University of Washington SoN Fall 2013

ericseitz · Mar 23, 2013

I just got in as well! Woot!!

YoungIdealist · Mar 23, 2013

Hello everyone,

I got my acceptance letter today! It is nice to see some familiar faces around here (JLoya, abalone). I was an applicant last year and didn't make it.

To those who got in, congrats, can't wait to meet you all.

To those who didn't, I admire how upbeat and positive you have remained. When I didn't get in I was devastated, and I was so scared this year that I decided not to post just so I wouldn't get excited and then let down. I definitely stalked this thread anyway.

In this past year since I was rejected, I have not gained much more experience. Honestly I feel like the same person, with a few more hours in the same clinic and I took the CNA test so I could get my license (when I applied last year I had taken the class but didn't have the license yet). From the few tips I read in this thread (by JLoya and abalone) I realized my mistakes and I felt like my application this year was so strong. I aced the essay, I walked out of there 5 minutes early feeling like a million bucks. Last year I cried. My resume was pretty much the same this year.

If any of you want any tips or ideas, even though next year's application is far away, I would be happy to give advice from my own experience.

Keep your chin up and keep trying. It took me months to overcome getting rejected, I hid the rejection letter and never looked at it again, but now I'm elated and I'm glad I didn't apply anywhere else. I was a husky before so I didn't feel like I could wear any other color (just kidding, my second choice was Everett CC and I would've been totally fine there and I encourage you all to look at other excellent programs in the area).

hudabelle · Mar 23, 2013

Well poop. I am surprisingly not as upset as I thought I would be, numb maybe? I guess I knew it was a long shot. I will reapply next year even though I'm 100% positive I will be accepted to an ADN program. If I get in next year I will have no problem transferring and starting the BSN program from day one.

I'm so happy for all those that got in! Good luck and I'm sure y'all will look awesome in purple :smile:

Just_keep_swimming · Mar 23, 2013

I would love some feedback to help for next year, I'm completely devastated and already threw the letter away, but I'm trying to stay positive bc that's gonna keep me going vs throwing myself a pity party (as I eat pepperoni pizza) , I'm thinking I blew my essay & wasn't sure if only having a 128 hours was enough for their taste, so was planning on getting at least my CNA license & volunteer in the clinic I have been doing, as well as trying at Madigan army hospital if they'll let to get different perspective & experiences & try to prepare better fort essay as well as take notes on what I did wrong on it lol. Sigh it's so discouraging but if I don't try I'll just regret it :/

Hudabelle, I'm so sorry, but I'm glad you have a fantastic back up plan! I hope all of those not getting in this year do apply next year, we can all get together & prepare & stress the heck out all over again

YoungIdealist · Mar 23, 2013

I would love some feedback to help for next year....

Some things I did differently:

RESUME:

Last year: I wrote my resume like a formal resume, where I explained my duties in different things (ex. As a community health worker, I give people education on healthy eating)

This year: I wrote my resume entirely about how my experience helped me know I want to be a nurse (ex. As a community health worker, I have a chance to observe the nurse in home visits and the way she educates patients. For example, she brings material and reads it with the patient. OR As a community health worker, I can see the nurse interact with the providers and how they share information about the patient from different perspectives)

ESSAY:

Last year: I wrote it like a standard essay and attempted to answer all the parts of the questions. I thought my essay was "good enough" at answering the questions.

This year: I broke down each part and clearly LABELED THEM "A,B,C" and answered them separately! I tried to make the essay flow a bit, but I wasn't so concerned about that. I was 100% focused on each question and answering them thoroughly.

PROCTORED ESSAY:

Last year: I was unprepared, didn't know what to expect and I stressed about how I would write and if it'd be good enough writing. I stressed too much over the math. Something big: I didn't label each part of the question. I also chose a scenario I was comfortable with -- mistake! I ran out of stuff to talk about really quickly! Finally, I spent too much time brainstorming and too little writing my final draft!

This year: I realized that the essay has NOTHING TO DO with the scenarios! They're about YOU as an applicant! So this year to prepare, I made a list of 2-3 weaknesses and 2-3 strengths (with examples!) and practiced writing about how they'll affect me in nursing. It made it so easy to answer the questions, challenges = weaknesses +examples, why you would choose something = your strengths + examples. Bam! You're done!

I also labeled each part with a small letter on the left side (the instructions don't say not to). I was very calm because I spent pretty much ALL my time writing the final draft and I was done early even after triple checking everything. Since I had already done a rough draft in my head (I memorized the weaknesses and strengths + good examples) I felt like all I had to do was list them on the paper and then start my essay. I kept it simple. This time I picked a scenario I didn't know much about but that would help me as an ER nurse which is my dream.

BONUS: I had my CNA license # on the resume, they like those things I think

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Hope all of this helps! Like I said before, I'm the same applicant as before! I just realized that they really want to know how everything you have done and think relates to nursing, nothing else! You could volunteer as an interpreter, but they don't care about what you did! They care about what you SAW IN NURSING and how you realized you love the profession. Ex. "As an interpreter I was able to see the interaction between the nurse and the patient when she gives education. I noticed that... It inspired me to become a public health nurse because... I could observe the importance of listening to the patient, etc etc"

Hope all of that helps Good luck to all...

P.S. I just want to add this is what worked for me, but I'm sure everyone had something special that got them into the school! Hope they share their insight as well.

jennyqle · Mar 23, 2013

Hello all, I have been reading these posts, but I have never written anything. I just wanted to vent a little, and maybe someone would understand. I have been denied from the UW BSN program for the second time and I am a little frustrated with it this time considering two of my friends were accepted, and I feel like my application was just as good as theirs. I have been a NAC for over a year now and have logged over 1000 hours. I have also volunteered at Providence, shadowed a nurse at Providence, and I went on a medical trip to Vietnam last year to provide free health clinics in the rural areas. Before getting involved with nursing experience I was a lifeguard for 3 years and taught swimming lessons. However, my GPA isn't awesome, it's a 3.4. A lot of people say I haven't been getting in because of my age, I'm only 20, but I know for a fact 20 year olds have gotten in. I also feel like I addressed most of the things "YoungIdealist" stated above because in my resume I acknowledged my interactions with nurses, and what I observed them doing. I'm just so confused and disappointed!

cityFNP, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 23, 2013

Ahh I got rejected too. Feeling really numb and upset.. But I not going to give up and I'm going to apply again next year! :)

YoungIdealist,

How did you write your application essay? I think one of my mistakes is in my application. Did you write it separately like response A, B, and C separately? I ended up writing a story and I think that's one of the reasons why I got rejected.

I have great extracurriculars, a great GPA, and a good letter of rec, so I'm guessing my proctored essay was part of the reason why I didn't get accepted either. I wrote about how I would treat the patient (I chose the second patient for the proctored essay) as a PERSON and not clinically, but I think my essay was just not up to par since it was disorganized and I kept repeating myself. How did you write it?

cityFNP, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 23, 2013

I know how you feel jennyqle - I had outstanding curriculars and experience. I'm really confused and disappointed too.

ericseitz · Mar 23, 2013

I rewatched the online info session seal a million times, and made sure everything was sufficient in regards to that. maybe that's one of the reasons I was accepted.

YoungIdealist · Mar 23, 2013

Peacebe, jennyqle, I'm so sorry you are disappointed and upset... I can relate to you completely because I've been in your shoes. I'm a little older than you guys (at least older than jenny, I'm 24) and it was really hard to be rejected because I've been in college since I was 18.

Jenny, please don't be discouraged. They pick 96 students and you could've been the 105th best applicant. Out of 400+ that's outstanding. None of us really understand how or why they pick the way they do, but the only thing I can tell you is that if you truly want to be a nurse there is a program that will love to have you. UW isn't the only school. One of my best friends went to Everett cc, got her ADN and was offered a job in clinicals because she was so loved. Wherever you go, make sure they know what an excellent person you are no matter what degree (BSN or ADN) you get. Hospitals will want you whether you go to Everett, Shoreline, or UW if they love how you work.

Peacebe, as stated before, I did write each part separately. Each part was very focused. I eliminated a lot of the cute and inspirational writing and went straight to the point and answered their questions using examples. After all, they only allow two pages.

For the proctored essay, I didn't talk so much about the patient, instead I talked about myself and why caring for him would be good for me to grow as a person and as a nurse. They don't expect you to write about how you would treat a patient, in my opinion, because they shouldn't (we don't know how!). From what I observed (reading about other applicants who were accepted in the past and by watching the info sessions), they want you to have a lot of self awareness and understand your strengths and weaknesses inside and out. Express to them that you KNOW who you are and you know what nursing is and why you will be great.

Good luck to both of you.

cityFNP, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 23, 2013

Thanks YoungIdealist, your advice was really insightful and helpful. I'm just kind of frazzled as to what I should do as of right now...

I have another question - how many hours of experience did you have? What kind of volunteer work did you do? Did you have a lot of leadership as well?

Jobby · Mar 23, 2013

Accepted! To contrast with YoungIdealist, I wrote my app essay as one full essay after calling the SoN and asking if they wanted it broken down or written in full. I was told that a lot of people write it both ways but I think their idea is more to write it as one complete essay. In the end, I don't think it matters much so long as you convey your message well.