NKU absn fall 2011

Dauntless · Aug 7, 2012

Hi,

I have been an attorney for eighteen years. However, being an attorney is not very nice in the current economic climate. There are simply too many. It's bad enough that some people are willing to work full time for free (really - there are many advertised jobs now that say "serves without compensation" at the top of the job posting - and not just scumbag jobs either - I'm talking about full time jobs with the Department of Justice, at which they want you to work for $0.00 per year, and people are actually accepting these "jobs"). Also, I'm recently divorced, my wife was also an attorney, so I just don't have the motivation to do this anymore.

So, I took all the prereqs, and started applying for nursing schools. NKU looks the best right now. I applied for both the accelerated and traditional programs.

If you would, please allow me to ask a few questions. Please excuse me if they sound completely stupid or if I'm being too open. Also, please excuse me if it's a little long.

First, my cumulative GPA (my undergrad was in physics and math - then I went to law school and picked up another BS in history along the way. The physics/math BS was completed in 1987, and law/history was completed in 1994) is 3.0 something, but my prereq GPA is 43 hours of 3.8 GPA. I know that the traditional program considers your last 60 hours, which would either make me 3.2 or 3.5, depending on whether you took the other 17 out of 43 hours out of my undergrad or law school classes.

As I said, I applied for both the traditional and accelerated programs. I applied to the traditional program because I'm really, really sick of living in my little hick KY town with nothing to do, spinning my wheels at my present job, and being generally depressed and miserable most of the time, and so I'd very much like to be able to kiss it all goodbye in January 2013. Also, I'm not so sure the stress of the accelerated program would be good for me now (I know the traditional program is probably stressful as well, but it's difficult to see how it could be as stressful as the accelerated program - there's also the incentive to start in January.).

Actually, I'm so motivated to start in January, that if GOD FORBID, I'm not accepted into the traditional program, I'll just go to NKU anyway in January, start taking computer classes, and hope I get into the accelerated program. Is this a stupid idea?

So - do you think I have a chance of getting in to either program? Do you think they'd give me any sort of break at all regarding the lower grades I made twenty years ago?

Now - this might sound crazy and dumb, but I was thinking the other day that, since I already have some computer science hours, I might take a computer science class here and there while in the traditional program, knowing that I probably won't get enough classes to get an extra degree, but hopefully to have enough that, by the time I graduate with a BSN, a computer science degree might only be a semester or two away. Is this completely stupid? It might be, but I just never, never want to be stuck in a profession with crappy employment prospects again.

My ultimate goal is to get an MSN or a CRNA. I know there's a lot to be found on the web about employment prospects, but how does everyone here see prospects for BSNs, MSNs, and CRNAs in Northern KY/Cincinnati? Does anyone still give signing bonuses or loan repayment to nurses or are those days long gone? Speaking about the web, when they report that the average salary for a nurse with a BSN is $X.XX, are they taking overtime into account?

How will healthcare reform affect the market for BSNs, MSNs, and CRNAs?

I've seen some negative posts here about NKU's NCLEX pass rate and possibly some accreditation problems. Is this true?

I have the chance to take a phlebotomy or pharmacy tech (or maybe even both) course at my local community college. What's the market like for those things in Northern KY/Cincinnati? Could I do one or the other part-time while in school?

Do you think it's possible to do something sort of quasi-legal with a BSN? I see online that there are some people calling themselves "Attorney/Nurse consultants". Does anyone know anything about that?

I've been looking for apartments online. This complex called Highland Ridge and Campus View looks nice and it says that it's only half a mile or so away from the NKU campus. Does anyone know anything about this place?

How's dating in the area? I know, I know - there's lots of stuff on this forum about not dating in your class and devoting your time to studying. I'll spend plenty of time studying. However, I'm pretty damn lonely, and I would dearly love to just be able to see someone on a casual basis and have some friends. That's not really possible where I live now, as the dating pool is very, very shallow. There's just not enough people here to go around. Everyone's already married. Are there things to do in Cincinnati that are more amusing than sitting around watching paint dry (which is about the most amusing thing available to do here)?

What's the local cable TV like? Is the local internet reliable? Is it a hilly area? Does it snow very much? What are the options for public transportation? Are there any good restaurants/malls/bookstores/theaters? How about grocery stores? Are the public libraries nice?

jlboeh · Aug 7, 2012

Dauntless,

Firstly, as weird as this may sound, I want to say congrats! You decided to take charge of your life and change what you don’t like about it. Most people would just say they’re stuck and that they have to live with it to make ends meet. So congrats on a new beginning!

I’m only 24 years old, so you can take my advice as you please. I graduated form UK in Dec 2011 with a BS in Psychology and 1 class away from a minor in Biology (I wish I would’ve taken that class). I was accepted into the ABSN for the coming fall 2012 academic school year. I was accepted with an overall GPA of only a 3.0., my last 30 hours I had a 4.0, and here are the grades of my pre req’s: A, A, A, A, C, B, C, B, B, A, A, A, A, A (in the order on NKU’s website). I can honestly say that as long as you have a overall 3.0, you are qualified! Tell me what your last 30 hours GPA (not undergrad) & pre req grades, are because that would be a better way to advise you.

If you did the ABSN program, it would only take you 1.5 years of stress compared to 3 years of stress. UC also has an ABSN program, but their requirements are kind of ridiculous compared to NKU’s.

As far as the computer classes go, I personally wouldn’t because I don’t have the funds or desire to take computer classes. May I ask where you did your undergrad & Law degree come from? The nursing department definitely does NOT recommend taking additional courses on top of your nursing workload and trying to work due to the complexity of the program.

As far as being stuck in a profession goes, nursing is a GREAT option for you because the job prospects are so versatile! If you don’t like one department, great just switch to a different one! If you don’t like just being a RN, great you have a BSN go for management or NP school! Have you also considered becoming a PA (Physician Assistant)? You must have a degree and it’s only 2 years of school and the income is around $90,000 a year! I took this aspect into account, but I am also aspiring to become a CRNA.

Let me give my input about job prospects in the area since I have family in the HR at St.E. Northern Ky is ONLY St. Elizabeth, they bought out all of the other hospitals in the area. They do hire new grads and if you look on their job posts, there is ALWAYS a posting for an RN. The great thing about this area is that if you don’t see anything you like on this side of the river, the Cincinnati area is just a quick 15 minute drive to more prospects and opportunities! You will have to get your OH RN license, which is just a fee. St. Elizabeth DOES offer loan repayment for nurses, but you must be currently working for them to receive this. It’s kind of an incentive for their employees to further themselves, and you have to work for them for 2 years. If you get someone to tell you his or her honest salary, please let me know because I am as curious as you are.

There is ABSOLUTELY NO accreditation problems with the programs, it even states on their website “All nursing programs at NKU are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and approved by the Kentucky Board of Nursing (KBN).”

If you do phlebotomy or pharmacy tech, consider working at St. E and getting your RN degree paid for!

This area is GREAT for the dating scene!!! There is so much to do in the area that finding someone to share it all with shouldn’t be hard at all! I don’t know what kind of things you like to do but here you go:

Red’s or Bengal’s game, Cincinnati Zoo, Newport Aquarium, Kings Island, Bowling, The Levee, Freedom Center, Movies, lots of bars, lots of malls, Freedom baseball, concerts at US bank or Riverbend (I just went to Sugarland), tons of races like the Flying Pig Marathon, Playhouse in the Park, Crone’s conservatory, many bike trails, Coney Island…etc!

Just take a look at this for ideas: CityBeat | Cincinnati News, Music, Art, Movies, Opinion, Events, Theater, Dance and Literature |

I just got cable, Insight, this year, lol. There’s so much to do here, I don’t have much time to watch TV. Insight does an Internet & cable bundle package. It snows probably the same amount it does in little hickville Ky, you can go to Perfect North and ski, snowboard, or tube too! Public transportation: Tank bus. Public libraries are great, actually Kenton County is the most used library in the state (so they say). I can talk about this area all day with you, if you have any other questions you can email me [email protected]

Dauntless · Aug 7, 2012

Thanks, jlboeh

My GPA for the last 30 hours of law school would totally suck (I wouldn't even want to try and figure it out), but that was eighteen years ago. I started taking prereqs two years ago, and my GPA for the last 42 hours of those classes is 3.8. I received "B"'s in Nutrition and the second semester and lab of Chemistry. Everything else was "A".

Oh yeah - I went to U.K. and took my prereqs at Baltimore City Community College and the University of Maryland at Baltimore County.

I'm really just hoping that they will not judge me too harshly by those eighteen year old grades, especially since they're in stuff like Uniform Commercial Code, Taxation of Business Institutions, and First Amendment Law, which I don't think I'll be likely to need in nursing.

I know that they'd probably strongly recommend against taking any classes in addition to nursing, but just one per semester couldn't hurt too much, could it? Especially if the student was in the traditional program and took these course in the summer? Please forgive the sentence fragment. Of course, I wouldn't dream of taking anything else if I was in the accelerated program.

mattnnj · Aug 7, 2012

My grades were older than 18 years and I got in.

jlboeh · Aug 9, 2012

Take the VERY last hours & look at those! If it was a 3.8 GPA, then that is great and very competitive! Your pre req grades are wonderful! I would advise you to make an appointment to with ****** just to make sure you meet all the requirements. I'm sure if you live too far away, she could do an over the phone appointment while she looks over your records. Based on everything that you have told me, I would say that you have a GREAT shot at getting into both programs! It's just a waiting game for you now and the decision on if you want to do the traditional or the accelerated.

Good luck with your decision, please keep me posted on what you decide or get accepted into!

Dauntless · Aug 9, 2012

Hi,

Actually, my prereq hours ARE my very last hours. At least, they are the very last 42 hours.

nellydelly · Mar 17, 2013

Hi all, I know this is an old thread, but was hoping against hope to get a reply here. Applied to NKU's ABSN program and ended up in the 'eligibility pool'. I hardly understand what exactly this means and was just wondering what my chances of getting in are. Any help will be appreciated cause I do not want to have my hopes dashed a second time. Thanks in advance.

jlboeh · Mar 18, 2013

Have you called the office to ask them what this means? I'll try to ask them tomorrow if I remember.

nellydelly · Mar 22, 2013

I called them and they said the eligibility pool is like the wait list. So am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping I get called.

jlboeh · Apr 2, 2013

Good luck, keep me updated! I just turned in my application for graduation yesterday!

nellydelly · Apr 10, 2013

Congrats . U should be very excited! Were u in the accelerated program? I just wish I could talk to someone who has an idea what my chances are of being admitted from the wait list. Do not seem to find any threads on Nku wait lists but have read that for several other schools here. Will definitely keep you posted.

jlboeh · Apr 12, 2013

Yes I'm currently in the accelerated program. I know they accept 30 students once a year. Did they tell you what number you are on the waitlist? I know there are a few students in our program now who was on a waitlist if that gives you a little hope.