Anyone Starting At UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing?

ChristineN, BSN, RN · May 12, 2006

Andy, I'm happy for you. I hope this works out for you and that you excel in nursing school. Let me know how you did on the PSB. :balloons:

tookewlandy · May 12, 2006

Ohh i will definitely let you know how i did. I am so excited about this. Something deep down just kept telling me that i would get into the program at my school even though i kept applying other places. I must admit once i was at the UPMC Shadyside campus i almost forgot i went to another school because i liked it up at UPMC so much hehehe, but as i say this has to be the path god wants me on. NOEL don't let anyone scare you and say that the program has a lot of backstabbing and other horror stories, I'm a firm believe that things are what we make of them. If you are drawn to things like backstabbing and drama then you will see a lot of it and probably be involved in it. If you aren't then you wont. ALSO let me know when you get accepted and when you move to Pittsburgh if you ever need any advise on what to do once in the city let me know.

Andy

tookewlandy · May 12, 2006

Ok so i got my scores for the PSB-RN, and I'm glad that my school did accept me, i got pretty good scores though but i did not get a 75th percentile in one area which i was they are looking for. Here are my scores

VOCABULARY- 80th percentile

MATH- 84th percentile ( WOW I was sure this was the one i failed to score the minimum in)

Reading Comprehension- 92th percentile ( this one i kinda knew i did good)

Natural Science 66th percentile ( this i the one that i bombed on which surprised me because i thought i would have done better in that than the math)

I called Julie the Admissions Rep and spoke with her and she said that they would have retested me if i would have gotten done with the A&P before the admission deadline but i wont, but she was so nice about it and wants me to retest for the Spring 07 class, she said after taking the A&P and chem classes i would be a shoe in for Spring 07. They are really nice there and if i didn't get accepted at my schools program then i wouldn't have been to disappointed to wait until spring and go to UPMC, but god set me on this path for a reason.

THE GOOD NEWS IS NOEL if i did this good then i KNOW YOU GOT IN YEAH!!!

let me know your scores when you get them, if you don't got them yet then just know any day now

Andy

ChristineN, BSN, RN · May 12, 2006

Andy, well it looks like everything is working out for you. Hopefully I'll receive my results in the next day or two. I'm rather anxious and hoping my scores are good enough, but if I don't get in, it's ok, I'll start working on gen ed. for a Bachelor's degree and start at UPMC St. Margaret's in Feb. One way or another, I'm going to be a nurse!

ChristineN, BSN, RN · May 15, 2006

Andy and all,

I received my scores in the mail today:

Vocabulary: 98

Math: 99

Reading: 97

Science: 70

As you can see, I failed science by 5 points. All is not lost, Julie had a note on my form for me to call her, she's allowing me to retake the science section since I was so close to passing. I have two weeks to prepare! Providing I pass, she says I still have a chance of being accepted for Fall! :specs:

tookewlandy · May 16, 2006

I LOVE JULIE, im glad she is letting you retake the test, I know you will be starting this year Noel, That science was hard as you know i failed it to. BUt she is porbably letting you retake it because you did GREAT in everything else. Now you know what to study up on. Good luck i know you will do fine.

tookewlandy · May 16, 2006

Noel what part did u struggle with the most on the science, i have alot fo links and my own papers from Anatomy and Physiology and i have a great onlien chem tutorial from NursingABC's if you need it

ChristineN, BSN, RN · May 16, 2006

Noel what part did u struggle with the most on the science, i have alot fo links and my own papers from Anatomy and Physiology and i have a great onlien chem tutorial from NursingABC's if you need it

Definitely the chemistry and the electrial (physics?) related questions. Since I've allready had A&P, that's why I think I did so well, I was able to apply so much of what I learned there. I would definitely love to see your chem tutorial!

ChristineN, BSN, RN · May 19, 2006

Bump :)

velvetbow · May 19, 2006

i am in the most senior class at shadyside. i am in the class that was accused of cheating. it was total bull----! it is impossible to cheat on those nursing tests. for whatever reason, our class has been disliked by alot of instructors from day 1. i have 32 days left in my transition course. i can't wait to get the hell (yes, hell) out of school. i have a bachelor degree from penn state. it was nothing like this. basically for those of you who don't know what to expect....sign up for biloxie army boot camp, it will be a cakewalk compared to this!!!! i am really not kidding. good luck, you really will need it-half of you won't make it and don't believe that once you get done with the 200's that it is downhill. it is never downhill and we have lost the most from the beginning of the 300's. if you make it, then you know you have what it takes. i am sorry i don't have a better outlook for you. oh, and if you have a life now, you won't for 2 more years so say goodbye to everyone and tell them that you'll talk to them when you're done.

ChristineN, BSN, RN · May 21, 2006

Velvet, I'm sorry to hear you've had a bad experience. Do you feel that positive changes have been made for the classes coming after you?

Megs7617 · May 21, 2006

i'd just like to add my two cents about this school. I go to another hospital based program in Pittsburgh and I LOVE IT THERE. I applied to both schools, two years ago, right before I was to graduate from pitt with a bachelors. I took the pre entrance exam and I too got a 98, 99, 100, and a like 50 in the science. Which makes sense, since I hadnt had a science since bio 2 in high school. So the policy of that school was that you had to take a course in the section you failed, mine being science. Well, I didnt want to do that and waste another semester of school so I called the lady who gives out the tests (I dont think i should put her name on here), who apparently was in charge with this stuff then. SHE GAVE ME PERMISSION TO RETAKE THE SCIENCE COURSE IN TWO WEEKS WITHOUT TAKING A SCIENCE COURSE FIRST. So I studied my behind off, and in the misdst of this time, I find that I am pregnant (not planned, I wasnt married then, so a big shocker), and also I am taking 21 credits at Pitt to graduate in April, and doing an internship, then working two jobs on top of that. I passed the science with like an 86. I get the letter in the mail saying that I have made the necessary scores and that I can move on to the next step in the process, which at that time was an interview. Well, I had to write all three nursing programs to which I applied and ask them to hold my application until the following year, since I was due in october. Basically, I apllied in 2004, to start in August of 2004, but then decided to start in August of 2005, after a year with the baby. So UPMC said to call again around Feb of 2005. I did, and the woman in charge says, "oh you didnt take a remediation course" and I said "I was told I didnt have to, I came in and was permitted to take the science section only". I was then told that was against policy (THIS IS BY THE SAME WOMAN WHO GAVE ME PERMISSION TO TAKE THE TEST AGAIN WITHOUT THE CLASS) and that they decided I would be considered, but only after all the people who scored the needed score on the first try. I was ok with this, because that is only fair. Then I never heard another word from that school. No acceptance letter, no rejection letter, no wait list letter. I was fuming, and that was over a year ago and I still am. I guess things worked out for the best, because I love the program I am in now, but I think that was very unprofessional what UPMC did, and if I knew where I could write a complaint to, I would do it.