Anyone apply to the accelerated Michigan State University or U of M program for '10?

cassie87 · Apr 30, 2010

Roma-

hey, yes I did. However, I didn't have an option to respond to your message with another private message when I logged in, not sure why. But thank you so much for the advice, it was very helpful! I wish I could get this thing to work! I feel like I'm never without random questions.

MsAshley · May 10, 2010

Hi everyone,

I am currently about to enter my last semester of pre reqs and I am starting to consider different schools to apply to. I was wondering if you all could help shed some light as far as what U of M and MSU want in GPA for their programs? I have a decent GPA but not as high as I would like. I would hate to have to retake a class because I had a B in it Any information that you all could share would be really helpful and I would greatly appreciate it so much! Thanks again!!:bowingpur

Guest399960 · May 22, 2010

Hey Ashley,

I thought maybe I could answer your question. I just finished my first week in the accelerated program at MSU. So far, I am quite happy with my choice. I don't know anything about U of M, to be honest. I'm actually not sure why I never looked into their program, since it would have been a logical choice based on where I live. It would definitely be worth it to check it out.

I've read plenty of boards on here about MSU's AO program, and the consensus seems to be that they choose names out of a hat, lol. There were some people that had higher GPA's than me and didn't get in, and there were some with GPA's down in the low 3's that did get in also. So I'm not sure what they were looking for, unfortunately. I can tell you that I had a 3.6 GPA in my undergrad, and I was still in the process of completing Chemistry and Statistics. I graduated from Eastern just this past January.

As far as other schools go, I'm not sure if you only want to hear about accelerated ones, or if you're only considering MSU and U of M, but just in case I'll give you my personal experiences and opinion.

Eastern MI University is not a school that I would have elected to get my first degree at. It just happened to be close to home. There is nothing personal about that school, and upon visiting the nursing office several times to be greeted by a bunch of rude, uninterested old white women was disheartening. In fact, for the past four years, they haven't been able to make up their minds whether they're running their AO program or not. So a thumbs down there.

Avoid University of Detroit Mercy like the plague. They accept EVERYONE that looks like they're willing to pay the $50,000 cost. They give you a tiny grant of UP TO $11,500, plus your federal loans, and that's it. For the most part, they want you to take out around or above half the cost in private student loans. DON"T DO THIS. If you have a great job, husband, or parents who will pay then you'll be okay. But here are a few other scams. The program is only 12 months. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. 12 months is 3 semesters, and that is too short of a time to learn the information. you will be on campus 5 days a week. They NEVER know what their schedule is, and they will wait till you drive all the way there and say "Class had to be moved to saturday at _____ time." They do this OFTEN. They will change your clinical on you. (My friend actually went through with them, and regrets it every day).

Wayne State is good, but for their AO program, they have a set of criteria to follow to get in, I think it's based on points, and as of right now, if you didn't do your undergrad there, or at least take all your prereqs there, you won't be getting in.

Oakland is good, but they have a hidden wait list, and they won't tell you that on the phone. They'll let you go throught the whole process first and THEN you'll find out.

Madonna doesn't have AO, but their traditional program for transfer students is only two years. It's VERY, VERY difficult, but a wonderful education. (I have another friend who graduated from there) It comes highly recommended, and for being a Catholic University also, it is less than half the cost of U of D Mercy. Last time I checked, there wasn't a wait list, and if there is, it is only one semester.

Soooo.... I would highly recommend putting your app in to MSU, and possibly U of M. The rest are all hoaxes, IMHO. Sorry to focus on the negative, but I think you can see I've been at this for a while. Don't bother with community colleges -- most all have waiting lists, and if they don't, there's a reason. Remember, too good to be true...

Best of luck to you, and if you need anything else, I'm here!

Diana:D

ejcl68 · May 23, 2010

From earlier poster: Oakland is good, but they have a hidden wait list, and they won't tell you that on the phone. They'll let you go throught the whole process first and THEN you'll find out.

The above statement is false. Oakland does not have a waiting list. Either you are in or you are out. I applied there and was accepted. It's a great program and one I would highly recommend. I think it's important that people not post opinions but facts. I don't want to sound negative but many people look at these forums and it's important that people not make opinions on what they think is correct. Good luck.

Guest399960 · May 23, 2010

Perhaps my info may be outdated, but as of January of 2007, there was a waiting list at Oakland at that time. I was accepted and was told my wait would be until January of 2008. They accept 3 cohorts per year. Though this was fact at the time, I believe "opinions" are important based on what other students have been through. Thanks for clarifying, though.

ejcl68 · May 24, 2010

Maybe I misunderstood you. But to me, waiting lists are for students who do not make it into the alloted number of spots(i.e. U of M). If one opens up for a variety of reasons, then they(the school) go to the waiting list to pick another candidate. I can tell you that Oakland does not do that. You either get a Yes or a No for the term you interview for. I think what happened to you is they will slotted you to the the next open term with a chance you can be moved up. There's no secret. I interviewed in March and will start in January. There were no "hidden" wait list. So for those interested in Oakland, of all the programs I applied to and was accepted at, I found them to be the most upfront, least political and most informative. I cannot say the same for other programs but I will not use this forum to offer my personal experiences on negative aspects.

ejcl68 · May 24, 2010

Also my other two cents is most if not all nursing schools are very good. The one exception I have heard is U of M which is tops in the state and amongst the best nationwide. So for those still looking for a school, just get in!!! Don't worry so much about where since you will get out what you put in. It's so competitive to get in so apply early, often and expect a rejection here and there. Just get in and you will be good. You can look at NCLEX pass rates and most schools will be neck and neck.

Bottom line: Go to the info meetings as many comments on this forum and others are totally and ridiculously false. Good Luck to all.

gumby1411 · May 24, 2010

I believe most of the nursing schools in Michigan are pretty good, BSN programs anyway. I went to the Eastern info session and wasn't too impressed, but that doesn't mean that the program is not quality. As far as a 12 month program goes, I'm not sure why that isn't enough time to learn what you need to learn. MSU's program is 14 months, so I don't think the 2 extra months will make that much of a difference. UM's program is 12 months long and one of the best in the country. They are called accelerated programs for a reason and are, therefore, intense. I applied to both MSU and UM because out of all the schools in metro Detroit, they had the most prereqs in common. I didn't get accepted into MSU (even though my GPA is high and I already have a degree from MSU), but I did get accepted into UM, go figure. I'm not sure what MSU is looking for. It does seem that they draw names out of a hat. UM's GPA and essay requirement is higher than MSU's and for some reason I got into there, but not MSU. ???

U of D Mercy's program is much more expensive, but as the previous post said, their acceptance requirements are lower. If you're willing to pay the $$, then you are in. For me, being laid off, the sooner I can get done with school and get a job, the better for my long term finances. U of D Mercy was the next school I was going to apply to if I didn't get into UM because I knew that I would be accepted and start sooner than waiting to reapply to MSU, UM, or apply to Oakland. Thankfully I don't have to worry about that. I also would've had to take 3 additional prereqs for UDM.

Both Eastern and Wayne State give preferrence to those students that take their prereq courses at that school. I had to take mine at a community college to save money, so I didn't want to be "penalized" for not taking my prereqs at Eastern or Wayne State.

My advice is to start coordinating programs that have the most similar prereqs (seems to be MSU and UM) and apply to those. Make sure you allow plenty of time to write your essays as those are taken into consideration. I didn't do very well in my basic English class that I took 13 years ago (first semester away at college when I was 18), but I wrote quality essays that showed off my writing skills and comprehension of the essay question. Also, apply to as many schools as you can because the competition is fierce. As MSU proved, a high GPA doesn't guarantee an acceptance letter.

Good Luck!!

ejcl68 · May 24, 2010

Nice post Gumby - I agree with everything you said. I also agree about the 12 month vs. 14 or even 16 months. There is no difference and the school would not do it if people were not performing or passing the NCLEX. For my program, we have to take three nursing classes prior to starting the "main" program so in essence its the same as any other school. U of M wants patho and pharm before you begin - so does Oakland. These classes are excellent base classes so I like the fact that they're out of the way. They are time consuming so I am happy they're not part of the key curriculum. So anyone looking for a 12 month program, I would highly recommend U of M or Oakland.

For UDM, talking to a few nurses I know, the main reason it's easier to get in is the number of people(less) who apply (due to the $$$$$$). U of M, Wayne, Oakland and MSU are 50 % cheaper so more people will apply to those schools. Plus, they likely do have more established and reputable programs. But I think a lot of it is $$$$$$ and no one wants a $50,000 + student loan waiting for them upon graduation. I know UDM also requires a 3.0 undergrad and I know an engineer friend of mine who was told he could not apply since he had a 2.6. He's an engineer so I think he can do well in nursing- so they do have strict admission policy unlike most other schools.

Good luck to you Gumby at U of M - I start in the Fall at Oakland. Good luck to everyone out there still trying to get in. Don't give up. It's hard to get in but if I can do it, you can too :)

Guest399960 · May 24, 2010

Honestly, I'm not sure why people in discussion boards choose to waste time in their lives brow-beating others for stating their experiences and opinions. The whole experience doesn't come from one individual. Not myself, and not anyone else on here. I didn't tell this person who asked for advice on nursing schools NOT to go to these schools that I described, I only told her MY experiences, and that ultimately MSU was a fine choice for ME. The things that I described to HIM/HER are things that may potentially be red flags, and if and when this individual happens to check out U of D, or Oakland, or any other school, these are things that she MIGHT want to inquire about. I can't stop them from going to school anywhere, nor would I want to. If they can have a better experience than I did, more power to them! Perhaps the school shaped up their act in the past few years by word of mouth that they have HORRIBLE policies and procedures.

Ejcl and others, it's kind of hippocritical for you to post that I or anyone else has "false opinions", and then feel free to give yours and verbally bash me, or anyone else on this board for stating something that you disagree with. With the good, goes the bad, or negative. I DO NOT consider myself a negative person, or I probably wouldn't have made it though two associates, a bachelors, and now a BSN. But as an individual, I've already heard everyone sugar-coating everything. Frankly, I'm sick of hearing it. If I was starting all over again in school, I would want to hear the cold, hard facts. Example: "This school is great for it's theatre and fine arts department, but it sucks for computers and technology because...." Great, I'll know not to major in IT there.

Also, I find it almost completely laughable that others are answering posts that DON'T EVEN PERTAIN TO THEM! I made an attempt to answer a question for an individual that hasn't even logged on since her post, and others are bashing me and running their mouths over things that don't concern them. Really, ROFL.

Finally, to the ORIGINAL POSTER if he/she ever comes back, it's your decision that I offered a sliver of advice toward. Take or leave it, but it's up to you. Schools are a money-making scheme, whether others on here agree or not. They DO NOT treat each student the same. It's proven if you log on to other boards about MSU on here. There are people who did not get in or get waitlisted at all who had higher credentials than me. So the ball never drops evenly, especially when it becomes an issue of payment. As long as you have money, you have a place in the college system. BE CAREFUL was the main message that I wanted to get to you. Don't sign anything, and don't be bowled over at how WONDERFUL the school or nursing program is. There is most likely a catch, and it is up to you to beat them at their own game. Best wishes.

Guest399960 · May 24, 2010

Many programs started out at 12 months, and quite a few of them jumped back to 14 or 16 months at students requests of being overwhelmed. There's a big difference between 3 semesters, to 4 to 5. Students were dropping out left and right. But if you think it's fine, by all means do it =) You'll have great fun!

gumby1411 · May 24, 2010

Doswald1: No one was verbally bashing you and you're competely entitled to give your opinion as that is what the original poster requested. The other posters on here were merely giving their opinion as well. If it were me asking the question, I would want as many people's opinion as possible, because the more people commenting, the more information I would have. Someone may have had a bad experience with one school while others have had a great experience. I think all ejcl68 was trying to say is to gather as much information as possible about the various schools in the area and to apply to many schools because the competition is so high. Since we're all in the same boat, more or less, we need to stick together and help each other out as much as possible. I don't think anyone on here is trying to start a fight or offend and if they are, then it's not even worth responding to their posts. I believe on this particular post, however, we're all trying to give advice, from personal experience, to the person that asked for it. Take a deep breath!