waiting list...truth or rumor

Nursing Students General Students

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I was just told that the waiting list for most schools has things that basically get you moved up in the line.

1. Being a male candidate (sounds bogus to me but that's what I was told)

2. Getting Pell Grants and certain other government finacial aid like stafford loans

3. good or GREAT grades in prereq. classes

4. age of student( this one sounds bogus too) older is better

I was told these things make a big difference, Is there any truth to this, or are most waiting list first come first serve as long as you meet the entry requirements?

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Depends on the school. Ours has a very cut and dried list of criteria which are assigned points based on academic performance and the PSB entrance exam. With the number of applications there are a lot of ties. Ties are broken in ways not listed on the criteria. Being a resident in our county moves you up for tie breakers, openly stated, as well as already having a degree in something other than nursing. I would not be surprised if being male moves you up but nobody has come out and said that. I have not noticed that age plays a part at all - we have a wide spread of ages in our class from 21 years of age up to 55. Grades matter, period.

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Specializes in ICU.

Yup, it just depends on the school. The one that I was considering strictly worked on a first come, first serve basis. As long as you completed all the necessary requirements, you were literally put at the end of the list, given your number and told approximately how long it would be before you would start. Only way you got in any sooner is if others ahead of you took their names off the list or decided not to attend once it was their turn.

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Agreed with everyone else. My school too has the straightforward points based system. They don't do waiting lists at all. If you don't get in, you reapply next year.

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Agree also..every school is different. Ours was a point system based on what prereqs you have done and the grade you got. Again, no waiting list and every semester you apply again.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

You have to reapply every semester in ours as well. They make a new wait list each semester based on the pool of applicants and entrance is very competitive.

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Specializes in Home Care.

Stop listening to rumors; contact the school(s) yourself and find out what their entrance and pre-req requirements are. Then ask what the process is for getting into the nursing program, whether they go by points or waiting list.

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Stop listening to rumors; contact the school(s) yourself and find out what their entrance and pre-req requirements are. Then ask what the process is for getting into the nursing program, whether they go by points or waiting list.

I agree..you might also be able to find it online, on the school site.

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1. Being a male candidate (sounds bogus to me but that's what I was told) TRUE

2. Getting Pell Grants and certain other government finacial aid like stafford loans FALSE

3. good or GREAT grades in prereq. classes TRUE

4. age of student( this one sounds bogus too) older is better FALSE

5. ACT/SAT high scores

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Specializes in NICU.

Honestly, I do think these things matter in some places. Obviously they can't officially state them, but I'm sure they all play a part when it comes down to people with equal "points", gpa, etc. I'd say all of the things you've mentioned have the possibility of being true. We put our entire futures in their hands when we submit applications! haha

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