I just got out of high school this year, and now I'm in the department of Science at UBC Vancouver. I originally was accepted to UBC Nursing at Okanagan since the Vancouver campus stopped direct entry for nursing this year. However, my parents said that it is too far away and my housing fees will be too expensive so I stayed behind to do Science, and then try to transfer to Nursing during my third year.
About a week ago, I received a phone call from Douglas explaining that I have been accepted to the Nursing program for January 2008. This seems too good to be true because of the interviews, 2-3 years waitlist, and fierce competition from other institutes (BCIT, Langara, etc), and UBC needs a high GPA and also has a high dropout rate in Nursing. Also, UBC's nursing program is only 2 years, which means 2 less years of experience. However, my dad is the only one who is not very pleased with my acceptance. He really wants me to do nursing at UBC or BCIT because he considers these like name brands. He believes that hospitals will most likely hire UBC or BCIT students because one is a university and the other is a popular specialized institute. He also believes that if I were to work as a nurse in US, they will recognize UBC more.
I really want to start the Nursing program right away, so I want to drop most of my courses (math, chem, and biology lab, that are surprisingly not needed for nursing at Douglas) to get and job and volunteer, while trying to get my First Aid and CPR certificate by next year. My dad thinks that I am a coward and "running" away from the fear of trying to get a high GPA to get in UBC nursing. It is partially right, because my high school grades are not exceptionally well (average around 86%), and many UBC students claim having a very low average compared to their high school grades. I read in some forums that many UBC students were rejected after their interviews.
Don't get me wrong, I don't hate UBC Nursing because I know that UBC has "a strong international reputation and award-winning faculty and students". However, when I see this opportunity in front of my face, I can't help by being tempted by it. Should I really hold back to attend a more prestigious university, or should I fight off my dad and take the "easiest" and fastest road that provides me more experience? One more thing, do all Canadian nurses need to do some exam (eg. MCAT) to work in the US?
Thanks...I know I typed a lot. I tend to blab on and on when I get carried away.
Are you the eldest child in your family and your father is the immigrant?
....
Oh, and irregardless of where you go to nursing school (or any educational institute) teachers/professors have favourites. Fact of life.
Yes and no. My dad is the immigrant, but I'm the middle child of the family. My older brother is taking comp sci right now, although my dad tried to get him to take science/medicine...
I should have known favouritism is everywhere. How stupid of me.
I'll try to make time and take him to Douglas. It will be kind of difficult because he has work everyday though.
And thanks a lot orangecampino (Good candy, by the way ). I'll be sure to show your message to him. If possible, I would also like to know how the program is like so far, although you just started.
I was the oldest child of immigrants and so were all my friends growing up in Vancouver. The pressure put on us was horrible, especially amongst the one kids who had families from Hong Kong.
Nobody wanted a nurse or a plumber in the family. Had to be university. My generation produced a glut of lawyers and teachers to keep parents happy.
I was the oldest child of immigrants and so were all my friends growing up in Vancouver. The pressure put on us was horrible, especially amongst the one kids who had families from Hong Kong.
Nobody wanted a nurse or a plumber in the family. Had to be university. My generation produced a glut of lawyers and teachers to keep parents happy.
Yeah, asian families do have it bad...But you are a nurse now, aren't you? =) Anyways, I hope you like your current job whatever it may be.
Good news. My dad is allowing me to drop the courses and take Douglas Nursing next year. There is a trade off though. I have to continue my piano lessons and take my ARCT Perfomer's exam this winter again (I took it the last two times, but failed twice). You can tell that the piano profession wasn't what I wanted to do in the first place. Oh well, as long as we're both happy.
Thank you everyone for your input. However, if you can also provide me information about your institute's program, that will be great!
Wow, the "minorities" are racist against their patients? That's sickening.
It turned out that my dad did hide my acception offer. He gave it to me today because we had a big argument in the morning. He says that I should go withdraw from my courses in UBC (which is what I want to do if I were to go to Douglas Nursing, except I would just keep English, go volunteer, and get a job), and not support me anymore. Because of my previous suggestion of withdrawing from courses, he thinks that I'm scared of studying and want to go to Douglas to play (he assumes colleges are lax in education). Now he's making me feel guilty if I drop the courses, and I'm even more frustrated.
Anyone who things college for nursing school is easy has never gone to nursing school. Nursing school has amongst the highest attrition rates of programs. I am Canadian but went to school in the US. Canadian programs are very respected in the US...NOT just UBC. And from the people I worked with at VGH who went to UBC they felt that the school focused too much on academics and not enough on clinical. I think you would do well to go to Douglas, although I would agree that BCIT has a great program. If working in the US is important to you it definitely does not matter what school you go to. I am currently working in Phoenix, Arizona and loving it. My manager told me they like Canadians in general...not focusing on education at all...because they have found Canadians to have a strong work ethic which is important to them. By the way the exam you take in the US is called the NCLEX...it is comparable to the CRNE except that it is done on the computer and you can get your results in many states in 2 days. If you have specific questions just PM me.
ecl4
12 Posts
Yes and no. My dad is the immigrant, but I'm the middle child of the family. My older brother is taking comp sci right now, although my dad tried to get him to take science/medicine...
I should have known favouritism is everywhere. How stupid of me.
I'll try to make time and take him to Douglas. It will be kind of difficult because he has work everyday though.
And thanks a lot orangecampino (Good candy, by the way
). I'll be sure to show your message to him. If possible, I would also like to know how the program is like so far, although you just started.