2013 UPenn BSN/MSN Applicants

PNPhopeful · Oct 24, 2012

I think the grade report is ONLY for the courses you're taking currently for the Fall 2012 semester/quarter which will satisfy a prerequisite. So if you're taking Microbiology, Physiology and History, you'd leave out the History course.

The week of November 12 is so close!!

kdiem · Oct 24, 2012

Omg I saw this email this morning too! So crazy... I guess if you don't get an email about these interviews.... it's an indirect sign of rejection to the MSN program... ahh coming up so soon.

Mindylane · Oct 25, 2012

Hello everyone, just posting to say hello. I've submitted my application for the accelerated BSN... have some really strong recommendations, pretty decent GPA, all prereqs done, experience, etc... huge negative is my GRE score. I was scheduled to take them because I was applying to a particular school that required it, then realized I wasn't going to that school, so breezed through it without really putting too much effort into it... I got something around an 1100ish I think, iirc... likem 85th percentile for English, 60th for Math, not so great (to put it in perspective, I got a 1330 on my SATs and 29 on ACTs)... is it worth it to take the GRE again?

Thanks.

hopefulnurse24 · Oct 25, 2012

Your GRE score is totally fine, I wouldn't be concerned about it at all. For Penn, I think that once you score past the minimum (153 verbal and 144 quantitative, or a 1000 on the old scale) it really doesn't matter what your score is. I can't say the same for all of the other schools that require it, like Yale or Boston College (I'm pretty sure they place a heavy emphasis on GRE scores, from what I heard when I spoke to them over the phone... the average was higher than Penn's!) but I am fairly certain that for Penn, they just like to see the minimum/average score. But they also look at your application holistically at Penn, so if you have strong recommendations, a high GPA and great health care and leadership experience, your GRE score probably won't matter as much. :)

mz_marit · Oct 30, 2012

Hi gang, I'm at Penn in the accelerated BSN/MSN program and started here in June. If you have any questions I will try to answer them - I've benefited tremendously from those who are in the class ahead of me and in other programs, and want to give back to future nursing students who are applying now. My focus area for the master's is Women's Health NP, but of course we are imbued in the BSN portion right now (which honestly is really amazing).

Hope you're all doing well!

bardone · Oct 30, 2012

mz_marit, thanks for stopping by!

I actually do have a question for current Penn students: which prerequisite course (or courses) do you find has helped you the most thus far? I know A&P are very important; are there others that you've taken that you've relied on?

mz_marit · Oct 31, 2012

really knowing A&P, i think especially physio, is super important. i'm doing pharm and med/surg right now and with pharm, i really wish i had studied physio harder. i took micro and physio together last fall and honestly physio was my "easy" class.... which means i didn't study it all that much. chem too is useful. but really, physio is HUGE!!! i'll try to think of something more insightful later... i need dinner

kris_10 · Oct 31, 2012

mz_marit, what is your chosen specialty?

adt913 · Oct 31, 2012

mz_marit,

can you tell us what your stats were? gre/gpa?

hopefulnurse24 · Oct 31, 2012

I have a few questions for you...

How much time do you spend in the library studying?

What is your debt load like right about now?

How expensive is it to live in Philadelphia?

Where were you from before moving to Philadelphia? And if it was from somewhere like the west coast, or the south, or a small city, how big of an adjustment was it?

mz_marit · Oct 31, 2012

women's health NP :) *DYNAMITE FACULTY* for this department. my main reason for picking penn.

mz_marit · Oct 31, 2012

How much time do you spend in the library studying? - not enough. I need to be there more! I get a lot done there. When I study at home/cafes, I'm doing about 4-5 hours per day of work that is not in class. I never feel like I'm caught up though. Studying includes prepping patients for clinical (we go to the hospital the night before clinical to get our patient info), studying on my own, study groups, etc.

What is your debt load like right about now? - Mine is not bad but in the end will be a pretty penny. Many of us having taken out private loans to afford living expenses, etc.

How expensive is it to live in Philadelphia? - Philly is a very reasonably priced place to live, compared to the bay area :) I have a one bedroom and pay $825/month but it is really a 10 minute walk from campus, and you can find places much cheaper if you go out further than 41st/42nd and Baltimore. People who share places sometimes pay as low as $500-600 month.

Where were you from before moving to Philadelphia? And if it was from somewhere like the west coast, or the south, or a small city, how big of an adjustment was it? - I was in Berkeley, CA before. The adjustment was a little jarring at first because I got here on a heatwave day in mid-June and it was disgustingly hot. But I love this city, have an amazing cohort, and immediately found community in and among the craziness that is nursing school. Philly has *a lot* to offer and is a true east coast gem, and affordable :):)