ACC Spring 2013 hopefuls

U.S.A. Texas

Published

Anyone else out there? I'm starting my prerequisites this spring, and will be applying this summer for the spring of 13. Anyone else in the same boat?

Specializes in Geriatrics, Med/Surg, hospice.

Thanks so much Austin404! Do ya'll still take all the tests at CEC as well? How is parking? And I'm glad that no one has left. I don't want people to leave but I know that sometimes people drop because they realize nursing isn't for them. Thanks so much for answering my questions.

Specializes in Telemetry.

We take all of our tests in one of the computer labs at CEC. We do everything at CEC, with exception to clinical. Parking is a breeze. CEC students get UT parking stickers. At first I thought we had to pay for them, but we didn't. We have access to all the C lots. Most of us park at the Erwin Center and walk across the street. There have been times when we were unable to park there, because UT was having an event at the Erwin Center. However, ACC will validate CEC garage parking if that happens. It has happened once so far this eight weeks. If I'm not mistaken, level 3 and 4 get to park in the CEC garage all semester.

I know at the beginning of the semester one of our instructors said that they usually lose one student from Level 1. We still have 1341 to get through, so who knows. I think you definitely have a chance if that's the case.

It's great to hear from students in nursing school, and those who are going through/have gone through the process (thanks thuynwin, Austin404, and RadiationRN2BE). It makes me wish there was some sort of student/professor/counselor panel event where prospective students could ask current students (and faculty) all these types of questions about getting in, scheduling, pre-requisites, ADN-BSN, BSN, job prospects, campus pros and cons, etc. They give you the basics when you take the orientation before applying, and I applaud Tammy for all her hard work, but it would be really nice to hear from the students. I mean, it wasn't until I went to anatomy open lab that I heard that from some other student that I should rush and take all my pre-reqs asap instead of stretching them out into different semesters, so that I can apply as quickly as possible to get those valuable review points. I would probably give anyone (who thinks they're able to do so) the same advice. And it's been so nice hearing about the pros and cons of different programs and campuses on this forum.

I am a little confused about CEC. Are there lectures there? Or just labs? It's a part of Brackenridge?

Also, I was wondering about nursing school during the summertime. I saw some folks at Eastview this summer studying in scrubs, and I was wondering if they had nursing classes during the summer. Or were those nursing skills students? Do they offer nursing school classes (not just nursing skills) during the summer or do students just take off and rest during the summer because you have to take all classes with your cohort? How does summertime work?

Good luck to everyone tomorrow!! The day has finally arrived (again)! I had 56 points last time and really thought I would get in, but alas it wasn't so. This time I've got 65 points so that better freaking be enough!

I agree with everyone that it's totally ridiculous how tough it is to get into this program. Something's gotta change. I remember last round of applications everything was so delayed because they said they were trying to hire more professors to be able to take in more students. After all that extra waiting they ended up taking even fewer students than ever. I guess we lost some clinical spots to Texas State and Concordia. So it gets more and more competitive and takes longer and longer. At this rate people will have to take all the pre- and co-requisites with perfect grades and then still wait around for two or more years before they get in. I worked my butt off and did all the pre- and co-reqs in just two semesters, managed to get all A's, and I really thought that would mean something. Apparently not! I finished last December, so with perfect grades working in hyperspeed, you'll still wait two full semester (three if you count the summer) before getting in. Totally crazy. Luckily I've spent my "downtime" working on all my BSN prerequisites, so by the end of this semester I'll have everything required to jump right into UT Arlington's online RN-BSN bridge. So not wasted time, but I don't exactly feel like I'm working toward becoming and RN when I'm studying Texas Government, British Literature, statistics, etc. Oh well, I guess it's part of the process.

Once again, good luck everyone, hope to hear good news from you all soon!

Specializes in Telemetry.

Sungal, the CEC is owned by Brackenridge; however, ACC has previldges to teach there. It's connected to Brackridge Hospital. It used to be the wing that was used for the Children's Hospital; however, it's the CEC, Austin Cyber Knife, and other offices now.

The CEC has several different programs in it: ACC is there, Concordia is there, and Seton's Versant Program is there. The Versant Program is for Seton Nurses who have just graduated and are in the process of transferring from a graduated nursing student into being a professional nurse in a specialty. It's like paid on the job training. I could be wrong, but there are some UT students at Brackinridge, but they don't use the CEC, just Brack facilities. There are also medical students: UTMB and Southwestern are at Brackenridge. Each program is separate. We don't really interact with students from other schools other than just passing them in the halls.

The CEC has classrooms in it, skill labs, computer labs, and an excellent medical library that we have access to. ACC also has some of the offices on the second floor, and those are used for instructors and faculty. Typically, we go to lecture Mondays and Wednesdays. We are in Lab on Tuesday. On Thursday and Friday we are at our clinical sites. Before we started going to clinical, we went to lab on Thursdays as well. You don't actually start going to clinical until the third week of Level 1. The other levels go to lecture and lab on Mondays and Tuesdays from what I've seen. They also go to different clinical sites that can change every semester.

Summertime: During the summertime, classes are only offered at Eastview and Round Rock. The CEC is closed. Only certain things are offered in the summer. Usually, they offer part of Level 2 or Level 3. The only advantage of taking summer classes is to break up a normal semester. For instance, in level three you can take mental health or the pedi/ob portion in the summer. You can't take them both at the same time. In other words, you can't do a full semester during the summer. You would do part of it during the summer and the other part the following semester. I think that the Mobility Track has priority over the summer. If space is left over, the Traditional Track can take them.

hi, just like everyone I'm am anxiously waiting even though I'm like borderline of getting accepted. Anyways anyone know why they are accepting barely 100 students each semester? if I'm not mistaken for the first level foundation of nursing there are a total of 150 seats available including hybrid yet they are only accepting about 100? that's what I just don't get understand why not 150? .....

Specializes in Telemetry.

angelbabyguh, there are many things that determine the class size:

One of the most important is the requirement of the Texas Legislature in regards to class size. I believe there can only be 8 students per clinical instructor. Any more than that and instructors wouldn't be able to keep up without compromising safety. Instructors have to be there when we are giving meds, doing most procedures, and so on. Just passing meds in my group takes a huge chunk of the morning.

Two, there has to be instructors to hire. Not many nurses are willing to take a pay cut to come teach. They make more money out in the field. Plus, an MSN degree is required to teach at ACC, and a university requires a Ph.D. I guess some nurses don't feel that a graduate degree to teach is worth their time and money.

Third, clinical availability in Austin is scarce these days. There was a time when ACC and UT had their pick of clinical spots. These days ACC has to compete with UT, Texas State, Concordia, and Texas A&M for clinical space. There are only so many clinical settings to go around.

Tick tock, tick tock... :-/

I have been glued to my email all day! This is too stressful! :banghead:

if you guys don't mind me asking.....for those that are still waiting for an acceptance what is your ranking?

I'm taking Skills with *******. She is in charge of securing the clinical sites for the entire ACC nursing program. She told us that the lack of clinical space has caused the reduction in the number of students that ACC is able to accept into the nursing program. Since many hospitals are switching to using BSNs in place of ADNs, those hospitals are giving priority for clinical space to schools that offer BSN programs. Which is also why our clinical locations may be a long drive!

We don't have rankings until we get the letters (and even then I don't know if they "rank" the people who actually get in. Last time when I didn't get in I had 56 points and was ranked 167). This time I have 65 points, so unless they lied to us, we should all know our ranking within the next 42 minutes!!

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