Applying to UC - Denver for Spring 2014 UCAN Program

U.S.A. Colorado

Published

Hello Everyone,

I started this thread for everyone applying to the University of Colorado Denver University of Colorado Accelerated Nursing program starting in January 2014. This will be my third time applying, so I'm hoping the third time is the charm! The application is due June 15th. I also had interviews for the last two cycles and saw that the interview is tentatively scheduled for July 26, 2013. Is anyone else applying this cycle? I look forward to sharing the ups and downs of the admission cycle this time around!

Colorado Hopeful, unfortunately it is a very subjective process. From my own personal experience and my experience as one of the student interviewers, the faculty based their selection more on the essays and interviews than anything else. The essay and interview is the only way the faculty gets to know who you are. I'm not entirely sure how they decide which students they want to interview, but I'm guessing they base a lot of that on the essay. Are grades important? Yes, and I'm sure having a better GPA is better than having a lower GPA but I have to stress that it having a low GPA will not automatically disqaulify you. As with anything, don't put all your eggs in one basket and have a backup plan. The accelerated program is harder to get in compared to the traditional program due to the number of positions. There are usually only around 40 accelerated positions compared to ~160 (the two traditional program class sizes I peer mentored for were around 180 and 160). I know I sound like I'm beating a dead horse here, but strongly consider the traditional program!

The one question I remember most applicants having trouble with was "What makes you stand out compared to other applicants?" This question is awkward since you have to answer the question in front of other applicants. When I helped interview applicants, I don't remember giving any preferrence to either gender and the three faculty members I was assigned to didn't either but I'm sure each faculty member is a little different.

Just wondering, is everyone here just considering the accelerated program?

They told us on our first day that our cohort's (traditional and accel) average GPA was higher than the average GPA for med school admission and that we beat out approx ten other people for our spot.

My assumption was that our GPA, essay, and interview were all scored and we were somehow ranked. That could be totally wrong, but after going through the process and getting in the first time, that what my best guess for how it worked. It was clear during the interview that they consider a support system an important part of success for accelerated students - at least my specific interviewers did and said so while interviewing us. Don't be shy to bring in notes of what you want to say and remember during your interview. I was the only one who did that in my interview and I think it was key for me in doing well. People think they have to memorize a monologue but IMO there is no shame in bringing in some bullet points you want to make sure you communicate.

Oh and we have a bunch of really smart and personable guys in the cohort too! It's really nice to have them and have their perspectives. They'll be great nurses.

CU has separated the accelerated and traditional application cycles, so everyone here is considering the accelerated program. The first interview cycle I went through was also accelerated only (about 100 applicants for 35 positions) and I was call listed. The second cycle was both accelerated and traditional (about 200 applicants for 100 positions) and I was rejected. I felt I answered better the second time; knowing the types of questions that would be asked I had typed up my answers and practiced at home.

It is disheartening that CU considers "soft" qualifications (what makes you unique) rather than "hard" qualifications such as cumulative GPA. I just need to understand that my 3.9 overall GPA and 4.0 in prerequisites doesn't make me more likely to be accepted than a candidate with a 3.1 who gets an interview. I need to understand that I might need to focus on nursing programs that more heavily consider GPA. Stop playing with my heart CU!:(

current accelerated student chiming to add a few things to what other current students and previous applicants have already shared. i applied for the january 2013 cohort, interviewed, and was not accepted. i then applied for the june 2013 cohort, interviewed, was accepted to traditional, and later (~3 months) got a call offering me a spot in accelerated.

for those asking about acceptance rates, i know that for the january 2013 cohort, there were ~450 applicants, ~100 interviewed, and they only accepted 24. so that's closer to a 5% acceptance rate. i don't know the statistics on the june 2013 cohort, but there are 34 of us, and i heard that there were over 1000 applicants for traditional and accelerated combined.

@colorado hopeful, i am a white female colorado resident with previous degrees in social sciences, as are a lot of my classmates. i had paid healthcare experience (long term care, home care, community health research) but wasn't licensed as a CNA or EMT and did not work in a hospital. i'd say only 25-50% of our cohort have any healthcare experience. those things shouldn't knock you out of the running.

@elliot237, the questions in the interview are not specific to your application at all. i'm not sure if they even have any applicant-specific materials in front of them while they're interviewing. both of my interviews were held with one faculty, one current student, and four total applicants. i did get the feeling during the second interview that the faculty member was more interested in my particular experience than in my first interview, which helped my confidence and also allowed me to speak more to my strengths. the questions were very similar in nature to those posted by colorado hopeful, but the faculty and student also asked follow-up questions to probe for more information in some cases. for example, after i described my anthropology and community health experience, the faculty member asked why i was choosing to pursue a BSN instead of an MPH -- this question didn't come from my application though, just from things i had said in response to previous questions. my response to this question allowed me to show that i had clear career aspirations and fully understood where nursing fell on the healthcare continuum, as well as the role i would be playing as a nurse. so, be sure to answer follow-up questions well; they may indicate that the faculty member or student has a concern about something you've said, and it will give you a chance to head off those concerns. with your strong background in research, you may need to emphasize why you've chosen a different direction than benchwork, and how you've prepared to make that change.

as far as how they rank applicants, i honestly have no idea. i really don't think our cohort is homogenous at all, in terms of grades or past employment or experiences. we have students who were army medics, students with engineering and chemistry degrees, students who have been working on the floors of a hospital as a CNA for years, and students who have literature or history or art degrees and no health experience whatsoever. there is a lot of diversity and i really can't say whether UCD honors one parameter over others. that said, i am confident that a great GPA alone will not get you in. UCD is certainly looking at personality, social skills, ability to relate to others, capacity to communicate well, evidence of compassion and patience -- "soft" qualifications matter in this field.

i think the greatest strength of my application was my essays, primarily because i had the most control over them and had plenty of time to thoughtfully compose them. i also think that a weak interview is the reason i didn't make the cut the first time. i was more prepared the second time around, and also more relaxed. i think the most important aspect of the interview isn't necessarily to show how much more you've done than another applicant or even necessarily set yourself apart per se, but highlight experiences that will make YOU a great, well-rounded nurse -- how you will apply your previous knowledge and experiences to succeed at UCD and in your future career. you can be sure of yourself without having to compare yourself to other applicants.

i certainly understand the stress of the process; it can be very frustrating but well worth it in the end. i wish you all the best of luck, and feel free to post any additional questions!

current accelerated student chiming to add a few things to what other current students and previous applicants have already shared. i applied for the january 2013 cohort, interviewed, and was not accepted. i then applied for the june 2013 cohort, interviewed, was accepted to traditional, and later (~3 months) got a call offering me a spot in accelerated.

for those asking about acceptance rates, i know that for the january 2013 cohort, there were ~450 applicants, ~100 interviewed, and they only accepted 24. so that's closer to a 5% acceptance rate. i don't know the statistics on the june 2013 cohort, but there are 34 of us, and i heard that there were over 1000 applicants for traditional and accelerated combined.

@colorado hopeful, i am a white female colorado resident with previous degrees in social sciences, as are a lot of my classmates. i had paid healthcare experience (long term care, home care, community health research) but wasn't licensed as a CNA or EMT and did not work in a hospital. i'd say only 25-50% of our cohort have any healthcare experience. those things shouldn't knock you out of the running.

@elliot237, the questions in the interview are not specific to your application at all. i'm not sure if they even have any applicant-specific materials in front of them while they're interviewing. both of my interviews were held with one faculty, one current student, and four total applicants. i did get the feeling during the second interview that the faculty member was more interested in my particular experience than in my first interview, which helped my confidence and also allowed me to speak more to my strengths. the questions were very similar in nature to those posted by colorado hopeful, but the faculty and student also asked follow-up questions to probe for more information in some cases. for example, after i described my anthropology and community health experience, the faculty member asked why i was choosing to pursue a BSN instead of an MPH -- this question didn't come from my application though, just from things i had said in response to previous questions. my response to this question allowed me to show that i had clear career aspirations and fully understood where nursing fell on the healthcare continuum, as well as the role i would be playing as a nurse. so, be sure to answer follow-up questions well; they may indicate that the faculty member or student has a concern about something you've said, and it will give you a chance to head off those concerns. with your strong background in research, you may need to emphasize why you've chosen a different direction than benchwork, and how you've prepared to make that change.

as far as how they rank applicants, i honestly have no idea. i really don't think our cohort is homogenous at all, in terms of grades or past employment or experiences. we have students who were army medics, students with engineering and chemistry degrees, students who have been working on the floors of a hospital as a CNA for years, and students who have literature or history or art degrees and no health experience whatsoever. there is a lot of diversity and i really can't say whether UCD honors one parameter over others. that said, i am confident that a great GPA alone will not get you in. UCD is certainly looking at personality, social skills, ability to relate to others, capacity to communicate well, evidence of compassion and patience -- "soft" qualifications matter in this field.

i think the greatest strength of my application was my essays, primarily because i had the most control over them and had plenty of time to thoughtfully compose them. i also think that a weak interview is the reason i didn't make the cut the first time. i was more prepared the second time around, and also more relaxed. i think the most important aspect of the interview isn't necessarily to show how much more you've done than another applicant or even necessarily set yourself apart per se, but highlight experiences that will make YOU a great, well-rounded nurse -- how you will apply your previous knowledge and experiences to succeed at UCD and in your future career. you can be sure of yourself without having to compare yourself to other applicants.

i certainly understand the stress of the process; it can be very frustrating but well worth it in the end. i wish you all the best of luck, and feel free to post any additional questions!

Thanks for all the advice! I'm interviewing in the "B" group in the afternoon. Who else is at that time? I'm getting pretty nervous, but I'm excited that we will know for sure after August 15th.

'A' group here. I'm really anxious about it, but I have been doing lots of research in preparation and making sure I have answers to all the normal questions. I don't think I've ever been as excited to start school as I am right now.

8:45 seems like a good time of day for me, being a morning person.

How do you know which group you're in and the time of day you'll be interviewing? The last email I got was a map of the area and what to expect kind of info.

The first attachment in the email that is called "Interview Day 2014 A/B" when you open it, it says

WHEN:

July 25, 2013 at 8:45AM – 12:00PM

oh! I didn't even notice the A/B part. I just thought everyone got the same notice! I'm in A group then! Guess I'll be seeing you there elliot237!

Thank you all so much for your comments and insight! I don't know that reading all this has made me any less nervous (You all seem so smart and qualified! :) ) but I do feel a little more prepared and ready for the interview. I'm interviewing in the afternoon B group, and I'm looking forward to meeting you guys. I wish you all the best of luck!

I am interviewing in the B group.. see you then afternoon crew! Spend the morning doing something active to get the blood moving :)

I must also be in the A group. A few more questions to consider:

1. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? (I think they asked this one at least one time)

2. Why do you want to be a nurse? (Obvious, I know, and always good to consider when answering any question)

Good luck to all!

+ Add a Comment