Any VCU AMSN/ABSN Summer 2012 Hopefuls?

U.S.A. Virginia

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Hi everyone, I'm new to allnurses.com. I recently applied to VCU's accelerated MSN program. I KNOW I'M EARLY, BUT I'M VERY ANXIOUS. The deadline is nov 1st. We won't hear anything back till February. I just wanted to put something out here to see what people thought, who applied, and if they know anything about admission process. Any input and insight is welcomed. (amount of students accepted, gpa calculation, etc.)

Talk to you soon,

mas28

Specializes in APRN / Critical Care Neuro.

Thank you for the vote of confidence. That is the one thing I waiver on. My children are 2 (will be 3 in November) and 6 months. I actually took my GRE when I was 38 weeks pregnant! :eek: I should have gotten extra points for that I think! LOL My husband and I had decided that we didn't want to put having a family on hold, but if I was going to do this I needed to do it while the children are young so that I can be established in my "new" career by the time they start school. I may not want my kids remembering when mommy went nuts while she was in school and we never had clean clothes! LOL :D

I wish you all the best for the AMSN. I thought about applying to both to increase my odds. I would love to get my MSN, but in reality it is going to be hard on us to commit time to the BSN. My husband wants to get his Master's as well before he retires from his first to give him a leg up on whatever he does as his second career...so maybe I will be able to get my masters later?

Sorry for the long story and thanks for reading. I am just so nervous and had to know if I was alone in my boat. Thanks again for letting me know I am not.

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NoleMercy,

I work with many nurses and I wanted to know if you feel you are prepared for your tests/exams/checkoffs properly. You hear so many horror stories about the teacher didn't prepare for you this, or never went over the material. Do you feel like you are prepared for your tests? Are there be any pearls of wisdom you can share with us about tests, studying, etc.?

Also, I saw on the VCU website that a laptop, clinical tracker, and Ipod is required for the program. True? Do you wear scrubs everyday or just clinicals. I saw from the photos that they are personalized as well. I can't speak for everyone else here, but I will taking student loans to cover tuition, if you have taken loans, was everything a smooth transition. Thanks for all your insight!

mas28

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Ok to answer the best I can all the questions I saw...

Don't worry about being an "old dog" and what you did in the past DOES matter I think... the program likes to create a diverse group. While yes, a lot of the group is in their 20s, there are quite a few people 30 and older (I'd say maybe 15?) one of the women in our program gave birth I think 6 weeks before the program starts? So it is manageable! But lots of time management. I work as a care partner at MCV, I work another job in Charlottesville, I volunteer with a rescue squad 40 hours a month, go full time and managed to get everything done last semester, so it's doable. I think maybe about 25% of our program has kids and they make it work. I think 40 hours is a good time allotment as we're in classes for 20-25 hours a week, with 20 hours of studying time. Summer I is intense because its 8 credits in 8 weeks... Fall I is intense because of the pathopharm classes you take, but it IS manageable. A sample of my day so I can stay on track with everything I want to accomplish/be healthy/lose weight:

6 a.m. wake up

7 a.m. gym

815 a.m. library for studying

1-8 p.m. clinical

8-10 p.m. dinner/shower/relax at home, bed.

But you can choose morning or night clinicals which is great in the flexibility of your schedule/what works for you. :) Most people have classes 4 days a week this semester, I have 5 days, but 2 of those days are only 3 hours each. Depends all when your clinicals are. It's nice because not only can you pick the time, but also on for example the "Adults" rotation, you can pick which unit in the hospital that is available, that you want to do it in. Cardio, Onco, Trauma, etc.

I have no clue yet on how I feel about the job search (ask me again next year :)) depends on what you want. Not EVERYONE can be a hospital nurse (but some of us don't want to be -- I'd eventually like to be a flight nurse with some experience). But I do know getting a care partner position either after your first summer, or Fall I is a good way to get in the door as you are considered an "internal" applicant, plus on the MCV application they even have a "did you go to VCU, prior MCV experience from what I hear.

I feel like I'm pretty prepared for the exams/checkoffs... I'm in pathophys this semester which scares the **** out of me just because I do not come from a science background whatsoever and in the past, science has always been sore for me. However, when it comes to everything else so far I've been okay with it. There is some trepidation when it comes to actually doing skills on units, however, professors and clinical faculty are there with you every step of the way as you're learning. But you do have to learn to have a voice -- I have no problem speaking up to ask for help or have someone watch me do something first. But you do have to make it your own experience and jump at opportunities when you can get them. With the tests, each class is different really on what I would recommend to do... but you DO have to put the time into studying. I have problems paying attention in class (some days are 7 - 8 hours long with classes as you have clinicals the next couple of days) and I have the attention span of a gerbil... so I make sure I go back the next couple of days and look over the presentations myself and read to clarify whatever I need to.

Laptop is pretty beneficial (bring them to class for notes), the clinical tracker is a software program we purchase which is pretty neat which for example when we graduate we can use with future employers to show them the myriad of pts and skills we've had. Scrubs we only wear on clinical days, but some people like wearing them whenever (which is not weird) just because you don't have to think when you get out of bed in the morning/it's easy. I would recommend getting at least 2 sets though because you will have semesters with 2 sets of clinicals, and it's nice to not have to do laundry at night if your days are back to back.

I also took out loans --- and NEVER took them out before so I was lost. It wasn't until April or so that I realized that the federal loans wouldn't cover everything (as I needed living expenses etc.) so that I needed a private loan as well - but once I got the first semester out of the way/kinks from that it's been smooth sailing. The SON financial aid lady is great!

Hope this helps...

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Specializes in APRN / Critical Care Neuro.

great information! Thank you so much for your time. :yeah:

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Yes, thank you NoleMercy for all the information you have provided us! Well guys, I guess now it's a waiting game! This is killing me! I sincerely hope and pray all of us get in. Good luck, talk to you soon,

mas28

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Wow kellyski, I believe truly that you will get in. Your story is incredible and I hope you turn that around to an awesome personal statement!

I took NoleMercy's advice and am attending their info session Oct. 7...anyone else doing it as well?

Has anyone else turned in their application?

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Marwa T, I applied already back in August. I attended an information session in the beginning of summer. I have wanted to go to vcu ever since I found out about their amsn program. The information session is really informative. You will get a handout of what entering students gpa and stats were. The only issue I had was the method they compiled their gpa. They wouldn't say. They just said it was cumulative. They didn't say if they used last 60 credit hours is undergrad gpa wasn't competitive. They didn't say if it was compiled off of pre required courses. Other than that, It was very useful. Make sure to bring all your questions. Mine lasted about an hour.

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Wow I feel like I'm behind! I have only drafted my personal statement! I'll get on it and my goal is to get my portion of the application in by my info session. Those are good questions. I'll take a stab at it and post any new information I get. The reason why I want to go to the session is to learn more about the program and see what the campus is like. However it is a good idea to find out exactly how they choose their candidates for the program.

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No worries Marwa T. You still have plenty of time. Just keep in mind that the application deadline is November 1st. So be sure to check on transcripts, test score reports, and reference/evaluations. These are what took the longest to come for me in this whole experience . I'm waiting on my score report to get to me and them as we speak. You still have plenty of time. Keep us posted! Good luck!

mas28

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Thanks mas28! I was wondering in terms of the score reports, did you take the GRE or did you send in SAT scores? My SATs weren't spectacular but I'm not one to do great on standardized testing I would say. Do you guys think I should send in old SATs or take the GRE?

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Here is the thing MarwaT. I submitted SAT scores because I'm taking the new GRE test and the scores won't be available until November 8th. (7 days after the VCU deadline! Yikes!) If you didn't register in aug/sep the scores won't be available until later than that.

So to complete my application by the Nov 1st deadline, I'm submitting SAT scores. Then once my scores are available on the 8th of Nov., they can link them to my application. This was the advice of VCU SON admissions. They need some form of standardized test scores on file in order for them to even look at your application. So I would submit both!

I personally would submit SAT scores to complete your app. and then take your GRE's as soon as possible. Plus your GRE scores can go with you wherever you apply. Hopefully you won't need to apply anywhere else, but in the event you don't get in, at least you have taken your GRE's and that is already out the way for other schools.

If you sign up to take test by the 31st you get to take the new GRE for half the price. It's the new computer based GRE, but you can take it for 80 bucks!! The only catch is that you have to take it by the 31st and you really should prepare. That's up to you.

I'm taking my GRE's next week as a matter of fact. Wish me luck!

Right now I'm waiting on SAT scores to be found and sent to VCU and myself. If you have taken them several years ago, it takes 2 to 4 weeks to process your order, because they have to search for them. That's why I recommend getting the ball rolling on your test score reports as soon as possible.

Hope this helps, Good luck!

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p.s. I'm thinking & hoping they look at the entire person. So even if you aren't the best test taker, or are not as strong in one aspect of your application, they will look at your other strengths to determine acceptance.

Keep us posted,

mas28

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