Accelerated BSN reality check!

Hi Everyone!

I've been following the boards for awhile now... what great information you all have!

Here's my deal... I'm in the anxious, neurotic, self-doubting, pre-nursing school application phase. I'm going for my second Bachelors degree, and I'm finding that navigating the territory of accelerated BSN's is a bit tricky. So I need a reality check...

I'm 34 years old and have a Bachelors in Sociology from Rutgers University. I've worked as a social worker, but most of my work experience is in a state personnel job and corporate customer service. Last year, I decided to make the leap and completely stir up my life... after much soul-searching and decision making, I decided that I'd pursue a lingering dream of becoming a nurse. I've got 2 semesters' worth of pre-req's left, so I'll be applying to accelerated BSN/MSN programs this fall. My best case scenario is to get accepted into Johns Hopkins for the ABSN direct entry MSN/MPH... but I'm not sure I'd qualify. I'd also be perfectly happy going to Penn for their ABSN/MSN... but I'm not sure I'd qualify. I'm also looking at Columbia but... you guessed it... not sure I'd qualify. And I'm interested in Jefferson's FACT program and Drexel's ACE. I'm fascinated by public health, and ultimately my goal is to one day earn a Phd and do research/teach while still doing work that uses my to-be-learned clinical skills. I'm also very much interested in global health.

So here's what I have in my bag of tricks... 3.43 undergrad GPA (but one semester of F's and bunches of W's because I was taking care of a sick parent while going to school), 4.0 (so far) in all of my pre-req's (2 semesters Chem, 2 semesters Bio, Stats, and Nutrition). I haven't taken the GRE yet, so not sure where I am there. I've also been working for over a year as a unit secretary in an ER where I have tons of exposure to doctors, nurses and charts, volunteer for the Red Cross doing blood drive pickups and transport of blood to the regional center, and I'm volunteering at another hospital working on some patient education programs (that work just started). I'm also teaching myself French and Spanish through Rosetta Stone software (slow going, but I'm getting there). I have 1 really strong and 1 hopefully strong academic references, and I'm planning on asking my work supervisor for a reference (although I'm a bit wary because I don't know if she knows me well enough to give me a stellar reference). I'm just not at all sure if that's enough to get my dream programs... especially when I'd be competing against people who have totally had it together for years and have research experience, or Phd's. ACK!

So I'm a big ball of nerves because I want this SO very much, and I want to do what I can to have a good chance at acceptance. And I think I need an outside, objective reality check.

ABSN students, former or current or also applying, what did you do to get accepted? Any comments or suggestions for getting into these programs would be greatly appreciated. And any advice. Shoot... even if you just tell me I'm nutty, that's ok too!

Thanks much!