Chamberlain College of Nursing - Addison

Re: Chamberlain College of Nursing - Addison
I went to their Open House a few months ago, and they emphasized completing the FAFSA form even before you get accepted.
Hope this helps!

Thanks SillyJo I wasn't 100% sure

Hey has anybody been accepted that posted a while back? If so how is it going? I am terrible at math and chemistry and am dreading the entrance exam! Anyone with a less than desirable GPA get in? If so how?? I'm really getting discouraged with all of these different programs existing but the waiting lists, specific classes for each school...come on...can't they make it a universal thing already! Every school has its own set of pre-req's and rules for admission it's ridiculous! Thanks in advance!

I recently took the HESI A2 test and it was not as horrible as I had expected. I got the study guide that they recommended and it is useful especially for the english, grammar and etc. The science I would review also from other books. I had a nursing school entrance exam study guide form Kaplan which has a great science review.
I feel you with all the different requirements for nursing programs, I hope I get into this program. Good luck!

I also took the HESI A2 and it was not as bad as I expected it to be. The English - grammar, comprehension, vocabulary type stuff was really easy. It seems more like an IQ test to me. The math was simple. It was like 8th grade math. Stuff you don't really look at now so the HESI A2 study guide helped me and there wasn't anything besides that math on the test. The biology and chemistry was pretty easy. I used the Kaplan's nursing guide and it was really easy to understand. I wish i studied a bit more of the anatomy and physiology. I just thought I knew enough of it. I am sure if I looked at Kaplan's guide on that a bit more i would have done better. I got a 92.2%. My GPA is pretty good. I just wish someone would have told me to calm down a bit before the test and I would have actually listened. LOL. I had a huge test the day before it and I got really nervous. It is all straightforward, there aren't any tricks. Just know as much a&p as you can. i thought I knew more. It was my lowest score which is funny since I never really took chemistry except what I studied 3 weeks before this test and i took biology 12 years ago. I am glad i looked that over in Kaplan's. The book is worth the 20 bucks. It is slow and easy to read and is pretty interesting. My only big advise would be to do practice tests but on the 2 days before the test, stop doing those and just look at ones you got wrong and read a bit more but don't strain yourself doing a big practice test on all the subjects. Get a good night sleep and have a good breakfast the day of the test. You will do fine!!!

Lisa

That is a pretty high score! Good job! I'm worried I won't have as good of a score. My math and chemistry are terrible! I have never been good a taking tests and tend to score in the B level range. Also I have not taken chemistry since high school and I don't remember too much from my A&P class Any suggestions? I have the A2 study guide but it seems so broad, it can't be that easy...Do you know anyone in the program at this time, if so what do they think? Thanks again.

I never really took chemistry so I was pretty scared about that. I used the Kaplan's nursing guide. It was pretty good. I used that for A&P and biology. I felt a little better about those 2 subjects but actually did better in chemistry. It's pretty simple chemistry. The HESI A2 study guide was pretty right on for the English parts which I think are pretty hard to study, they are more like an IQ test. I studied the Kaplan's on that and found that the HESI study guide was enough for that part to look at to get an idea of what was on it. It's stuff you already know. The HESI guide was also right on for math. I am terrible at math. It wasn't even algebra it was like 8th grade or lower math but math you don't really use much. Well I don't anyway. It was oz to pints and quarts, stuff like that. Know the measurements like meters to kilometers. If you know those you are pretty good and fractions, ratios, percentages. Really simple stuff but also stuff I don't use everyday.

I don't know anyone in the program and I just applied. They haven't received all my transcripts. I would say that it is pretty simple if you look at the material in both of those books. The math in the Kaplan's is more difficult than what I was tested on. I just took as many practice tests as I could. I got a couple of books from the library that had tests on them. They were just nursing entrance exam books. I can't remember the names but I just checked them all out and quizzed myself so I was pretty sure before test day. The day before the test, you know what you are going to know, so I would say, put down the self tests and maybe look over something again but just get a good night sleep. You are there for awhile. Also, it was kind of hot in there so dress in layers. It makes a difference on how comfortable you are. You will do great. Just look over those study guides and relax. I wish someone forced me to relax but I never do. Let us know how it goes. You will get your score when you are done.

Good LUCK!!!!

Lisa

They are no good, students are not passing their exams in some cases the whole class fails exams, the teachers tell them not to focus on certain stuff and they are tested on it.

Are you speaking of Chamberlain In Illinois? Is this your personal experience with the school in general or one specific class? Is there tutoring deparment lacking qualified tutors?
Thanks

do you really need an act or sat score to get into the addison chamberlain? i never took one and im almost 30, can i still take it or can they just bypass that if i have previous college credit? is anyone in the program there right now? any comments on how they like or dislike it?

I am a current student at Chamberlain. My estimated Grad date is end of fall 10 (if I can combine my last two semesters) otherwise it will be end of summer session 2011. I am really happy. I know you are all in awe because it seems "so easy" The truth is they do turn student applicants down. They turn about 30% down- as I understand last count - but there are more applicants every semester! The reason it has been so easy thus far is we just had our one year anniversary in March and NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT IT YET! I mean they do - and they are - more and more every day - so give it time and pretty quick - it will be like all the rest as for admissions. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth! We just had the anniversary of this campus - not of all the campuses. St. Louis is the flagship and has been around for many years. As for us....There have been some hiccups along the road....not suprising in trying new faculty etc. The Dean is AMAZING! If you have an issue - she will sit down and talk to you. The support staff is great. Yeah - tuition is pricey but they are very in tact with their program and the designs they have. Additionally it is cheif in thier goal to produce some of the best nurses. They also are new-school in they do not believe in the "Nurses eat their young" philosophy. I like that! Opposed to any of the city college ADN programs or UIC - the City colleges operate admissions based on a lottery - and UIC - well - you better have been a candy striper since the day you could walk if you want admission there - not to mention a 4.0. Yes - they want minimum 2.6 (I think) and they want decent scores on your ACT/SAT.

As for someone asked what classes transfer. All in all - they have transferred from most other people I know - roughly 50% of what you have already. That kinda sucks - but it makes sense as the program is very accellerated. Every 8 weeks you have grades transcribed to your transcripts. This took me personally, quite a bit to get used to but now I would never want to go back to full 16 week semesters. Some of our classes are broken into 16 week - but it's in two 8 week sessions. So for example, next week is finals and end of Session A. We will all get grades for this half and they are done. No changing them - that's what we've gotten. The high side to this is that if you get a C in session A - you can get an A in session B and it equates to a B average. The other delightful thing is that all those annoying pre-req's - they are all done in 8 weeks. If you hate a class - BIG DEAL!!!! You are done in 8 weeks. I am just finishing up with probably my most hated class yet. The professor was great - but the load of work was INSANE (and it was all busy work) so yeah - I spent waaaaaaay too many hours on busy work with something that is a pre-req but it wasn't awful. It just meant I had to manage my time really really well.

As for what will they ask you in the interview with admissions - not much. What's your GPA? How many credits have you taken? What's your ACT/SAT? And then - of course - how do you want to pay for the application fee?

Not a big deal! There have been bumps - yes! And as for all your nursing courses - you cannot get less than a 76 in any nursing class and still pass it. Additionally the attendance policy is really strict. You get one gimme in any class - more than that - you have to re-take. It might say differently in the handbook but that is Chamberlains Policy and I'm ok with it. Honestly - if you have 8 classes and you miss one - how prepared do you think you will be for the final?

Semesters vary - I started in Oct of 08 and hope to graduate full BSN by beginning of March 2011. I start Clinicals in session B of next semester (equates to September)

Last note - and feel free to question back with any questions - Dean Snow wants to see everyone succeed! In fact all the staff does. Yes - I know many students have felt bummed at some of the bumps in the road - we've had a few professors who did not turn out so well and yes - we were kind of guinea pigs for 8 weeks while it was clear they were not the best for the job. At the end of the day - IT'S STILL AN ACCESSIBLE SCHOOL!!!!!!! I guarantee that won't be for long! They are opening two more campuses - one in Jacksonville Florida and one in Arlington Virginia. I travel from the city - and it takes me at most 45 minutes to get there in traffic but most days it's half an hour. (Just take the 294 instead of the 290 - there is always a tanker truck tipping over on the 290 and then you are just messed up)

I keep babbling but almost done - the pace is intense. It's WAY intense sometimes. There are no spring breaks - no other holidays - it's all the time. But you can graduate sooner and they structure their tests to be along the lines of the NCLEX - which may be more stressful now but I'm pretty sure when I sit down to take the actual NCLEX I will be happy with my educational decision.

I hope that answers questions!