Anyone applying to direct entry msn programs in California?

diddle · Mar 3, 2007

Hey everyone!

ChickenLLBird--Was it UCSF that you got accepted to? I got accepted too!! YIPEE!! That means we will meet in June! I will be on the lookout for you. Congrats! Were you admitted to the FNP specialty track or another one? I have been admitted to the FNP track.

And to all you SMC FNPers- I want to wish the best of luck to all of you! We are all going in to an amazing career!

Take care and keep me posted! And RockyPooh, please feel free to still send me a private message if you want. I would like to help in any way that I can.

Take care and good luck!

~diddle

BerkeleyMom · Mar 3, 2007

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pivotpivot · Mar 7, 2007

Got an interview at Cal State LA!

BerkeleyMom · Mar 7, 2007

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lizcakes · Mar 7, 2007

Hi All! Congrats on everyone's interviews and acceptances! :balloons:

I've been reading this thread, but have had yet to post. But I've applied to 3 CA programs - UCSF, USD and UCLA and didn't get into UCSF, waitlisted at USD and still waiting on UCLA. I have gotten into Columbia for the FNP, so that is a great option I have.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi and good luck to all on interviews and those who are making decisions!

BerkeleyMom · Mar 7, 2007

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Asherah, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2007

BerkMom,

Argh, you have no idea...oh wait, YOU DO! In my case I chose to apply to one school (UCLA) as I really did not believe myself to be a competitive candidate for Yale, Columbia, UCSF or JH during the application process.

As the UCLA notification date draws near I find myself second guessing myself and the different components of my application that I could have presented in a better way, better grades, personal statement, etc. I just continuously stop and remind myself that I put my best foot forward and if its meant to be then it shall be. If not, there is always the next go 'round.

I just wish I had applied to other schools this time around and had the chance to see if I've had enough of what they were looking for to make it!

pivotpivot · Mar 7, 2007

You would not believe the paranoia one goes through! Even just to get this interview I had to jump through hoops. Luckily they've agreed to give me a phone interview (first one in the history of CSULA's ELMN program) since I live in Vancouver. I feel relieved since it is a phone interview, but I'm also afraid that it may put me at a disadvantage. Another thing that's a downer is that I won't have other applicants to bounce ideas off and I won't be able to get a feel for what my class/cohort will be like.

I look forward to the program. Now that everything is becoming finalized, I'm relieved... no more head shakes of disappointment from my family for graduating with a degree I couldn't make good use of.

God bless direct entry programs!

rockybeanz · Mar 8, 2007

Berkmom,

Hope your doing good, and the stress and anxiety level as declined. . How'd the interview at SMC go? Was it a panel or just one person interviwing you. I can't wait for their reply, let us know asap. okay?? Stay in touch.

BerkeleyMom · Mar 8, 2007

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Testa Rosa, RN · Mar 8, 2007

Hello Everyone:

Had my interview with Samuel Merritt for ELMS-Case Management on Monday. There were three interviews held at the same time, so three of us were in the waiting room together but we each went to different interviewers for one-on-one interviews. There was no request for confidentiality with CM interviews--probably becuase it's less impacted than the NP program--so I feel OK in letting you all know about the interview process. But, in all honestly, there is little to let you know as it was a very conversational process. I probably asked more questions than were asked of me. The only question I can remember was why the ELMS Case Mgmt over the Acclerated or NP program....and if you knew my background it was an obvious answer. My recommendation is to be honest and put all your cards out on the table. The woman interviewing me was a high level professor, and a very intuitive sort. It was clear she had me figured out within five minutes, and I was able to mine her for valuable advice about what to do to prepare for nursing school over the summer.

We had a shared history of recent deaths and hardships, so she understood my motives completely. She also understood my roadblocks to accepting any offer from SMC and made sure I had appropriate information. She ended the interview by stating that she would be recommending me for early admission and that I needed to make some hard decisions fairly soon.

Everyone there is just so wonderful and the college is clearly excellent. I would so love to get my degree at SMC, but am finding the thought of taking on that level of expense just heart-stopping. My parents already paid once around for my MBA, and I have kids to raise and put through college soon. Given that I do want to get into case mgmt one day, I will probably go the CSU BSN route, and then go to SMC for my Masters. It will be about $60,000 cheaper and in this way and less daunting....although longer timewise.

Regarding my stats, I have a 3.7 GPA overall with my entire lifes course work...tons of units with my poorer grades from when I was a young San Diego surfer girl; but think I have all A's in all the core prereqs that SMC expects, with an exception of a B in chem. I scored just average on the NET, as I took cold it in the middle of finals. Can't remember my score exactly anymore, want to say it was 83. But I did include my GRE and TEAS test scores in my package, which were very strong. I also had 8 letters of recommendation: 2 from my prior work life....a career I loved until life pulled me in a different direction, 2 from my school career, 1 from my volunteer work at John Muir, 1 from the hospice nurse that helped me in care-taking for my parents in their final months, 1 from my kid's developmental pediatrician, 1 from my oncologist (breast cancer survivor)....don't think I included a couple of the letters though as they were TMI, and too personal and was scared if they asked questions around the issue I would end up a bawling mess. Also included my certificate for CPR and as a "Seizure awareness and first aid trainer" from the Epilepsy Foundation. Think I wrote a pretty good goal stmt letter too. But did it fast over a weekend, so it probably could've been better.

I did water up a bit during the interview, when I was asked to talk in detail about some difficult experiences. But I caught it before it welled into a full blown tear. I was very proud of how I held it together--and the interviewer noticed and commented on this at the end.

Also, there is a short written prompt, real easy and quick, they as you to do for 30 minutes after the interview. I did not get a chance to eat my breakfast that morning with rushing three kids and myself out the door. My interview was at 11am, and by the time it was over and I was seated to do my couple paragraphs it was 12:30 and the smells of food were all over that third floor. I finished that writing prompt in ten minutes.

Testa Rosa, RN · Mar 10, 2007

Just wanted to follow up that I got a call today saying I was accepted into SMC Case Mgmt program.