Any Fall 2008 UCLA - MECN Program Applicants out there?

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Are any of you starting to get anxious about the forthcoming decisions? We have another month or so yet to know, but I still want to know NOW! :innerconf ... Wanna share in the waiting process? Have you heard anything about the # of people they are accepting? Anything?

If the wait is killing you, call Shelli. She was very nice. Now I can enjoy my weekend and move forward to the next steps in my life.

Hello Nursinstudenthopeful,

If you do decide to re-apply, call UCLA and other schools to see what materials you need to submit for next year's application cycle. Most schools keep your file for one year but the admissions committee might request new letters of recommendation or a personal statement. Check with the school prior to re-applying. Keep a copy of all e-mails and letters between you and the school.

Unless you are willing to wait for another year, get into a nursing school. It can be an Accelerated BSN program or MSN program. As a nurse, you need clinical experience. A BSN is not a bad degree. You will get your BSN in 15 months or less, and then you can apply for other on-line graduate programs. At CSUDH, I think there is a distance-learning program for graduate students. :typing

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Odamae and KathLiz,

Have either of you considered applying for CSU Dominguez Hills? Apps for fall are not due until March 31. You have to attend an info session however to get a transcript review. The last info session is this Friday, March 14, from 8:30-11:30 AM. I attended last month's workshop. Contact Jorge Escamilla, the coordinator to reserve a space but there is a $50 (silly) fee to the CSUDH foundation for the prep workshop. The asst dean attends and will review your academic portfolio and you have a chance to meet with other professors. They stressed that they just don't consider grades, but you create a binder of all of your life accomplishments and they want to know who you are and how you have shown or come to the decision that nursing is truly for you. They are looking for creativity in the binders and how one presents their case, which is very different from other schools application process. They are planning on selecting 35-40 students (pretty large) for their first MEPN program and interviews start in April, with decisions in late May. They are fully accredited and I believe the program is two years and one additional semester? I would have to look back at my paperwork.

Anyhow, I know it's one more school to apply to but they seem very supportive of selecting students more for their diversity in background and what they have to contribute rather than grades alone. Also, if either of you went to grad school, they do calculate GPA from last 60 semester units of whichever was the last degree you obtained.

Anyhoo, something to consider...best of luck and you will both get into a program and be nurses very soon, I am confident of this. There is always a way.:yeah:

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Hey Kids,

Out of curiosity, may I ask what kind of volunteer work you did to prepare yourself for nursing school applications? And was it important to work closely with a nurse? I did volunteer work in the Cedars-Sinai ER- I did not really get a chance to shadow any RNs because frankly, I did not want to be underfoot in that hair-raising environment- mostly I was there for the patients which was really my interest anyway. I have also shadowed MDs in the past because I was premed. So my contact with staff RNs is very limited. Where I work now, in computing services at UCLA, I work with two RNs who maintain their licenses but have gone the geek/techie route. If you could suggest good avenues of volunteer work, I would be most appreciative.

Oda Mae

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Hi Odamae, personally I don't believe it is necessary to work directly with a nurse per se, but having some understanding of what duties or types of positions nurses engage in is important and the best way to know this is to find a volunteer or paid job in the area of focus. I think having health care experience can be inclusive of many types of roles; I have both worked and volunteered in research at a hospital, worked with health care administrators in a very removed role, and then transitioned to a management position at a hospital, where I am happy to be. Currently, I work directly with nurses and physicians as a consultant, but most of my peers in nursing school have done a little volunteer work at a hospital, a hospice volunteer OR they know nurses that are their mentors.

I can definitely send you a PM about some opportunties I know of, and I think it's very important to get to know some nurse managers that might be in the position to hire someone such as yourself post-graduate (this is just my :twocents:). My letters of rec were all from nurses (a nurse professor, a nurse administrator (my boss) and a high level mentor/preceptor nurse leader). They could speak to my skills, accomplisments and desire to enter the nursing profession because I have worked directly with them. The wonderful thing about the nursing profession is that all nurses and nurse leaders will be supportive of anyone wanting to join the profession, since there is such a demand and nursing is not this linear one track job as it may have been perceived in the past (as we well know). Staff nurses are a good way to get to know what your immediate job might look like right after obtaining your license and beginning your first job. Also, you can speak with nurse recruiters at universities or a local hospital, they are always willing to speak with pre-nursing or nursing students. In grad school, we spent quite a bit of time on the importance of networking and how important it is to find informal mentors (seasoned) in your profession of interest, in and out of your job, so that they can assist in guiding you and as a point of support when you find yourself confused and lonely. I have a handful of mentors that I am so grateful to have provided me with both opportunities and very realistic advice when I wanted to make another career leap in my life. Also, I am not that young, I am 30 and have been working in various health care positions for the past 12 years, so I feel comfortable speaking about how I came to these decisions in my life. Hope this is helpful!

Hey Kids,

Out of curiosity, may I ask what kind of volunteer work you did to prepare yourself for nursing school applications? And was it important to work closely with a nurse? I did volunteer work in the Cedars-Sinai ER- I did not really get a chance to shadow any RNs because frankly, I did not want to be underfoot in that hair-raising environment- mostly I was there for the patients which was really my interest anyway. I have also shadowed MDs in the past because I was premed. So my contact with staff RNs is very limited. Where I work now, in computing services at UCLA, I work with two RNs who maintain their licenses but have gone the geek/techie route. If you could suggest good avenues of volunteer work, I would be most appreciative.

Oda Mae

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Masaemasae, I have seen your posts on the CSUN thread. I really hope that you get into UCLA, but if for some reason you don't I am sure that CSUN will be a good program. If I am LUCKY enough to get in it will be a 130 mile roundtrip commute for me each day, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. If I were you I would submit an app to MSMC. They have an excellent reputation. If you're applying for this fall, however, you had better act quickly because according to their website I believe that the deadline for the accelerated BSN is this Friday. I was considering applying a couple of weeks ago, but I just couldn't get myself to bug the same three people to do another round of recommendation forms for me. I applied to five programs so that is 15 letters. I had very few people to choose from. Toward the end I was being terribly apologetic to them. After last night's rejection I had considered again, but I think it would be impossible to get the transcripts and recommendations done by this Thursday.

I think for everyone here, the sooner you start your degree program the better. Not that it is entirely my fault, but I kick myself for not having considered nursing at least a few years earlier when the application process wasn't so competitive. Every year the number of applicants is jumping "exponentially". It will only be worse next year. I felt resentful when I attended UCLA's info session last year. The dean was giddy and almost couldn't contain her excitement that as more and more qualified students applied they would be able to pick the cream of the crop. We lose, but at least the public will gain. IMHO, the sooner you get into a nursing program the better off you will be.

Kathy

I live by CSUN and although I did not attend there for my undergrad, I've heard from many that it's a good school. I'm not going to apply to MSMC. I know I want to be a nurse and I want to be a nurse soon!! BUT I also don't want to pay the big tuition! My friend who is a nurse (graduate of Azusa and now studying at USC for extra courses) told me that many of her friends that went to MSMC thought the program was very disorganized. Have you seen their passing rate? Because if you pay $15,000 (x 3) you should pass your test after the first time or money back.

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Hi Odamae, personally I don't believe it is necessary to work directly with a nurse per se, but having some understanding of what duties or types of positions nurses engage in is important and the best way to know this is to find a volunteer or paid job in the area of focus. I think having health care experience can be inclusive of many types of roles; I have both worked and volunteered in research at a hospital, worked with health care administrators in a very removed role, and then transitioned to a management position at a hospital, where I am happy to be. Currently, I work directly with nurses and physicians as a consultant, but most of my peers in nursing school have done a little volunteer work at a hospital, a hospice volunteer OR they know nurses that are their mentors.

I can definitely send you a PM about some opportunties I know of, and I think it's very important to get to know some nurse managers that might be in the position to hire someone such as yourself post-graduate (this is just my :twocents:). My letters of rec were all from nurses (a nurse professor, a nurse administrator (my boss) and a high level mentor/preceptor nurse leader). They could speak to my skills, accomplisments and desire to enter the nursing profession because I have worked directly with them. The wonderful thing about the nursing profession is that all nurses and nurse leaders will be supportive of anyone wanting to join the profession, since there is such a demand and nursing is not this linear one track job as it may have been perceived in the past (as we well know). Staff nurses are a good way to get to know what your immediate job might look like right after obtaining your license and beginning your first job. Also, you can speak with nurse recruiters at universities or a local hospital, they are always willing to speak with pre-nursing or nursing students. In grad school, we spent quite a bit of time on the importance of networking and how important it is to find informal mentors (seasoned) in your profession of interest, in and out of your job, so that they can assist in guiding you and as a point of support when you find yourself confused and lonely. I have a handful of mentors that I am so grateful to have provided me with both opportunities and very realistic advice when I wanted to make another career leap in my life. Also, I am not that young, I am 30 and have been working in various health care positions for the past 12 years, so I feel comfortable speaking about how I came to these decisions in my life. Hope this is helpful!

Hi BerryGood,

Thank you for such an informative note. Any information you can send me would be greatly appreciated. Reading what everyone has written here, I am learning so much about what it takes to submit a successful application. I completely need to revise my strategy to show how nursing would be a logical path for me now. Bravo to you for being so clear-eyed and having made wise decisions. It is obvious from your posts that your path to nursing has been linear and well-thought out.

I wish I were 30 again:wink2:- you are very wise:specs:.

Oda Mae

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Sorry to ask so many inane questions but does anyone know whether you have to have a degree from a nursing program to sit for the NCLEX? For example, if you have an MD degree, would they allow you to take the exam? I was not able to tell from looking at the Cal. Licensing site.

Thanks!

OM

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Sorry to ask so many inane questions but does anyone know whether you have to have a degree from a nursing program to sit for the NCLEX? For example, if you have an MD degree, would they allow you to take the exam? I was not able to tell from looking at the Cal. Licensing site.

Thanks!

OM

I don't believe that you need to have a degree (i.e. ADN, etc.). The reason why I say this is because many of the master's entry programs (e.g. Western Univ) give you an intense year of study and then you sit for the NCLEX. The rest of the program at Western is part-time (mostly internet) for the next two years to get your masters. In addition, the CSUF program said that you had to go to school full-time for two years. They are doing that because too many students were going to school just long enough to sit for the exam, get their RN and then quitting the program.

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Odamae and KathLiz,

Have either of you considered applying for CSU Dominguez Hills? Apps for fall are not due until March 31. You have to attend an info session however to get a transcript review. The last info session is this Friday, March 14, from 8:30-11:30 AM. I attended last month's workshop. Contact Jorge Escamilla, the coordinator to reserve a space but there is a $50 (silly) fee to the CSUDH foundation for the prep workshop. The asst dean attends and will review your academic portfolio and you have a chance to meet with other professors. They stressed that they just don't consider grades, but you create a binder of all of your life accomplishments and they want to know who you are and how you have shown or come to the decision that nursing is truly for you. They are looking for creativity in the binders and how one presents their case, which is very different from other schools application process. They are planning on selecting 35-40 students (pretty large) for their first MEPN program and interviews start in April, with decisions in late May. They are fully accredited and I believe the program is two years and one additional semester? I would have to look back at my paperwork.

Anyhow, I know it's one more school to apply to but they seem very supportive of selecting students more for their diversity in background and what they have to contribute rather than grades alone. Also, if either of you went to grad school, they do calculate GPA from last 60 semester units of whichever was the last degree you obtained.

Anyhoo, something to consider...best of luck and you will both get into a program and be nurses very soon, I am confident of this. There is always a way.:yeah:

I plan to call CSUDH later today. I attended the first info session that was held several months ago. You are required to attend the session in order to apply and they charge you $50! All it was was the same info session that all other schools hold. What a racket!!! The reason why I ended up not applying was that "the portfolio" needed to be turned in 30 days after the session. Jorge said that I could turn it in late, but that it would be marked as "received late". I didn't need any of that baloney. Basically, the portfolio is a binder which contains your normal application materials (i.e. statement of purpose, resume, letters of recommendation) plus a few other items such as copies of honors that you have received at school and work. I was also told that I would have to take a couple of extra prerequisite classes that I had not planned to take - critical thinking and epidemiology. Now that I have been rejected by three MSN programs maybe I had better see if I can still apply. Maybe they will make me attend the next information session and charge me an extra $50!!! :madface: I think that Odamae should seriously consider this program though. It is a masters program and it is now in its third year of existence. I am hoping to get into Fullerton, but I need something to fall back on. CSUN is fine, but it will be a worse daily drive from Irvine than going to San Diego.

Kathy

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Sorry to ask so many inane questions but does anyone know whether you have to have a degree from a nursing program to sit for the NCLEX? For example, if you have an MD degree, would they allow you to take the exam? I was not able to tell from looking at the Cal. Licensing site.

Thanks!

OM

Hi Oda Mae,

Please don't apologize for bringing up what you consider as "inane questions" :nono: . This forum is for people like you and me to ask various types of questions. As you can tell, everyone here loves to address member's concerns. :wink2:

I do have a response to your post. When nursing students complete their final term of nursing school, they must submit an application along with fees to the California Board of Registered Nursing in order to receive an authorization permit to take the NCLEX examination. The application explicitly states that one must "request official transcripts showing all completed [nursing] coursework and reflect the [nursing] degree awarded and date conferred" (see site below). To answer your question, it does seem like one must have a nursing degree to be eligible to sit for the NCLEX. Also, the Board of Nursing states that "education as a medical doctor is not acceptable to meet registered nursing requirements".

The information that you are seeking for can be found at this site.

www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/applicants/exam-app.pdf

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I plan to call CSUDH later today. I attended the first info session that was held several months ago. You are required to attend the session in order to apply and they charge you $50! All it was was the same info session that all other schools hold. What a racket!!! The reason why I ended up not applying was that "the portfolio" needed to be turned in 30 days after the session. Jorge said that I could turn it in late, but that it would be marked as "received late". I didn't need any of that baloney. Basically, the portfolio is a binder which contains your normal application materials (i.e. statement of purpose, resume, letters of recommendation) plus a few other items such as copies of honors that you have received at school and work. I was also told that I would have to take a couple of extra prerequisite classes that I had not planned to take - critical thinking and epidemiology. Now that I have been rejected by three MSN programs maybe I had better see if I can still apply. Maybe they will make me attend the next information session and charge me an extra $50!!! :madface: I think that Odamae should seriously consider this program though. It is a masters program and it is now in its third year of existence. I am hoping to get into Fullerton, but I need something to fall back on. CSUN is fine, but it will be a worse daily drive from Irvine than going to San Diego.

Kathy

Hi Kathy,

The drive from Irvine to CSUN is painstakingly exhausting. If you do get into the CSUN program, send me a message. I know a nurse who works at Cedars-Sinai but she lives near CSUN. She is willing to let students stay at her place after she interviews you. She's very selective, but I can put in a word for you if you need it. :nuke:

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Hi Oda Mae,

Please don't apologize for bringing up what you consider as "inane questions" :nono: . This forum is for people like you and me to ask various types of questions. As you can tell, everyone here loves to address member's concerns. :wink2:

I do have a response to your post. When nursing students complete their final term of nursing school, they must submit an application along with fees to the California Board of Registered Nursing in order to receive an authorization permit to take the NCLEX examination. The application explicitly states that one must "request official transcripts showing all completed [nursing] coursework and reflect the [nursing] degree awarded and date conferred" (see site below). To answer your question, it does seem like one must have a nursing degree to be eligible to sit for the NCLEX. Also, the Board of Nursing states that "education as a medical doctor is not acceptable to meet registered nursing requirements".

The information that you are seeking for can be found at this site.

www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/applicants/exam-app.pdf

I appreciate this information. I wonder if the statement also applies to an MD educated in the US? That statement was under the section regarding training outside the US. I can see where a foreign medical graduate may want to use the RN as a backdoor entrance into the US healthcare system. Perhaps that is the reason for the restriction. But I have heard of FMG's getting the RN- probably by enrolling in a US program.

OM

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