Application photo?

Nursing Students General Students

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Other than to see someones ethnicity what is the purpose for attaching a photo to an application? Isn't this against the law and discrimination?

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Oh my! I can't see how in the word that would be legal! That's funny...at least for those of us not applying to that program!

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A photo shows more than ethnicity...

Candidate A)

biggest-burger.jpg

Candidate B)

obama8.jpg

Ive made my point.

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I had to attach a photo to my application too. That was 2 years ago. I never thought anything about it. I know here to apply for a job with the chicago police dept etc, you have to send a photo also.

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Well this is for Bridgeport Hospital School of Nursing here in CT. I applied last year and didn't get in but never thought about the photo until now because I'm applying again. I know the competition is VERY tuff but it makes me wonder how they go about selecting their applicants.

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I've been in admmissions (grad and undergrad) for over 20 years. A former employer used to use photos in freshmen applications. There were 3 reasons for this:

1. Identify gender (we had many international applicants)

2. Identify ethnicity

3. Remind the admissions counselor if they had met the applicant in person before (sort of to jog the memory).

My present school does not use photos at all. We want the admissions committee to focus on the portfolio (application, recommendations, transcripts, etc) only.

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

Until recently, the Texas BON required a photo to be submitted with the initial application for licensure.

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Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.
Until recently, the Texas BON required a photo to be submitted with the initial application for licensure.

I had to submit a photo to the NCBON.

When I took NCLEX they photographed me in the anteroom and fingerprinted me. Then I stepped thru a door into a small foyer (not 6 feet away and no other way in or out) and they checked my photo and prints before I could enter the test room!! If you had to leave the test room they fingerprinted you again before readmission to the test room.

Whew!!

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

Haha, yikes.

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I'm not sure about the photos for the application process, and here is why.

I used to work in an academic department at a health care system and was the coordinator for the residency program. In the past, applicants had to supply a photo with their application, and that photo was made immediately available to all faculty reviewing the file. At one point (probably about 8 years ago) they changed this and the photo was held by the coordinator (or person handling the applications as they came in) until the candidates that were being interviewed were selected, then they could look at the photos prior to the interview.

About a year or two after that they went to an electronic application system where it was up to the applicant if they WANTED to submit a photo. If they did, the faculty reviewing applications could not access the photo until the applicant had been selected for interview.

These practices were put in place to prevent discrimination and cultural bias in the candidate selection process. The school that you are applying to may have a similar situation in place, where the photo is only viewed after the candidate is selected for interview.

Hope that helps!

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Im an applying to Bridgeport as well. I have a BS in Biological Sciences from UCONN. My GPA is not that great, 2.9 but I have some impressive course work on my list. I have all my pre recs done with B or above taken at UCONN and I have years of experience national and international involving humanitarian involvement on Health Care. I don't want my photo to be a close up glamor shot not do I want to send in my bland passport picture. So, I decided to send a photo of me with a boy named Ben, who was my friend at a camp for people with and without special needs. He was my age but had down's and I was his full time "side kick". It's a cute pic, we are in front of a lake lying down on the grass, he is holding me, I am wearing a flower print dress and a good part of my legs are showing, and I have a sun cap on. I choose this photo because I represents a moment in my life when I felt a strong urge to go into the health care field and really made my decision to become a nurse. This photo is directly related to my personal statement which is about camp. Am I being too flashy? Do they use the photo simply for identification purposes or to glance deeper into you personality? Should I include a short explanation or a reference in my personal statement? Please help! I need to send out my app asap. :)

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
Im an applying to Bridgeport as well. I have a BS in Biological Sciences from UCONN. My GPA is not that great, 2.9 but I have some impressive course work on my list. I have all my pre recs done with B or above taken at UCONN and I have years of experience national and international involving humanitarian involvement on Health Care. I don't want my photo to be a close up glamor shot not do I want to send in my bland passport picture. So, I decided to send a photo of me with a boy named Ben, who was my friend at a camp for people with and without special needs. He was my age but had down's and I was his full time "side kick". It's a cute pic, we are in front of a lake lying down on the grass, he is holding me, I am wearing a flower print dress and a good part of my legs are showing, and I have a sun cap on. I choose this photo because I represents a moment in my life when I felt a strong urge to go into the health care field and really made my decision to become a nurse. This photo is directly related to my personal statement which is about camp. Am I being too flashy? Do they use the photo simply for identification purposes or to glance deeper into you personality? Should I include a short explanation or a reference in my personal statement? Please help! I need to send out my app asap. :)
I'd stay away from the photo laying on the grass with Ben holding you... not quite the professional image that you're looking for (despite the sweet reason behind it). I would go with a shoulders-up photo of you wearing a conservative blouse and a neat, conservative hairdo... minimal make-up... smile with both your mouth and your eyes.
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