I was just accepted fall 2015 ABSN class at MCPHS Worcester. I'm really considering the school. It's not far from where I did my undergrad so I'm familiar with the area and such. And the tuition is cheaper than the other schools that I am considering.
I would really like to get honest opinions about the school before I accept. I'm already doing my own research on the school's website, here on all nurses, and I am getting in contact with alum (hopefully) with the help of the school.
What did you think about the school? The professors? The structure of the program? I've heard about front-loading, but I'm still a bit confused. what was the best method to study for exams? Anything that you'll be willing to tell me, I will take it!
Specializes in Neuro/NSGY, critical care, med/stroke/tele.
No, you're not penalized for it... I don't believe they even required remediation if you got below a certain score (though I could be wrong) - but it definitely didn't count towards a grade for us. It's really just a benchmark to see where you're at and see what your strengths/weaknesses are. It does a nice job of determining your own personal learning style so you can use that throughout the program.
I actually just signed in to look at my report to remind myself what it was made up of. There were five components - learning styles (11 items), personality style (12 items), math (50 items), grammar (50 items) and critical thinking (25 items).
They do NOT expect you to have any in-depth nursing knowledge at this point. The critical thinking component is the only one that does ask nursing style questions, geared toward analytical thinking, prioritization, problem solving etc; but again, this is a baseline they are getting and the next 16 months will be building on it. HESE itself says the recommended score for the math and grammar components are 80%, our cohort's class average were 82% and 84%.
Hi CiaMia, thank you for all your help on these forums. I'm applying to the Worcestor program starting fall of 2017 and had a few questions. I've pretty much finished my application, I just have to answer one question on there, but do you think it's better for me to sum it it earlier or closer to the deadline. I was thinking of submitting it by October and hopefully if hear back from them before the year ended. Also my overall GPA is about a 2.8 but my pre-req GPA is about a 3.1/3.2. I have a really strong essay and recommendation letters. I was wondering what your GPA was and if I should worry about be accepted. Ive read a lot of post where people say not to, but I'm just wondering.
I definitely have a ton of questions, but thank you for helping us out. It really does mean the world to me.
Specializes in Neuro/NSGY, critical care, med/stroke/tele.
I was wondering what your GPA was and if I should worry about be accepted.
I really can't speak to whether you should be worried, I'm afraid - I think it really all depends on the entire applicant pool for this cohort. References and a good essay will definitely help. I just looked back, my pre-req GPA was around 3.5 and my undergrad BSc GPA was about a 3.6. I finished the ABSN with a 3.4 overall. Good luck!
All of your info has been wonderful! I'm considering applying to the Manchester ABSN program and had a few more questions for you if you don't mind me asking?
So, I have a family and I'm just trying to figure out how I can make this all work. I don't live nearby (it'd be like a 1.5-2 hour trip one way for me to manchester). Is all of the school work/labs/clinicals during the day? Say, between regular hours of 8-5ish? Or are there evening or weekend classes/clinicals that I'd need to attend as well?
I believe you commuted about an hour each day - did you find that manageable and would you have lived closer to campus looking back?
I'm not sure if I'd try and commute that distance every day, or try to find someplace to live closer. If I didn't commute I'd likely want to have my daughter (1 year old) with me so that I didn't not see her for a whole week if that makes sense? Plus, I don't know how my husband would handle me being away for a week at a time. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Specializes in Neuro/NSGY, critical care, med/stroke/tele.
Hi FutureCNM!
So, for the first semester (N1), it is during the day, pretty much 8-5 M-F with maybe a half day or two thrown in. Very intensive, but not unlike a full-time weekday job. The same goes for the 'front-loading' weeks of the second few semesters where you do the didactic piece intensively before starting clinical.
Once you start rotations (partway through N2 or second semester), there may be evenings and weekends. The rotations run like this
Provider I - Med/Surg (very basic)... taking vitals, MAYBE giving one PO med or checking blood sugars; assisting with ADLs, bathing, etc). Maybe doing a very focussed assessment, or shadowing your primary RN or clinical instructor. The group is usually 6-8 or so.
Provider II - Pedi and Maternity (split half and half, time-wise). On maternity, exposure to hopefully multiple kinds of births, both ante- and post-natal with hopefully being able to follow a mom/baby from one to the other. Not a lot of med admin but more focussing on the assessment piece and supporting the primary RN as needed. Pedi was similar to med/surg.
Provider III - Psych. No med admin; lots of assessment, behavioral interventions, running groups and spending time in the milieu.
Provider IV - Community. Placements varied hugely from schools to clinics to VNA. What your experience was really depending on the setting.
Provider V - Advanced Med/Surg and Preceptorship. You mirror your preceptor's schedule - and try and take on as much of their assignment as safe/appropriate with their direct oversight for everything. Responsible for med admin, assessment, documentation... finally feeling like a 'grown-up'..!
We definitely had placements right from provider I that were evening and weekend. If I remember rightly, my Prov I was 3-11 with a weekend day or two, Prov 2 was days 7a-3p and included weekends, Prov III was 3-11 weekdays, Prov IV was weekdays (I was in a school), Prov V I was on nights.
So really a little of everything..!
2 hours sounds like a VERY long commute, especially to be there for 8am and especially on the full classroom days where you don't leave until after 5pm... there are ways to make that time functional (listen to lectures etc) but definitely think about if it's the best way to make it work for you :)
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CiaMia, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, APRN, NP
367 Posts
No, you're not penalized for it... I don't believe they even required remediation if you got below a certain score (though I could be wrong) - but it definitely didn't count towards a grade for us. It's really just a benchmark to see where you're at and see what your strengths/weaknesses are. It does a nice job of determining your own personal learning style so you can use that throughout the program.
I actually just signed in to look at my report to remind myself what it was made up of. There were five components - learning styles (11 items), personality style (12 items), math (50 items), grammar (50 items) and critical thinking (25 items).
They do NOT expect you to have any in-depth nursing knowledge at this point. The critical thinking component is the only one that does ask nursing style questions, geared toward analytical thinking, prioritization, problem solving etc; but again, this is a baseline they are getting and the next 16 months will be building on it. HESE itself says the recommended score for the math and grammar components are 80%, our cohort's class average were 82% and 84%.
Good luck!