Duke ABSN Spring 2011

U.S.A. North Carolina

Published

Hi there-

My name is Sandy and I am applying to the Duke ABSN for Spring 2011, just wondering if there is anyone else out there applying? Only 2 months till the deadline and I am trying to get my personal statement finished, as well as spiffy up my resume!

I think I am anxious already! This may be a long ride!

Anyway....a little about me...

I have a BS in Environmental Management with a 3.73 GPA, didn't take the GRE, still working on the prerequisites but so far have a 4.0 in those classes.

I spent 10 years in the Navy, working as an aviation electronics technician and supervisor. Also did hazardous material control and other environmental stuff for my command. I also taught CPR for 5 or so years, as well as blood drive coordination. I was able to travel to a lot of neat places, and some that weren't! All-in-all it was a great experience for me. After leaving the military in late 2007, I worked for a semi-conductor company in RTP, doing research and development (not my favorite job). So, I decided to go to school for massage therapy, and I'm now a licensed therapist. So, that makes me something like 34 years young.

So, here I am....wanting to pursue a dream that I have had for long time! Thankfully I have the world's greatest husband! He is my rock and has encouraged me to take this leap! So let's do this!

I'm waiting for you! Hopefully someone will be here soon to go crazy in anticipation with me! :)

I'll be there tomorrow! Can't wait!

Best of luck to everybody interviewing today, you guys will do AWESOME!!!:anpom:

I hope today went well for everyone =)

didn't you just fall in love with the school, program, and the people?

So, how did everyone's interview go this past Friday?

Anything new to share? :)

Hi everyone,

Last Friday went great! I totally fell in love with the school, and would love LOVE to go there. Taking the tour of the Duke Hospital, I couldn't believe I MAY have the opportunity to learn in such an incredible facility. All the faculty seems wonderful too. The interviews were not bad! I felt as if they went by so fast! Also, you were right, not much to stress over- for all those still having to interview- just make sure you have an idea of what ideas you want to get across.

Overall, it was such a great day, and wonderful to finally see Duke, meet its faculty, as well as many applicants ! Lots of fun.

M also told us that we wouldn't be hearing decisions until the 16th of August. I know these next three weeks are just going to crawl!

Oh well, hopefully it will be worth it in the end.

Hope you're all enjoying your Tuesday!

Has everyone taken Microbiology Lab and lecture?? It's my final prereq, and I find it quite daunting. The Duke Website says LAB Preferred, 3-4 credits.....

Hey guys!

I was there last Friday as well and it was great! The faculty is all really nice and the interviews weren't bad at all. They ask you the general questions (i.e. why nursing, why duke, what will you bring to nursing etc) and are quite relaxed about it. It looked like they rated you out of 5 for each answer.

Make sure to use specific examples about your life, education, experience etc. when answering the questions as the interviewers don't have your information in front of them, just your name and degree title.

The one thing I was really disappointed in was the financial aid session. The financial aid lady basically refused to ballpark the total costs for us to attend the program which I thought was quite weird. However, after talking to the student panel, they estimated it was going to cost about $20,000 a semester (including tuition, living, fees).

Also, one interesting thing that M said was that this admission cycle is the most competitive they have ever had for the program so they are interviewing more applicants than normal. She said there were ~66-70 spots and ~150 interviews. BUT they send out ~100 acceptances (as they assume some will have to decline) and put ~20 on the waitlist. So really, post interview the chances aren't too bad!

The waiting is still hard though!!! Good luck to everyone on August 6th!

Oops! Forgot to add that my interview went much better than anticipated. I knew that I would be super nervous, so I am satisfied that I did NOT have a total breakdown mid interview!

I believe that there are phone interviews being conducted today and tomorrow, and then one last Duke Day on August 6th. The cycle is winding down! Luckily I have a few finals to keep my mind occupied these next two weeks or I would be a mess!

Any word on how many total applicants/interviews there were this time around??

GOOD LUCK TO ALL- I think there is room for all of us!

P.S. I changed my name from tiny dancer incase you are confused!!

Sounds like interviews went great for everybody so far, congratulations! I do think there's plenty of room for all of us, based on the threads for the last few application cycles Allnurses posters tend to have a very high rate of acceptance :). Thanks for the updated info on when we'll hear the application decision, at least now that we have a firm date I won't be wearing out my computer checking nonstop after the 6th!

Scary to think this was their most competitive cycle so far, but if ~120 out of ~150 get some version of accepted then I think those are pretty good odds (I'm counting the waitlist because I've heard they usually make it through most of their waitlist and last cycle they made it through at least #12 and probably even higher up than that).

One way or the other, the next few weeks are going to go by killer slow, I can already tell. Maybe if we get bored enough we can start posting random questions, like why we decided to go into nursing or what we're doing now or what we're looking forward to about living in NC (positive thinking, people! hehe). Anything to make the next 3 weeks inch by just a little faster :)

I'm so glad everybody had a great experience! I'm getting so nervous for their decisions. Now that I think back I do remember seeing numbers listed on a sheet of paper during my interview. I didn't want to stare too much...So I guess they were rating us on a number scale on each question? Kind of scary that it comes down to numbers =/

My final in my last prereq (Human A&P II) is on the 16th at 8 AM central time...hopefully I'll get that acceptance email at 7 AM central time...It would make me think a little better during the final...I hope

has anyone watched the new series Boston Med on abc? I think it's pretty interesting and exciting. It does seem that the nurses have better personal lives outside the hospital. It also shows how they put up with Doctors talking down to them...

I arrived at Duke University School of Nursing about ten minutes early. I stopped in at reception to find out where the ABSN candidates were meeting, and when I arrived at the room, M, whom I'd met before, was greeting candidates by a table in the hall. She welcomed me warmly and told me to come on in, there is a catered breakfast, etc. I thanked her, excused myself and hurried quickly to the restroom.

I entered a stall, locked the door, and then searched vainly for the next 20 seconds for a place to set my portfolio. During that time I heard someone come in, use the restroom, and wash his hands. As he was leaving, he coughed--a very feminine cough.

Someone else came in and used the bathroom, and I noticed that everyone who had come in so far had entered a stall and sat down. I quickly peeked up over my stall and glanced around the room. It was as I feared. There were no urinals in this restroom. Just then someone entered the stall next to me, and around their feet fluttered a long, flowing, black dress.

Instantly my heart started to race, and I could feel my face becoming hot and flushed. At this point I had two options. I could either bust out and play it up as an accident, which it really was, or I could wait until I had a clearing and bolt. I decided on the latter option and made myself as small as possible in the stall to avoid being descried through the seams in the partitions.

An opening came when there was no one at the hand-washing station, and with the person still in the stall beside me, I flung my stall door open and all but ran to the exit.

A woman was standing across the hall as I exited, and she looked at me with obvious bewilderment. I, clearly flustered and embarrassed, exclaimed, “I definitely went into the wrong restroom.” She tilted her head back and laughed, and a wave of relief washed over me. I was safe.

I headed straight across to the men’s restroom and completed my original mission. A urinal had never looked so beautiful to me as it did then.

BTW, my interviews went far better than I had expected. I believe I left a very good impression with my interviewers.

Loved the warmth and openness of the staff, the wealth of information, and the ambience of the place. Very impressed with every aspect of my time there! Can't wait to hear if I'm in!

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