Any Prairie State college hopefuls for fall 2012

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Nursebetie

89 Posts

nursebetie, that's great you have everything you need to get in this year. Have you received your letter yet? I got mine yesterday. I am very excited!

Yes!!! Lol I received it yesterday! I'm soo happy!

Nursebetie

89 Posts

I have also heard negative things about PSC nursing program but I'm not trying to hear that. I have a friend that is just finishing up her first year in the program. She says it's difficult but the most important thing is to stay focused and prioritize. Also, stay away from any negativity. She also says that during clinicals, some of the instructuors have complained about the BSN students not having as much clinical experience as the ADN students. That's kind of scary seeing how they are pushing students to go straight into a BSN program. I just want to be the best nurse that I can be. PSC produces good nurses, and this comes from former students as well as Nurse managers, so let's all be encouraged and stay positive!!![/quote

I agree see you may 23rd!!

mtrn7502

15 Posts

Update!!!! I got my acceptance letter today!!!! I'm so excited! We all have to meet at registration! Thank you Jesus!!!

Pinky723

18 Posts

I guess we've formed our first study group! Congrats everybody!

Pinky723

18 Posts

Anybody planning on celebrating? If so, what are you planning?

mtrn7502

15 Posts

I was thinking the same thing! I will celebrate this weekend for mothers day w family and friends. Dont know exactly what i what i will be doing but it will involve plenty of food! This is so surreal! I applied last year but I didn't have enough points then I transferred to ivy tech in Gary Indiana where they only accept 20 students and didn't get in that program. It's true that the third time is a charm!

mtrn7502

15 Posts

Typos, strike the second "what I".

Jasel, BSN, RN

203 Posts

Specializes in Emergency Room.

Hey all. Am about to finish my 2nd semester (we take our final on Mon and Hesi on Wed) so will try to answer some comments as well as talk about my experience. Sorry if this is long.

I'm applying to the 2013 but thank you for putting my mind at ease regarding my points! When you ladies get your letters and start. please keep in touch because i will need help and advice!

something that already bothers me, i asked a pre-nursing student in my bio class why she wasnt going nursing here and she told me because they are racist here. she honestly shocked the crap out of me so i couldnt say anything more. not that i would let something as petty as racism stop me, still it kind of hurt to hear that...

There actually was a dean here a few years back who was accused of not letting in Black students who were more than qualified to be admitted to the program. There was one Black applicant who had all the pre-requisites, was a straight A student, shined on the HESI admission exam, had more than enough points and was still not allowed into the program. So she got a lawyer and threatened to sue. This was not a case of pulling the race card, apparently even many of the white students backed up her claims that there was some racial discrimination going on in terms of admittance into the program.

And the complaints had been going on for a few years. Anyway that dean retired a few years back after that lawyer threatened to come after her if she kept pulling that stuff and is gone. My class is pretty diverse and I've never had any problems with any of the teachers (I'm Black) so I wouldn't worry about racism. There are a few black clinical and lecture instructors as well (but all the teachers are nice to varying degrees)

I understand I have to work hard in this program, but I really feel that some of the staff do not meet you half way. I took my CNA course at prairie state in the summer, and God was it TERRIBLE!! the only thing we got to do in our clinical was feeding patients. It was terrible! the lecture was based on the professors' personal life, how her uterus is upsidedown, and can never have a child, how her sister has aids because she was promiscuous, the experience was terrible.

Ya some of the nursing students in my class who had taken the CNA class (I had a good instructor but I took the CNA class back in the summer of 07) said they had a horrible teacher who was lazy and didn't do anything with them in clinicals and would always let them leave early. They basically said they didn't learn anything. But they complained to the dean and that teacher was fired. Not before taking it out on the students who complained of course but it didn't hurt their grades and they made it into the program. Not sure if it's the same teacher you had though. From what I've heard a couple of those CNA instructors sounded less than impressive. But this does NOT apply to the actual nursing program.

And yes this is a VERY hard program. We started with 95 students in the fall of 11' and out of the original 95 I think we have less than 45 left and that's going INTO the final (we have 55 students now but many came back 2nd semester who dropped or didn't pass in previous 2nd semester classes). And I know not everyone is going to pass this semester. But keep in mind Prairie State students have a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam. The program is hard but if you make it through believe me you will learn this material.

But most of the people you start out with just aren't going to be there after the first year. And keep in mind anything under an 80% in terms of your overall grade and quizzes is considered failing. And if you're getting under a 76% they will kick you out. But people worry about their quiz percentages way too much. It basically just matters how many points you get. This semester we have a total of 440 points. You need 350 to pass. Try to look at it like a race and 350 is the finish line. Don't get hung up on whether you "passed" the quiz or not. Worry about your point total. And try to do well enough so by the time the final comes around you have some wiggle room. I know some people going into the final who either aren't passing or are barely passing. Believe me you do not want to do all this work and go into the final with that make-or-break stress on your mind. I can't imagine going through 16 weeks of this only to not make it (and 2nd semester is supposedly the hardest, which I don't doubt).

I'd also recommend recording the lectures. This is something I always thought was stupid and pointless (who wants to listen to a lecture you've already heard once, 2 or 3 more times?) but I started doing it after the midterm because I was not doing well at all and it helped IMMENSELY. Try to figure out ways to study that work best for you. For example, I try to study in 30 min - hour long chunks. Take a break for an hour or so, then go back to studying, and rinse and repeat. I can't sit down and study for hours on end which is what I kept telling myself I needed to do, until I realized it just didn't work for me and I had to find another method. And I learn more doing it that way then procrastinating over how much I have to study like I was doing before.

Try to understand the anatomy and physiology of what you're learning if it's applicable. It's much easier to understand the disease processes, medications, pathophysiology, etc of what you need to learn if you understand the body mechanisms that they effect.

Anyway sorry for all the reading. If you have any questions feel free to message me or I'll check out this thread again. Try to relax as much as you can before the program.

dcw132003

97 Posts

Specializes in ER Nurse.

thanks for the advice jasel. are you or any others goging through the duel degree program or are you guys going tonanother school for yoyr bsn or are you hapoy with just a adn?

Jasel, BSN, RN

203 Posts

Specializes in Emergency Room.

I'm not sure about others. I know there's a dual-degree program with governors State that they've mentioned but I actually haven't dont much research on it Honestly I've just been so focused on passing this semester another program is really the last thing on my mind :) I do plan on getting my BSN but I'm not sure through which program. There are so many ADN-BSN programs (especially online) that I'm not too worried about finding one.

Hmm but looking at the site it says the best time to apply is your second semester at PSC so I think I'll take more of a look tomorrow.

Here's a link if others aren't familiar with it.

FAQ - Prairie State Community College - Dual Degree Program - Governors State University

Nursebetie

89 Posts

Hey all. Am about to finish my 2nd semester (we take our final on Mon and Hesi on Wed) so will try to answer some comments as well as talk about my experience. Sorry if this is long.

There actually was a dean here a few years back who was accused of not letting in Black students who were more than qualified to be admitted to the program. There was one Black applicant who had all the pre-requisites, was a straight A student, shined on the HESI admission exam, had more than enough points and was still not allowed into the program. So she got a lawyer and threatened to sue. This was not a case of pulling the race card, apparently even many of the white students backed up her claims that there was some racial discrimination going on in terms of admittance into the program.

And the complaints had been going on for a few years. Anyway that dean retired a few years back after that lawyer threatened to come after her if she kept pulling that stuff and is gone. My class is pretty diverse and I've never had any problems with any of the teachers (I'm Black) so I wouldn't worry about racism. There are a few black clinical and lecture instructors as well (but all the teachers are nice to varying degrees)

Ya some of the nursing students in my class who had taken the CNA class (I had a good instructor but I took the CNA class back in the summer of 07) said they had a horrible teacher who was lazy and didn't do anything with them in clinicals and would always let them leave early. They basically said they didn't learn anything. But they complained to the dean and that teacher was fired. Not before taking it out on the students who complained of course but it didn't hurt their grades and they made it into the program. Not sure if it's the same teacher you had though. From what I've heard a couple of those CNA instructors sounded less than impressive. But this does NOT apply to the actual nursing program.

And yes this is a VERY hard program. We started with 95 students in the fall of 11' and out of the original 95 I think we have less than 45 left and that's going INTO the final (we have 55 students now but many came back 2nd semester who dropped or didn't pass in previous 2nd semester classes). And I know not everyone is going to pass this semester. But keep in mind Prairie State students have a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam. The program is hard but if you make it through believe me you will learn this material.

But most of the people you start out with just aren't going to be there after the first year. And keep in mind anything under an 80% in terms of your overall grade and quizzes is considered failing. And if you're getting under a 76% they will kick you out. But people worry about their quiz percentages way too much. It basically just matters how many points you get. This semester we have a total of 440 points. You need 350 to pass. Try to look at it like a race and 350 is the finish line. Don't get hung up on whether you "passed" the quiz or not. Worry about your point total. And try to do well enough so by the time the final comes around you have some wiggle room. I know some people going into the final who either aren't passing or are barely passing. Believe me you do not want to do all this work and go into the final with that make-or-break stress on your mind. I can't imagine going through 16 weeks of this only to not make it (and 2nd semester is supposedly the hardest, which I don't doubt).

I'd also recommend recording the lectures. This is something I always thought was stupid and pointless (who wants to listen to a lecture you've already heard once, 2 or 3 more times?) but I started doing it after the midterm because I was not doing well at all and it helped IMMENSELY. Try to figure out ways to study that work best for you. For example, I try to study in 30 min - hour long chunks. Take a break for an hour or so, then go back to studying, and rinse and repeat. I can't sit down and study for hours on end which is what I kept telling myself I needed to do, until I realized it just didn't work for me and I had to find another method. And I learn more doing it that way then procrastinating over how much I have to study like I was doing before.

Try to understand the anatomy and physiology of what you're learning if it's applicable. It's much easier to understand the disease processes, medications, pathophysiology, etc of what you need to learn if you understand the body mechanisms that they effect.

Anyway sorry for all the reading. If you have any questions feel free to message me or I'll check out this thread again. Try to relax as much as you can before the program.

Thanks for the advice! A couple my friends graduated under Gwen Dean! Now that you mentioned it I did here that! My best friend is in the 2nd semester there! She is giving me a lot of pointer which is helping me to relax!

mtrn7502

15 Posts

Good advice and food for thought. It's good to hear from a student in the program. I heard about racism and it's pathetic that some people still have that kind of mindset. Good to know thats no longer an issue at prairie state. I'm looking forward to this new journey. Just wondering do you work? If so full or part time? How do you manage to balance work and school? Any advice?

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