can't believe what they are doing ..

CBsMommy · Feb 11, 2009

Is this for people on the waitlist already? I have been waiting over 6 months and if I have to now re-take some classes due to Bs, I'm going to be a little peeved.

CBsMommy · Feb 11, 2009

Just got an e-mail from my college and it stated that everyone already on the waitlist is going to be effected by the change AND they are also going to be giving points to how long you've worked in the medical field, which I personally don't think is fair because I'm a single parent who can't afford to work on a CNA's salary. THEN, she stated that it is the school's choice how many and how big the classes are going to be, which will of course, affect the waitlist. How they heck can they have a waitlist when they are going to be competitive? I think that's a big bunch of hooey! I worked hard to get on the waitlist, taking evening classes at night, and now I have to wait some more! Craziness! Then she said to be patient for the letter. Um WHAT?

Sand_Dollar, BSN · Feb 13, 2009

Any idea on how long the wait lists are? I was planning to go for my BSN in MT, but we may be delayed in our move and was going to apply to FRCC-Westminster after fall semester just in case. Do they admit students each semester?

TIA!

markindenver · Feb 15, 2009

Wow. I've heard the wait-lists are awful here in Colorado. All in all, the points plan is good, to get the best and brightest to be RN's, though the "experience" part would knock me out of the running.

I moved out here from Indiana, and my mother-in-law just became an RN there. There were only a couple of programs in the area, and if you didn't get an A in EVERY pre-requisite, you couldn't get into the Nursing program core, so the points scale here is still easy compared to that.

National American University (www.national.edu) is starting a new ADN program soon, similar "points" style of admissions acceptance, combining pre-requisite grades and test scores.

Denver School of Nursing (www.denverschoolofnursing.org) has primarily testing-based acceptance (you take the TEAS, and must score 70% or higher in each category).

Concorde Career Institute (www.concorde.edu/denver) is the simplest program to get into in all of Colorado - take the NET (Nursing Entrance Test), and the highest 30 scores per semester have seats, so quite competitive.

Of course, these programs are significantly more expensive, but waiting 6 months longer would cost the difference in lost RN wages.

Oh, and SandDollar - http://www.frontrange.edu/FRCCTemplates/FRCC7.aspx?id=187 found this site... you've probably already seen it, but if not, it's FRCC's Westminster Nursing page (quite bare, don't you think?)

Anywayz, hope this helps out... keep on keeping on!

Sand_Dollar, BSN · Feb 15, 2009

I already contacted the lady at the Westminster campus but I haven't heard anything back yet, and yes that page is really bare. Tells me absolutely nothing, ugh.

The experience thing would knock me out too, I have been a SAHM for years now and wasn't even looking at doing my school near home, but things change. I'm still going ahead with my nursing plans, just in a different place. I just wish I didn't take Chem this semester, I would have been ready to apply after the summer. Bummer. :-/

CBsMommy · Feb 16, 2009

I went and met with a counselor at my school. They haven't finalized everything yet, including what to do with the students already on the waitlist. The counselor told me that they are def. going to take the students that have been on the waitlist for three years or longer. Everyone else is fair game. They are giving points to whether or not you have a CNA license or have taken a CNA course, what your GPA is for the current pre-reqs ONLY (Thank GOD!), so Psy 235, A&P I and II, Micro and English, the first Psych class doesn't count. They are going to be giving points as to whether or not you already have a degree and they will give points to anyone who has been in the business as a CNA or Doula for 2 years or more, janitors, secretaries, etc don't count. My counselor told me that a lot of people start the nursing program and drop because they don't want to "clean" people,???, hence the 2 years in the industry thing. They are also awarding points for the scores on the TEAS test. I did talk to my counselor to let her know that there was no way for me to quit my job what with being a single mother and all and would a letter from my CNA instructor suffice letting them know I don't mind cleaning up after people. She said they will not be doing interviews and letters of recommendation are not allowed. I couldn't tell if the CNA course at an accredited college or a CNA license was mandatory or if it just gives you extra points...I personally think this should be mandatory because a lot of people in my CNA class knew that nursing wasn't for them after they took it. The counselor did look at my grades and said they were excellent, 2B's and 3 A's. She said that I wouldn't have to take anything over because they don't have a lot of 4.0 students so those of you worrying about your grades, you can relax a little. They don't yet know how they are doing admissions, whether we apply once a year (they are still going to start spring and fall) or whether we have to apply to each semester seperatly. They don't know when the cut off is to apply either at this point. Oh, and I did ask that if I get a high enough score on the TEAS test if that would give me enough points to get in without working in the healthcare field for 2 years and she said yes. This change is coming straight down the channels and is affecting every community college in Colorado. At least at my school down here in the Springs, you only get one shot at taking the TEAS test and I would go ahead and schedule your test. I do believe that once this news gets out, it's going to be a free-for-all. Good luck everyone!

Sand_Dollar, BSN · Feb 17, 2009

I got a reply from Carole at the FRCC-Westminster campus. She said, basically, its a 1 1/2 to 2 year wait list right now. Ugh.

Penny8611 · Feb 22, 2009

Calebmommy, I'm dying to know what school you go to!!!!! I attend ACC. This is the info I got from them recently:

>>>

Your waitlist number will not change. ACC enrolls twice per year; one

group in the Spring and the second in the Fall.

The Arapahoe Community College nursing program still

subscribes to the average number of candidates of 75 to 100 numbers

twice a year to fill two classes of 36 to 50 students, so that's 150 to

200 names per year. It is anticipated that the attrition rate will

probably be reduced, since all candidates applying for a waitlist number

must now have all pre-requisites completed to get on the waitlist.

The average wait is 2.5 to 3 years from the time you applied and were

eligible. For a better idea of your place on the list, contact the

nursing department one week AFTER the first day of the Fall and Spring

semesters. All "guesstimates" are subject to change. There is

literally no way to anticipate human nature and the impact a three-year

waiting list has on a nursing program candidate.

The current five courses required to start the program are:

ENG 121 English Composition I

PSY 235 Human Growth and Development

BIO 201 Human Anatomy and Physiology I

BIO 202 Human Anatomy and Physiology II

BIO 204 Microbiology

The above five classes must equal a 2.5 GPA and the BIO courses

must be within 7 years both at the time you applied AND at the time you

are accepted into the program.

You MAY take these classes while you wait:

BIO 216 Pathophysiology

MAT 103 Math for Clinical Calculations

HPR 108 Nutrition (or HWE 100)

Elective - 3 credits under Guarantee Transfer Courses in Behavioral

Science

>>>

According to that, people who made the ACC waitlist by the end of 12/08 will be accepted into the program based on their waitlist number alone. I haven't received any emails or any info to the contrary. I would hope they would let everyone know if they decide to change the criteria!

CBsMommy · Feb 23, 2009

Hi Penny8611 - I go to PPCC down here in the Springs. The Advisor told me that everything wasn't finalized yet that's why there has been no changes to the websites. They said they are going to send letters out during Spring 2009. I did ask about everyone on the waitlist. She said they were going to take the people that have been on the waitlist for 3 years and the rest of us were going to have to go the "competitive" route. I replied to another person on this website who stated they received a letter at the end of November 2008 from ACC that said they were going to go competitive after the people on the waitlist have already been accepted. I also asked the Advisor if all of the community colleges were going this route and she said yes (I asked this because I don't mind driving down to Pueblo to finish my education since they are not as impacted with students as Denver and Colorado Springs are). I guess if nothing is finalized yet, there's nothing anyone can do but just wait and hope for the best! Good luck to all of you!

nurse901 · Feb 23, 2009

That is nuts. I had to go out of state for my nursing education because I would have had to wait at least three years to get into the program. I am sorry this is going on and I know how frustrating it can be.

Penny8611 · Feb 24, 2009

Thanks for the reply, CalebMommy! Here's part of the email I got back from ACC:

>>

All candidates who had applied to the program and received a waitlist number by the "cut-off date" of December 19, 2008 will, in good faith, be offered admission. It is anticipated that it will take between two and three years to offer admission to all those candidates who applied under the first come first served process.

No student accepted under the first come first served application process who got a waitlist number by December 19, 2008 will be denied an offer to the program. When all those candidates have been offered admission, then ACC will go to the competitive qualifications process.

>>

So, if one fulfilled the pre-reqs and applied to and got a waitlist number from ACC before 12/19/08, it looks like he or she is in, after spending time in Waitlist Jail. It looks like ACC won't be changing their criteria for the people who made it onto their waitlist...it only seems fair to me that the other schools in the community college system do the same thing.

And they wonder why there's a nursing shortage!!!!!!!! :bugeyes:

Good luck to you, and to all of us!

Penny