I wanted to start a thread for all of us who are applying to various nursing schools in the area for 2010. I have applied to five different places: OHSU-Monmouth, University of Portland, Portland Community College, The University of Washington, and Boise State University. I wanted to cover myself and hopefully ensure that I would get in somewhere. I have a really good GPA and experience as an EMT-Basic so I am hoping that that will help my chances.
Just waiting it out until they send out notifications.....I just want to hear back!!!
2010 Student-any advice for PCC? I am very nervous...
Amylush-I got an interview @PCC with 57 points, didn't apply to Mt. Hood. Waiting on a letter from CCC but I only had 55 points there...hopefully we should know within the week!
I guess I just have doubts in my ability to sell myself. I am absolutely POSITIVE of my career path as a Nurse, this is not a whim, this is not a phase, I was born to do this! I found out I wanted to be a nurse in high school when I volunteered at the Portland VA for an internship opportunity. I worked in the OR department and I got to prep rooms pre-op and clean them post-op. I stocked supplies, I transported organs and fluids for transplants and even got to be in the room for several surgeries! It was the coolest experience ever, and they liked me so well they gave me a paid summer job in Pre-Op as a receptionist. I wrote and revised schedules, entered insurance info, helped patients, helped the nurses, etc. I worked right along side the nurses 40 hours per week for 2 1/2 months, and it was then that I knew what I wanted to do.
That was ten years ago, and I still want to be a nurse. Every personality profile or test I have taken (Discover assessment etc...) have all scored me to be a Nurse Practitioner or a Nurse Anesthetist as my two top jobs. But when they are asking for examples like "Tell me about time when you had a difficult customer, how did you handle it..." or "What personal values and qualities do you have that set you apart from everyone else applying to this program? Why should we admit you?" I always freeze up...I have a hard time talking about myself like that. I can talk about my experiences and how amazing they were, but I can't sell myself about how great I did at them...
Sorry I'm rambling, just wondering how everyone else is preparing for this or does this? I REALLY want and need to get in, and I am so afraid if I don't... any advice how to overcome this? I am just gonna practice for awhile I suppose....any replies appreciated tho! I don't think I'll sleep well tonight....
You are lucky to have figured out what you want to do so early. My advice would be to think about why you want to be a nurse and skills that you have that would make you good at it. If for some reason you dont get in just know that this is what you want and you are going to make it happen for yourself! Good luck!
I suggest thinking of the questions they might ask, and writing out a practice essay (on the computer). This is what I did before my OHSU proctored essay. That one didn't go so well, but I used a lot of the material I came up with while preparing. Also check this link out Interview questions - Nursing for Nurses I found it good prep. for my MHCC interview. If you want to have time to edit/ fine tune, you really need to have done all your brainstorming before you come in, know what I mean.
I think it is also really important to remember that this portion if the process is extremely stressful for every single person applying. We're all in the same boat, so go in there and do your best!
I suggest thinking of the questions they might ask, and writing out a practice essay (on the computer). This is what I did before my OHSU proctored essay. That one didn't go so well, but I used a lot of the material I came up with while preparing. Also check this link out Interview questions - Nursing for Nurses I found it good prep. for my MHCC interview. If you want to have time to edit/ fine tune, you really need to have done all your brainstorming before you come in, know what I mean.
I think it is also really important to remember that this portion if the process is extremely stressful for every single person applying. We're all in the same boat, so go in there and do your best!
I did the same thing in preparing for my OHSU and LCC essay, and it worked for me. I think spending time writing out some of my experiences made it easier to really get my points across on the real essays.
Oh thank you sooo much! That was incredibly helpful! I was already brainstorming possible questions and crafting answers and these were exactly what I was looking for! I have been working all evening on preparing and did some practice oral questioning with my fiance (in case they have an oral component), and just to vocalize and articulate my answers more concisely. Good luck everyone tomorrow! :-D I'll be there at one and Ill have a short sleeved jacket with a turquoise blouse with lots of beads on it, come say hi when its over! I hope we all get in!!
WHEW! That was scary! I am so mad, they claimed to have had the computers set to the settings required for the essays and not to change anything, but the settings were way wrong!! So when the lady announced 5 mins left I had a question because something looked weird and the lady came over and we discovered the settings were wrong! I had already had a lady come double check everything for me once, and they missed it! So I had to delete a key part of my essay to fit into the 2 page max. I had edited my essay down to the last word to fit onto the 2 pages...ARG! I will be complaining to someone, because that was wrong. I still feel like all that practice paid off and my essay was fairly strong. I had a lot more to say, but I did what I could with 2 pages! Letters will be mailed the week of May 17th! Good luck everyone!
just some friendly advice--be careful what you say on this forum. the subject of the interviews and essays are generally supposed to be confidential to make it fair for everyone. if you give info like this away, its a very bad start to your nursing education, and you are giving others an edge when you do this as well.
when they say its private or confidential, they mean it, and all kinds of faculty and adminstrators stalk this site just looking for people who cheat. don't be one of them. keep specific details and info about interviews to yourself.
just some friendly advice--be careful what you say on this forum. the subject of the interviews and essays are generally supposed to be confidential to make it fair for everyone. if you give info like this away, its a very bad start to your nursing education, and you are giving others an edge when you do this as well.
when they say its private or confidential, they mean it, and all kinds of faculty and adminstrators stalk this site just looking for people who cheat. don't be one of them. keep specific details and info about interviews to yourself.
I agree with what you wrote. I considered posting something similar to you earlier, but didn't want to draw more attention to the subject. Also, the damage (however minor the person posting may have felt it was) was done. I was in the first group of people 9:00 AM on Tuesday and because of the post(s) here, I feel at a disadvantage compared to the later groups.
I feel similarly to the last couple of posts. I have to agree that there is a reason, and a good reason that the proctored essay questions are not revealed ahead of time. I also sat for a Tuesday session, and I am also a bit disappointed in the content of some of the previous posts.
However, Bent is right, the damage, if any, has been done. So now I just hope for the best for myself, and for the rest of you.
Gosh, I really hope that my posts are not being lumped in here. I did share my strategy for preparing, but absolutely nothing that was particular to any of the essays I sat for. I regarded it as how I might share my method for studying for an exam. I had not seen the questions when I posted.
Sorry that some are feeling this way. And, of course, good luck to all!
lp.anna10
4 Posts
I am very happy for those who got invited for the interview at PCC or Mt. Hood.(2010):)
I did't get invited and I had 55-56 points.
What was total points earned these who got invited for the interview?
Can someone tell me please?