anyone applying to CU for 2010?

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Is anyone going to put in their application this fall for Spring or Summer 2010?. I'm excited about finally getting to put in my application, I'll be attending the August 1st info session and be applying for the summer session. I will still be taking pre-reqs in the spring and I was so relieved when I found out I don't have to have everything finished to apply. My GPA is currently 4.0 and I should (I hope!) be able to keep that up until next spring. I'll be done all my sciences at the end of this summer semester and only have a couple math, a history and a pile of social sciences to do (music appreciation anyone!). The admission essay is making me nervous, but I have lots of time to work on it - I hope my GPA helps me out and they don't rely on essay alone.

I'd love to be in contact with anyone looking to get into CU.

BTW - I was going to go to DSN, but changed my mind since I decided to retake some old classes, and since we're paying for our own kids to go to college at the same time, needed to keep the cost down.

That's so good to know. Thanks for the info! I will be applying to that internship. Is it hard to get into the internship program? It's also good to know that they want you to succeed. I will try my very hardest, it's great that there are people to help you out if and when you need it. I can't wait to start!!

Specializes in Med/Surg, L&D.

It is actually not as competitive as you would think. There is definitely this idea that you shouldn't work during nursing school and it is NOT true. You really need that experience to get a job! If you ever have any questions or get overwhelmed, feel free to message me anytime!

Ohh, Thank you so much. I'm sure that I will need someone I go to. I will most likely be taking you up on that!

Hi everyone. I received a rejection letter/rollover letter from CU and I am currently looking to boost my experience in the hopes that I may get in next year. I have good grades (4.0 prereqs; 3.77 GPA on my previous Bachelors) but had no experience in health care whatsoever. I just got a volunteer job at hospital so I am excited about that. But does anyone think that earning a CNA certificate would help? I read an earlier post on here that graduating nurses from CU are finding RN jobs easier if they have CNA or EMT experience. Does anyone have any knowledge/opinions on this? Thanks in advance...

Specializes in Med/Surg, L&D.
Hi everyone. I received a rejection letter/rollover letter from CU and I am currently looking to boost my experience in the hopes that I may get in next year. I have good grades (4.0 prereqs; 3.77 GPA on my previous Bachelors) but had no experience in health care whatsoever. I just got a volunteer job at hospital so I am excited about that. But does anyone think that earning a CNA certificate would help? I read an earlier post on here that graduating nurses from CU are finding RN jobs easier if they have CNA or EMT experience. Does anyone have any knowledge/opinions on this? Thanks in advance...

As a soon to be graduate of CU I have a couple of things that may help you out. I had no experience in health care and no experience as a volunteer when I applied and got in. It may be helpful to do those things to have something to talk about in your essay. The essay is the MOST important aspect of your application. Make sure you talk up your diversity experience, even if it has to do with who you went to school with in high school or who you worked with at a restaurant. Talk about your commitment to learning about other cultures. You may want to add to what you are planning on doing with your degree some stuff about non-profit work, educating other nurses, etc. Don't just focus on what area of the hospital you want to work in. Also, when you talk about why you chose nursing, if you can put a personal story in that may help (sick family member, a nurse you look up to, a childhood illness). Really focus on that essay! It is not necessarily about how much experience you have, but what you have learned from your life experiences that will be helpful.

I don't know that having a CNA license would help you get in, but it will help you succeed once you are in school. If you are comfortable in a hospital, are used to dealing with sick people, have experience wiping butt (excuse the bluntness) then you are already over the first hurdle that everyone has when they go to their first clinical. Then you can focus on new procedures, med administration, time management, dealing with cranky instructors/preceptors and care plans.

You are correct in your statement about it being easier to find jobs as a new grad with CNA or EMT experience. Of the people who graduated in December (the ones I have kept in contact with), ONLY the ones that have healthcare experience have found jobs. The school still recommends that people don't work during school, especially the accelerated program. This is completely wrong! I know it is harder to study and schedule when you have a job in nursing school, but it will give you an advantage when you are competing with 100 applicants per RN job. Think if you were a nurse manager and you are looking at resumes. You have two in front of you. Both people have great recommendations from clinical instructors, both have a 4.0 gpa. Both are involved in student organizations. One of them has 2 years of CNA experience and 1 year of Nurse Intern experience. The other has experience at a bank, waitressing and being a secretary- and they have no work experience for the past two years. Which one would you pick?

The job market may be easier to get into when you graduate in a few years, but it will still be helpful to have that experience if you want to get into an in demand area (ICU, ED, L&D). Also, you might as well get a feel for the work while you are waiting to get in. Also, once you get into school (and those of you that are already in) definitely joing CUSNA, student senate and any other organization you can get your hands on. Yes, it will be another demand on your time- but it is great resume building. Oh, and also if you do get a job as a CNA now or a nurse intern during school, make sure you think about where you want to work when you graduate. Hospitals like to hire internal candidates.

Sorry if this is too much info, but it is everything that I wish someone had told me at the beginning of school so that I didn't have to figure it out for myself.

Work in Progress...thank you sooooo much. You are very kind to give so much helpful advice. I guess the only other concern I have is that I thought there was a huge demand for RN's? My mom is a nurse at the VA and says they have to hire temps and travelling nurses because of the nurse demand. Also many baby boomer nurses are retiring nowadays. But, do you know why new grads are having some difficulty getting hired? I have heard this from other people too, but I don't understand why? Why would hospitals bring in temps or travelling nurses that are sooo much more exensive vs. hire a new grad? Is it because hospitals are so overwhelmed that they can't take the time to train a new grad? On the other side of the coin, I have heard of the theory that the current economy is forcing some unhealthy individuals to not seek medical attention because they can't pay, so there is a perceived decrease in the need of nurses right now...This is such a crazy time right now...

Specializes in Med/Surg, L&D.
Work in Progress...thank you sooooo much. You are very kind to give so much helpful advice. I guess the only other concern I have is that I thought there was a huge demand for RN's? My mom is a nurse at the VA and says they have to hire temps and travelling nurses because of the nurse demand. Also many baby boomer nurses are retiring nowadays. But, do you know why new grads are having some difficulty getting hired? I have heard this from other people too, but I don't understand why? Why would hospitals bring in temps or travelling nurses that are sooo much more exensive vs. hire a new grad? Is it because hospitals are so overwhelmed that they can't take the time to train a new grad? On the other side of the coin, I have heard of the theory that the current economy is forcing some unhealthy individuals to not seek medical attention because they can't pay, so there is a perceived decrease in the need of nurses right now...This is such a crazy time right now...

No problem. I hope it actually helps. The reasons for new grads not getting hired are numerous. There is still a nursing shortage that will get worse as the baby boomers retire. It is still a good career path. The reasons different nurse recruiters have given me for not hiring new grads is:

1) Nurses who were going to retire have put off retirement because a) they lost their retirement fund when the markets took a turn or b) their spouse was laid off

2) Part time nurses have increased to full time due to their spouse losing a job.

3) Nurses that had left the profession are coming back due to layoffs in their current career or their spouse lost a job

4) It is extremely expensive to train a new graduate, and you may not see a return on your investment. They told me that training one new grad costs anywhere from $100,000- $200,000. This includes the cost of paying you and a preceptor for your 6-24 week orientation (paying two people for one job), your salary, any additional training classes (most hospitals offer many of these to new grads), mentorship programs, etc. A lot of times a new grad will start on a med/surg floor or something of the sort. Then after all of the money and time is invested in training them, they will leave after a year to pursue a specialty (ICU, ED). This lack of return on investment makes it actually cheaper to hire travel and agency nurses.

5) There are so many people returning to the field that nurse recruiters have many qualified applicants for each unqualified one. It is just more cost effective to hire the experienced one.

6) In Denver, a lot of nursing schools have opened in the last few years. There are a lot of nurses graduated each semester and not enough entry level jobs. If you go to CU or Regis, you have a leg up on the competition, though.

Everyone says (recruiters, managers, professors) that as the economy continues to improve, people will leave the profession again. All of those retirees will actually retire, people will go back to other careers or to being stay at home moms, people will go back to part time work. The hospitals will be able to afford the new grad training again. They say it is still a good career to go into. And, even though that first job will be hard to get, after you have experience it should be easy to get a job any time after that.

I think you guys are perfectly placed to ride out the economic storm. If you start school this year or in the next couple of years, you should get out just as they are starting to hire new grads again! Good choice of times!

Work in Progress, I really appreciate your thoroughness in your responses and it all makes sense. I find it a very interesting dynamic between the nursing shortage and the downturned economy which initially were unrelated and now how the 2 issues have intertwined into our current situation. It's good to know that nursing is a career that many people can come back to at really any point in their lives. Best of luck to you and thank you again for sharing your insights.

Hi all, well, I received "the call" today, offering me a spot in the summer start traditional program and of course I accepted! Still somewhat in shock, but very excited. I am meeting with Sue tomorrow to put down my deposit and get all of my materials. I noticed that one of you set up a facebook group--mind if I join you there?

still can't believe it!

A

Limeade: Congrats!:yeah: That is so exciting!! Please join the fb group!

OK, I know an old thread, but I just got accepted to the accelerated program starting in January. Has anyone completed or in the accelerated program? Any suggestions, tips? The info session was a little vague on what it actually looked like and I am having a hard time finding info on how to prepare - besides holding on tight!

Congrats derjac! They say that getting in is the hardest part of nursing school, so you got that out of the way :) I started the accelerated program at CU this summer and I'm really loving it. I don't know if you have this info but I am including a link that lists the schedule of classes you are going to take by semester.

http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/nursing/programs-admissions/bachelors-programs/Documents/pdf/AccelProgofStudyJanStart.pdf

For your first semester most classes will be 3-4 hours long and meet once a week. Health Assessment and Fundamentals also includes a 4-5 hour lab component. The Professional Nursing class is online only. You will start weekly clinical rotations during the summer. They go over a lot during the orientation day so you can get a lot of your questions answered there. The teachers are awesome and they continually let you know that they are there to help you succeed. Don't be afraid to ask for extra help if you need it.

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