I wanted to start a topic that everyone could post on about their progress in the application process. I know we're all excited to hear back from UMASS nursing, so lets get something started here!
I personally applied on January 15. I went to UMASS to drop it off by hand to make sure everything got there on time. When i dropped off my application they told me the actual application was due on the 15th and all other materials could be submitted up to Febuary 1st. I did read in previous years threads that we receive an application complete emai. Has anyone received theirs yet?
I just received my acceptance letter in the mail yesterday! However, I am a bit nervous since I only have 10 days to respond with my deposit. I was hoping to be able to look at my financial aid/loan situation before committing. Has anyone heard from financial aid yet?
Hi, it'd be great if you could share your impression with the program overall. Also, how are the professors and clinical rotations? How many students are there to a preceptor? Is it possible to work and do the program at the same time? Do you get to choose which clinical site you get or is everyone at the same hospital. Thank you in advance!
Thanks so much for offering your help! Do you mind sharing your experience in the program thus far? Do you have any preference as to where you do your clinicals? How was your fall semester? What was the most challenging/ easiest(if any) part of last semester? Thanks again for your help! I hope to hear from you soon! :)
You don't get to choose where you do your clinicals-- it will be assigned each semester and could be as far away as Worcester. Sometimes they let you switch with other students, sometimes not.
The most challenging classes for me so far were patho/pharm (fall) and med surg (spring). Med surg was by far the hardest. We had great professors for patho/pharm so that made all the difference. They were very supportive.
Tips:
1) consider not getting the book package. Lots of people do not like having only electronic books, which is what the package is. I have been able to use previous editions of almost every book (not the drug book) with no problems, and they cost $5-$15 instead of $80-$120 each. You can also rent most of them.
2) Help each other out-- study groups will be your friends, because there's really no way to read all the course content on your own. The best way I've found has been to split up reading assignments with others and then make Quizlets with flashcards of the important topics that we share with each other.
3) Make copies of any records you send anyone-- you may need proof of TB, CPR, drug tests, etc. again and it's a pain to try to track it down.
4) You don't necessarily need white nursing shoes. I haven't had any clinicals yet where it matters. Officially you need them, but in practice most places are okay with a different color.
Let me know if you have any specific questions! Good luck!
Nice talk to someone in the program. I was just wondering,how many days are you in class per week and over all how is the program?
I just saw this-- sorry! We are in class 2-3 days each week and have 1-2 clinicals each week. Fall semester it was 3 days of class, 1 clinical. Spring was 2 days of class and 2 clinicals. Typically classes are Monday and Tuesday, sometimes Wed.
Hi, it'd be great if you could share your impression with the program overall. Also, how are the professors and clinical rotations? How many students are there to a preceptor? Is it possible to work and do the program at the same time? Do you get to choose which clinical site you get or is everyone at the same hospital. Thank you in advance!
I've loved my clinical rotations. You are with a group of usually 7 others from the program, on a particular floor of a hospital. The group of 8 has one clinical instructor, and you'll get assigned to a particular patient for each clinical week so you'll work with that patient's nurse as well. Some nurses are more interested in/open to having a student than others. My best experiences have been when the nurse I'm working with includes me in what they do with all 4 of their patients, because you get a much better sense of how to manage your time and prioritize. You do not get to choose your clinical site. You'll have some choice in your final semester internship location though.
Some of the professors are fabulous. Others are difficult, for various reasons.
Overall the program is a bit disorganized, which sometimes causes problems but it's nothing too earth-shattering. You will hear over and over again that nursing exams are not like any other exams you've ever taken, and you have to learn a new way of thinking/studying. I didn't find this to be particularly true until Med Surg (spring semester). That class is all about prioritization, so every exam question is asking about which thing you would do first or which patient you would see first... that's super tough to learn, because usually 3 or even all 4 of the answers are right, just not the MOST important. Sometimes you'll have a question like "Which finding would you report to the physician?" and 4 answer choices that are all critical-- will kill the patient-- and you have to decide which will kill them first-- their low potassium? Their crazy high blood glucose level? It's really tough to figure out but my advice is do LOTS of practice NCLEX questions, and eventually you will start to just get it. I did close to 1500 practice questions for my med surg final!
It is possible to work during the program-- I know several people who do. If you don't have other responsibilities it's probably fine. It will definitely be stressful though. If you have kids or other family responsibilities, I wouldn't try to work. It is a very intensive program and you'll spend nearly every waking hour on it!
Thanks so much for all your advice! I've already started scanning all my documents such as CPR cert. and immunization records because I'm sure it will be a pain at the start of each clinical rotation if they require to see them. Does the program offer the book package at orientation? Are the textbooks listed somewhere or will we know the first day of each semester/class when the professor hands out the syllabus? If you're looking to sell your books I'd like to take them off your hands! :)
Thanks again! Good luck with the rest of the program!
Does the program offer the book package at orientation? Are the textbooks listed somewhere or will we know the first day of each semester/class when the professor hands out the syllabus? If you're looking to sell your books I'd like to take them off your hands! :)
Thanks again! Good luck with the rest of the program!
You won't know by orientation, but during N100 (the 2-week class in August) they will have someone from Elsevier come in and talk about the package. You'll have your course list for the fall before then-- I had already bought most of my books by then but some people were still deciding about the package at that point. The textbook information is available on SPIRE as soon as the professors put it in. You're welcome to my N100 book-- I'll need to look through the others to think about what I need to keep for NCLEX prep, but I'm sure I won't want to keep all of them. PM me and we can try to meet up at your orientation or something.
Daisy18
6 Posts
Hi there!
I just received my acceptance letter in the mail yesterday! However, I am a bit nervous since I only have 10 days to respond with my deposit. I was hoping to be able to look at my financial aid/loan situation before committing. Has anyone heard from financial aid yet?