Anyone a former UNC ABSN student? Admissions notification date, etc.

AspiringNurse2008 · Sep 23, 2008

I also have the same question, November seems to be really late to notify accepted students, especially if your out of state! I applied to the 24-month program and I am anxiously awaiting a response. How competitive is the 24-month program anyway?

Oh and in response to your question, I obviously am not a currently nursing student but UNC SON is one of the best in the country. I think it is like #5 or 6 based on rankings from US News and World Report! Its my first choice, plus I would purse a BSN from a 4-year university. A community college will only give u your associates and unless you want to limit yourself to the bedside a BSN will give you more opportunities in the field as well as more $$$!!!!!

silverethereium · Oct 17, 2008

Yes, the response does come rather late. I heard towards the end of November last year (I'm currently in my 3rd out of the 4 semesters in the ABSN program), which isn't alot of time, you are quite right. It can be done, though. I moved from New Jersey down here permanently (so with all of my things), which means it is possible to quit a full time job, find an apartment, organize a move, get all of the paperwork together the school requires, get loans organized, and all of that fun stuff in a month. It's not exactly the most enjoyable thing, but it's possible.

Good luck, and if you do get in and decide to come, it's a really great program. ALOT of work...but then I suppose you have to expect that. If you want to know anything else, let me know.

AspiringNurse2008 · Oct 17, 2008

silverethereium, do you mind me asking how competitive the program was to get in? were all you prerequisites complete when you applied? do you know what the average gpa was for students admitted with you? i am also an out of state student who is worried about my chances because of that. i have heard so many stories about completing you prerequisites being a main factor in admission to the program. i see that you applied to the 14-month program so i am sure that your experience is a little different than mine will be if i am admitted because i applied to the 24 month, but can you tell me a little about your day to day schedule. also you said late november notifications were sent out???? i am so anxious i feel like i wont be able to wait that long.....lol how did you deal with the anticipation....? oh, and please tell me how do you like chapel hill, since your from jersey it must have been quite a change of pace.....

silverethereium · Oct 18, 2008

Bear with me, this is a long response:

It is quite competitive from out of state. They mostly accept in-state students, being a state school, so it makes it more difficult from out of state. Yes, prerequisites are a BIG factor. They have a sort of point system they place on certain things in the application, and finishing all of your prerequisites before you apply is worth alot (I asked this as well, and this is how it was explained to me). I had all of mine done when I applied, so I guess it did help.

As far as average GPA, I'm not sure what it was for my class. I know they require at least a 3.0 or they won't consider your application. I know people on the low and higher end...from what I know, many were above a 3.5.

As for day to day schedule, it varies with the semester, so I'll break it up.

First is all lecture classes, for both ABSN and BSN. You don't start clinicals until second semester. For ABSN, we had 7 classes first semester, which felt like a ridiculous amount of work, but honestly, it was the easiest semester yet. A genetics class (light one. Nothing like the one I took as a bio major), nutrition, pharmacology, pathology, health assessment, development, and concepts/skills class. We had classes every day, and the tests did tend to bunch up. You work alot, but it's doable. With the BSN, I think you take pharm second semester and some of the other classes are rearranged, but it depends on whether you start in January or the other start date. Actually, I still have the class sheet so I can tell you. BSN's had Development, Discipline of nursing I, Nutrition, Concepts/skills, Patho, and health assessment. So one less class and a bit different.

We had med/surg and psych clinicals second semester during a summer session, which I think made it more stressful with the shorter time. Med/Surg is certainly the most work, since the clinical writeups (care plans) take alot of time. We had clinicals 3 days of the week, all 8 hours of class on friday, and monday was "free". I put that in quotes because it really wasn't. You had to go in to get your patient and get all of the information to do your research and writeup to be prepared to care for the patient tuesday and wednesday. We also had discipline I (the one the BSN students took 1st semester). So that took most of the day, actually. So that was my most stressful semester yet. BSN's only had one clincial (med/surg) and pharmacology.

This semester is maternity and peds for the clinicals, and the schedule is much lighter than the summer. We're doing half and half with clinicals, so while lecture goes all semester, I had maternity clinical first half (just finished), and I'm starting peds clinical this coming Monday. We also have a research class, a class that is basically another research class combined with clinical time and work experience (practicum in nursing), and a discipline II class. I had clinical for 12 hours monday (UNC is experimenting with having 12 hour clinicals now, but you have a choice between that or two 6 hour days), Tuesday and Wed off (or used for the practicum class. You pretty much set your own schedule), and Thursday and Friday lecture classes. Starting this Monday, however, my Peds clinical is on Tuesday, and Monday I have to go in and get my patient (like med/surg), so more work in that sense. BSN's have research, genetics, peds, and psych (the psych and peds clinicals go for half and half like the ABSN's schedule).

Our last semester, we will have Discipline III, Community health, leadership, and Capstone. BSN's have Discipline II and III together, community health, and maternity. BSN's also have two extra semesters. So your fifth semester (summer) consists of a work experience (like our practicum, except more like a work experience and less like a research class, I've been told), and the 6th semester is leadership and the capstone.

So yeah, the simple explanation is that it is alot of work. You WILL have hard days. Everyone does. You feel like you just can't do it, but then, somehow, you get through it. It is doable, trust me. You just have to prepare yourself. It was a major shock for me, since I had been out working since graduating with my biology degree for three years, so I was out of the college grove. I know people that still work part-time (I have no idea how), but this is discouraged by the school and I would advise against it for the ABSN. But I believe more BSN students work, since they have a bit more free time.

As for Chapel Hill, it is a really nice town. Very much a college town. The campus is really pretty (and huge), but all of the classes for the nursing school are in one place, so you don't have to be running all over the campus. It's certainly different than Jersey, but, in my opinion, it's a good sort of different.

Chapel Hill also has a free bus system (yes free. You don't have to pay, just get on and go) since there is very very little parking on campus. It comes out of tax money, but up front at least, it's free So basically anywhere in Chapel Hill and Carrboro you can hop on a bus to get to campus and save gas and frustration. The other nice thing is that you have access to the whole triangle area (Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill), so there's plenty to do in your (minimal) free time.

One other thing you should know is that clinicals aren't all at UNC hospital. It's kind of important you have a car or know someone (but this isn't generally to hard. Students are generally very friendly), since clinical placements are all over the triangle. You can choose, but it's first come/first serve on registration day, and trust me, you have to be fast at the keyboard to get what you want. I've been at Durham Regional, UNC, and WakeMed (in Raleigh). I do find that it's nice to experience the different environments, though, so I consider it a plus.

Also know that they require CPR class (only the american heart association class, not the red cross. Trust me, they won't accept it), but they offer it during the semester, so you don't need it before you come. You will also need to get certified as a NA if you aren't already for the work experience class, but the school sets that up for those who need it when the time comes, so no need to worry about that.

Ok, I should end this, since I probably typed way too much, but I tend to do that. So any more specifics, lemme know.

lms1185 · Oct 25, 2008

For ABSN admissions, the School of Nursing doesn't consider residency. Residency is only an issue for first-year students.

I applied for the 6-term BSN for January admission, and I received my notification yesterday (Oct. 24th). The letter was postmarked on the 23rd, and since I live in Chapel Hill, it only took a day for me to receive it. So you should hear back very soon, if you haven't already.

AspiringNurse2008 · Oct 27, 2008

IMS1185, congrats on your acceptance! :yeah: I am awaiting notification of my status! I am more than anxious, and I have become a bit obssesive compulsive in my attempts to figure out if I am in or out.... LOL! I did check my application homepage and it was last accessed by UNC on the 21st aroud 7:42, just as yours was... I dont know what that means but I hoping that its positive! Either way I may or may not join you at UNC but thanks for all your help! Oh did you have all of your pre-requisites complete when you applied?

lms1185 · Oct 27, 2008

IMS1185, congrats on your acceptance! I am awaiting notification of my status! I am more than anxious, and I have become a bit obssesive compulsive in my attempts to figure out if I am in or out.... LOL! I did check my application homepage and it was last accessed by UNC on the 21st aroud 7:42, just as yours was... I dont know what that means but I hoping that its positive! Either way I may or may not join you at UNC but thanks for all your help! Oh did you have all of your pre-requisites complete when you applied?

It seems like I was the only one who wasn't getting really anxious. I honestly wasn't expecting a response until closer to the notification deadline, so I completely freaked out when I opened my mailbox Friday night.

I completed all my pre-requisites while I was finishing up my first degree, so they were complete when I applied.

I wish you the best of luck and hopefully you will be at Carolina with me. I applied for the 6-term BSN instead of the ABSN because I just figured the ABSN would be more competitive, and I'd rather spend extra time in school rather than killing time to reapply if I wasn't accepted.

vidabug · Nov 1, 2008

I got my letter of acceptance mailed on the 24th of October so I know that they are going out. Good luck!!