched jobs in the first couple of months because of this. Our clinical sites were pathetic when compared to major city hospitals, which is where I started working. I understand they are working w/Shadyside and Magee now though, so maybe that will help.

I also felt they did not have much interest in helping me get thru the program until the last semester. It was like, well, if you don't get it, you shouldn't be a nurse. The program was very self-directed. Fine, except I felt if you had questions, you should be able to get some help. I was actually told by one lab instructor to get together with my friends and figure it out amongst ourselves. NO!! If I have a question about nursing, I should be able to get answers from the nursing instructor. The last semester, suddenly it was like, oh it looks like you really will pass-maybe we should try to help, and that was the best semester. I also have talked to other people from other programs and I know it doesn't have to be like that.

I am grateful for the education and I passed boards first time out, as did the majority of my classmates, but I consider it only to be a means to getting me to boards and the actual RN title-my education itself has been mainly at work. I love my job now, so it was totally worth it, but I swear it sucked 2 years off of my life!!!

Good luck!!

rbs105

[crok9014]

Thanks for the heads up! I know a few people that have gone through the program at Boyce too and they all had pretty much the same response! I was a Dental Hygienist in the Air Force for 7 years. I got off of active duty when I had my first daughter 15 months ago and am in the Guard now. I don't want to put my girls (I am expecting #2 this November) to have to be put in daycare for me to work and/or go to school which is why I chose to go into nursing and making Boyce my best option.

I am in A&P 1 this semester and taking 2 in the fall. I also took everything else besides the actual nursing courses and Micro so I am hoping the actual workload won't be overly demanding with two babies! I am just praying to get in this time because I go to school on my GI Bill and if I keep burning up my time applying, I will run out of benefit before I ever get through. Well, those snotty instructors sound like a real treat, but I've come across my fair share of those in the military so I'll manage, thanks again! Any other tips would be great!

Heather

[mochabean]

I'm going to CCAC Boyce, but I haven't applied yet. I will though next month or on Sept, even though I didn't complete CIT-615 yet. I was told that Boyce was the better campus to go to for nursing, but once I started going there I started hearing the same things you guys are saying about the nursing department. I even heard it was the same way with the regular advising department.

[crok9014]

I think that you have to have the CIT elective completed prior to applying but I am not completely sure. I am applying at the very end of August when I get back from some military duty and seriously need to get in this time! I am in A&P 1 right now and definately do not recommend taking it in the shortened summer semester like this because it is brutal! I was just hoping to squeeze it in and pull off a decent grade to imporve my chances of getting accepted so we will see if it pays off! My husband is deployed and I have a 15 month-old and am expecting again in November so I definately have my hands full and this class is by far the most time-consuming I have ever taken.

As far as the advisors go, it seems to me that there is a lady in the office that is strictly the Nursing Program advisor, so once you are accepted I think you only deal with her.

I wish you luck on your application and hope to see you in class this Spring! Keep me posted on how things are going and good luck with the CIT class!

[mochabean]

Originally Posted by crok9014

I think that you have to have the CIT elective completed prior to applying but I am not completely sure. I am applying at the very end of August when I get back from some military duty and seriously need to get in this time! I am in A&P 1 right now and definately do not recommend taking it in the shortened summer semester like this because it is brutal! I was just hoping to squeeze it in and pull off a decent grade to imporve my chances of getting accepted so we will see if it pays off! My husband is deployed and I have a 15 month-old and am expecting again in November so I definately have my hands full and this class is by far the most time-consuming I have ever taken.

As far as the advisors go, it seems to me that there is a lady in the office that is strictly the Nursing Program advisor, so once you are accepted I think you only deal with her.

I wish you luck on your application and hope to see you in class this Spring! Keep me posted on how things are going and good luck with the CIT class!

I took Biology this summer and my instructor (who teaches A&P) warned the class NEVER to take A&P in the summer. She told us a lot of students drop out of the class or recieve a very low grade. It's too much material to cover in 6 weeks.

Good luck!