Binghamton BAT program 2015-2016

KOJM · Mar 17, 2015

I have a question for an existing BAT student. The curriculum plan listed online, has Practice of Nursing IV during the winter session. Did you get a break at all in the winter?

Hi Godiva19, I believe the Coach Bus round trip to NYC is about $70 and 3- 3.5 hours. I think the University has a free shuttle that runs to the bus station in Binghamton. I heard of students carpooling to clinical. As a Binghamton student, you can take the bus for free. I believe it might be more challenging to get to Syracuse and Elmira without a car, but you might not need to go there. I have no personal experience with this, so maybe someone has more to add.

Godiva19 · Mar 17, 2015

Thank you :)

coffee719 · Mar 17, 2015

Hi Godiva19. I went to the BAT program. You can't really go back and forth to NYC, sorry but that would be ridiculous in this program. IT IS SO INTENSE. Every minute spent is spent studying or being in class or clinical. You will have something due pretty much every single week, or an exam. I am from Brooklyn and I tried to go home on weekends but it became really stressful and just stupid after awhile. A weekend isn't long enough to commute back and forth. And as far as the busses, it won't make much sense to take them for a weekend. I took a bus for our summer break but our break was a week long.

JosephKey, I wouldn't go to Binghamton. Though I am a graduate, I really didn't like it. If you're looking for a really great intense patient care experience you wont' find it in Binghamton. I have no idea who this Applesause post is but I have to agree on (some) things they said. Clinicals were horrible. I used to go in the bathroom and cry because it was so boring (we would get one patient each and pretty much stand around for eight hours hoping someone needed a foley catheter insertion so we could all fight over who got to insert it.) Seriously if you can get into nursing school in an urban area go for it. I'm happy with my career right now but I will never ever say I liked Binghamton nor did I feel I got a good education. The way they taught us med math was an absolute joke, with one power point lecture in the summer and two math questions on subsequent exams. Meanwhile my colleagues who went to a community college nursing program said that med math was drilled into them and they practiced constantly med math. Not me, not Binghamton. I have to say most of what I learned was from studying for the NCLEX.

The program is extremely community based. If your interest is in public health or community nursing then Binghamton is for you. I did a lot of community presentations and research papers about the community. I also had to go to a nursing home and take the elderly people out (with my classmates of course) to a baseball game and we grilled hot dogs for the day. That was considered clinical hours unbelievably. As I said clinical was a joke and now I work at a university medical center in an urban area and the nursing students that I see everyday are so lucky with their patient load and experiences. On one hand, now, I don't care but when I was in the program, I was not a happy or satisfied camper. My advice, don't go.

Godiva19 · Mar 18, 2015

Thank you for your insights, I definitely did not plan on visiting every weekend but was just wondering. If you don't mind me asking how long did it take you to find a job after graduating from this program?

dee789 · Mar 19, 2015

I hope you don't mind me asking all these questions but what has been your favorite rotation thus far? and I'm from the city of NY so I'm not too sure how difficult or expensive it will be for me to travel back and forth. And do you think its impossible to survive clinicals without a car since i'll most likely be dorming? Thank you :)

My favorite clinical rotation so far has been the current one, which is our preceptorship and I am in the ED, which I love and hope to work in. I haven't really hated any but OB and psych were not my favorite. Most of the clinicals I thought I would love, I didn't, and most that I thought I would hate I ended up enjoying (aside from the ER, which I had a lot of experience volunteering in and knew I would like).

I don't have a car either and I am living off campus, which I won't lie, is difficult. There is a bus system but just be aware that coming from NYC it is NOTHING like the public transit there (for ex, the bus stops running here at 5pm on weekends). I have relied on my friends a lot throughout the program, so I think I have been lucky but it definitely would have been easier with a car and if I could go back in time I may have bought one for just the year.

There are very frequent buses that run back and forth, but it can get expensive (around $70 round trip unless you buy a ticket months ahead), and it just depends on your schedule. I had 4 days weekends for half the fall so I went home a lot. It's not a big deal to get back to the city but it does take some time and money and I would not want to do it more than once a month, maaaybe twice.

Godiva19 · Mar 25, 2015

Has anyone received a calendar for the program? Or does the program calendar correlate with the academic calendar because I'm trying to find out when we get the break in august so i can make living arrangements. Thanks!

jkim321 · May 1, 2015

Did anyone hear back after being waitlisted??

swimmingfever00 · Oct 16, 2015

I have a quick question regarding the application for Binghamton's accelerated program. Where do I submit letters of recommendation and my personal statement? Also, is there any restrictions to the length or subject of the personal statement?

currlysue · Oct 28, 2015

I have a quick question regarding the application for Binghamton's accelerated program. Where do I submit letters of recommendation and my personal statement? Also, is there any restrictions to the length or subject of the personal statement?

I was speaking to someone today who had applied and they said the school doesn't require those documents anymore. Do you know if we need to complete ALL the prerequisites before applying? I'm taking micro now and don't want to take another Chem class if I won't need it.

swimmingfever00 · Dec 3, 2015

Hey sorry for the delayed response. I don't think that you need to complete all of the pre reqs before applying. You just need to submit proof that you are registered for the courses that you still have to take.