Chances of getting into UTHealth Houston's BSN program?

[kia2015]

Hello everyone!

I am new to the forums, but I have been lurking around for quite a while, reading threads and finding all kinds of helpful information.

I decided to join in order to seek out some additional information from anyone that has applied to or been accepted into UTHealth Houston's BSN program in the past.

As most of us have all experienced at some point, lately all I have been doing is stressing about the prospect of being accepted into nursing school. I was accepted into HCC coleman's ADN program twice, but the first time (Fall 2015), I was somehow missed from the email list and not informed in time that I had been accepted. I was recently accepted again for Spring 2016, but decided that ADN was ultimately not the way I want to go since I have most prerequisites for a BSN program done by now. Coleman's program has also proved to be very disorganized and their NCLEX pass rates have been falling every year.

UTHealth has always been my main goal, and I have been following their prerequisite guide ever since I started college at HCC. The main worry I have is that all of my prerequisites and college credits have been obtained from HCC, and I have not consistently carried a heavy course load throughout the years. I have mostly been taking a few classes at a time, because I never knew I wanted to do the BSN route until very recently.

With that being said, I have a 4.0 science and nursing prerequisite GPA. I am worried that this will actually look bad to the school since I have not always carried a heavy course load in order to maintain my 4.0. I wish I had a way to explain why I did this, but the school no longer has an interview process.

The only thing I believe I have going for me is that I have been an EMT for 3 years with a very busy volunteer fire department, so I have a lot of emergency medical experience. I have also taken the HESI once before (for coleman) and received high 90's on all sections, so I know that when I take it again for UTHealth I will be able to do well again.

I'm planning on rushing an application for Fall 2016 after I finish this semester in December, but I do not expect to get in the first time, so I will also apply for Spring 2017. After this semester, I will only need Statistics, Texas government, Intro to Sociology, and Intro to Philosophy to be done with all 60 required hours.

My main question is, am I wasting time even trying to UTHealth since I have obtained all credits from HCC and not consistently carried a heavy course load? UTHealth is my dream school and also the best in Texas, so that is why I am set on attending. UTMB is not a good fit for me, since I cannot really afford to move to Galveston and/or drive to and from Houston for school. I live 10 minutes from the med center, so UTHealth is also more convenient.

[N. Maren]

Hi there! Current UTH student here. Many of the students have completed their pre-requisites at Lone Star, Wharton, or even HCC. Especially since you did well and because you did well on your HESI, you should definitely go for it.

[BaTiRy, BSN, RN]

I'm a current UT student as well, in my last semester. You sound great on paper, so I would also say yes, definitely apply. The worst they could do is say no, but I feel like you're a strong candidate who would more than likely get accepted. Go for it!

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Don't sweat it. GPA is not computed like diving scores.... weighted based upon course difficulty or source. The only things that matter is that the courses were from a regionally accredited school and whether any of the courses have 'aged out' of the 5 year limitation. Your GPA will stand on itself - with no qualifiers about how many credits you took each semester or where you took the course. That's the whole purpose of regional accreditation. It is proof of equivalency - for example, every accredited "English 101" has to meet the same standard.

If nothing else, I would say that your slower and more deliberate approach demonstrates a strong continuing commitment to your goal of a BSN. IMHO, that would make you a better candidate than anyone seeking a "quick and fast" pathway. You're very smart to go for your BSN. In the Houston metro area, it's a requirement for most of the larger systems' new grad jobs.

UTHSN-Houston is a great school... I got my MSN there a 'few' years ago. Because of the connection to the TMC educational consortium, you'll have opportunities that are simply not available in other programs.

Wishing you the best of luck!! Keep us posted on your progress.