ACC Nursing Fall 2013

U.S.A. Texas

Published

I am going to finish all my prereqs this fall (2012) and apply for the fall 2013 program. From everything I have read online, it seems that there is a shortage of professors and this is why so few students are admitted. Can this be expected to change? I find it kind of ridiculous that even with a perfect score of 56, many students are not being accepted their first time due to the huge number of reapplicants. Since I am not going to be accepted the first time (my predicted score is 53.5), would it be worth it to retake classes to get a higher rank? I realize it would help, but if I do not retake any courses my score will be a 58.5 upon reapplying. Is this a high enough rank? I am planning on taking additional classes while I wait in hopes of completed the bridge program at UT. Online it says a 3.0 GPA, but is this a 3.0 in the nursing program or for the additional prereqs or what? I have many of the bridge courses already completed from dual credit highschool program, would these count? Has anyone completed this program or is currently in it?

Just got my score report, and I did get a 56! I doubt I'll get in this Fall anyway, hopefully I will in the Spring (Spring 2014). I second the advice of nickasarbata. I am using my waiting time to knock out credits I'll need for my ADN-BSN transition. I should be done with them by the time I get in. Also, you will want to take Statistics if you think you may be getting in Fall 2014 or later (new requirement), but you need that for the BSN anyway. Waiting's not so bad when I consider that I am making progress on my BSN. I would have had to take these classes sometime. Good luck everyone!

Anyone else excited/anxious/waiting? It seems like all the other Texas schools have notified their fall applicants about admission already. Or maybe it just feels that way. Anyone have any guesses on what day they'll notify us next week? Or does anyone think it'll be the week after (the second week of June....ugh.)? I'm thinking Thursday or Friday of next week. I'm really hoping to get in this time. It's only my second time applying, so anything could happen. *crossing my fingers

!!!!! Acceptance letters will be sent out tomorrow!!!!!!

Ugh! I keep checking my inbox, and nothing yet! I have 56 points this time, so doubt I will get in, but am anxious to find out. I am eligible to register for Fall classes tomorrow!

I have a question for you guys. I got the Nursing Skills petition and am registered to take it the second half of summer, but I'd really rather not have to take it until Fall. I am already taking 11 weeks of intro to chem this summer, and am scheduled to take Nursing Skills and US History II as 6 week courses as well during the second half of the summer. I am a single mother to a 3 year old boy, and am working part time this summer and moving in August as well. I have a feeling the second half of the summer is going to kill me.

So, does anyone know anything about the downsides of putting off taking Nursing Skills? I doubt I will be getting accepted to the program this fall. More likely the Spring. Applications for the Spring are due by August 23rd and I will be finishing Nursing Skills August 13th, if I take it this summer. I don't know if that grade will figure into my points for the Spring or not.

What I'd like to do once I know I'm not starting this Fall is drop the summer Nursing Skills and take it the first half of Fall instead. Anyone know if I can do that?

Specializes in Telemetry.

Carmelite,

In all honesty, I would take Nursing Skills as quickly as you can, because when the next cycle comes around, it will boost your score. Instead of them counting 10 classes in the rank, they will count 11. So, it does get figured in. If you take it in the fall, it most likely will not be counted for the spring cycle. When I was waiting to get in the program, having nursing skills was what lead to me having a high enough score to get in. Without it, I would've had to wait another cycle.

Another thing to keep in consideration is you still may get accepted for the fall. There are people who decline admission and others who don't pass background checks. When I was waiting to get accepted, there were several people I knew who were not accepted during the first round of letters, but they were accepted during the second round. If you haven't taken Nursing Skills, they won't let you in the program.

As far as taking all of that during the summer, I would try to lighten the load a bit. That is a lot to do during the summer. Nursing skills requires a lot of time to read the book and practice your skills. I don't know how intense the Intro to chem class is, because I took General College Chem I. However, if it is anything like Chem I, I don't recommend taking it in a summer format. That class was so hard, and to this day, I still don't know how I passed. lol

Hi guys! I waited until this summer to take Nursing Skills because I was taking Chem I and Biology in spring. I thought I would have the info fresh in my mind if I took it the summer before nursing school, rather than a semester before. I am regretting that decision as summer Nursing Skills is really crammed in. It seems like we have a skills checkoff and a regular theory test every other class. Also, I do not have any medical background, so all of this stuff is brand new to me. If you're a CNA, med tech, paramedic, etc, I think it might be easier to do Nursing Skills squished into a 5-6 wk course because you might have prior background in these types of skills. If I could have gone back, I might have taken Nursing Skills during the regular year in a 8 week course, and Chem and Bio afterwards during the 11-12 wk summer, since I do not need it immediately for the ACC program.

carmelite, I had the same points as you last time. I was worried about not getting the extra points for the Nursing Skills class for reapplication, so I was considering taking it during the spring for the points. I decided to chance it and not take it, since I had heard that people were getting in with 59 points for Spring 2013. So with review points, you'll be over that next time. Of course, the cutoff changes with every application period, so it'll never be certain.

I did hear that for Spring 2013, when people deferred, and spaces opened up later, people with 58 points got in. For Fall 2013, I have 2 Nursing Skills classmates who are going to defer, so I know of at least 2 spots opening up this time.

Anyway, those are all things to consider, I guess. If you think you're going to get in this time, I would take Nursing Skills during the summer. If not, then I would put it off until Fall. If you were going to take Nursing Skills during the second part of the summer session, I would probably drop Gov't, since you already have chem on your plate, but everyone knows their own limits.

Austin404, what are your thoughts on scrubs, white lab coats, equipment, and books? How often do you use the teal scrubs, and how many pairs did you get? I heard no one really uses the lab coat, is that true? Do you have any good advice for the summer before nursing school? Thanks!

Thanks for the feedback, guys! Intro to Chem is not so bad, so far. Unfortunately, my hands are a bit tied as far as dropping the other classes. I am a single mother and I need financial aid money to help pay expenses for my son and myself. If I drop below 6 credit hours, I lose Financial Aid for the summer. Also, I am on the waiting list for childcare assistance through student services. I have been on the list for 9 months now. If I drop below 6 credit hours, I am dropped off of that list as well. One 3-4 hour regular course + nursing skills adds up to only 4-5 credit hours since Nursing Skills counts only as a lab (1 credit hour). If I do just Intro. to Chem and Nursing Skills, that is a total of 5 credit hours, and I am screwed for financial aid, etc. If I drop Nursing Skills, though, and keep Chem and History, then I am at 7 credit hours, and I'm OK with Financial Aid. You see the dilemma?

Trust me, I would not have signed up for this many courses if I had thought I had a choice! I was planning to just take Intro to Chem and Algebra I over the summer, but then I got the Skills Petition and had to scramble to readjust my schedule, and, of course, a lot of the summer courses were already full by then. I can't do evening classes because I have to be home with my son, which limited me even more.

Sigh.

I sent an e-mail to the Nursing Program asking them if I can take Skills in the Fall. I think, like sungal says, I will most likely have a high enough score to get admitted in the Spring anyway. If I have 56 now, I should have 62 for my Spring Application, even without Nursing Skills. To tell you the truth, even if I got in this Fall I might defer 'til the Spring, just to make life manageable.

I want to get through this all ASAP, but I also don't want to lose my mind, be a terrible parent, and/or have my grades suffer because I just tried to rush it.

That's what I'm thinking now, anyway. I'll let you guys know how it turns out!

Specializes in Telemetry.

Sungal,

The teal scrubs are mandatory for clinical. You have to be in them at all times while you're in a hospital. I bought three pair before level 1, and they have lasted fairly well (I'm going into level 3 this fall).

I have yet to even purchase a white lab coat. When I was in Level 2, one of the clinical instructors made their students wear them to the hospital when they went to go get patient information. However, my instructor didn't make us do that. I know that you have to have them for graduation, so I will probably rent one at that point if I don't need them in Level 3 or Level 4.

It's good to buy all of the textbooks. You're going to use them all. In Level 1, you use Taylor mostly for 1413, and then Lewis for 1341. In Level 2, you primarily use Lewis. Level 3 has their own books. In level 4, you'll be using them all again, so you kind of have to keep them over the semesters.

As far as advice: Practice your skills and dosage calculations as much as you can. Also, get some rest and enjoy your summer. :) The first part of Level 1 was pretty intense. It seemed like there were checkoffs and tests left and right.

Ugh... Here's to hoping for Spring 2014...

Specializes in N/A.

Anyone else doing the hybrid program this fall?

I will be attending the hybrid program this fall.

I'm new to this thread, but I will also be attending the hybrid program this fall. I'm trudging through the orientation information today. There is quite a bit to do between now and August 1st!

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