BMCC - - Pre-Nursing Students.....

cola78 · Sep 28, 2004

UGH! I'm in the pre-clinical nursing phase at BMCC and I am cringing right now. I do know that there is a GPA cut off for getting into the program and you have to keep applying. I just don't let it get to me and just keep trotting along in hopes that I do well and don't have any problems. I know that it's a serious issue, though. Where is this article you speak of? I'd like to read it.

Did anyone hear about or see that scathing article supposedly written by a former student about the nursing program?

I did not see it but two women in one of my classes were talking about it. The jist of it was that BMCC gladly takes TONS of money from pre-nursing students every semester knowing full well that only about 16% of them will ever see the light of day in the nursing program! Nice!

Anyway, the women said that only a short excerpt of the article was ever printed but the full “underground” version was floating around somewhere. Fascinating! Such intrigue!

In all seriousness, though….that is total BS if they do in fact make boat loads of money off of all the pre-nursing students who will NEVER get into their program - ever. Pretty lame. At least use some of that money to pay more nursing profs, expand the nursing program, etc.

Anyway, sorry for the rant!

nycNurse2b · Sep 28, 2004

UGH! I'm in the pre-clinical nursing phase at BMCC and I am cringing right now. I do know that there is a GPA cut off for getting into the program and you have to keep applying. I just don't let it get to me and just keep trotting along in hopes that I do well and don't have any problems. I know that it's a serious issue, though. Where is this article you speak of? I'd like to read it.

Hi there -

Unfortunatley I have not seen the article. It was being discussed by two women in my class. When I am there tonight I'll see if there's a student newspaper floating around.

I didn't mean to get anyone worried about GPAs or anything like that. I guess it just stirred something in me - a little anger I guess - that its true...they take oodles of money from pre-nursing students who will NEVER get into the program. That sucks.

Would love to see this article if anyone knows about it or has seen it.

Lilnurse0803, RN · Oct 2, 2004

One story should never skew your point of view. This could have been a former student who had a bad experience with the program. I know graduates of the BMCC nursing program who found the courses very challenging, however, they liked the program in general and felt prepared for the NCLEX. While it's true that some may like it, others may think the opposite; this is true for anything in life. I can say that my experience there has been great thus far.

I am a pre-clinical nursing student ready to apply to the clinicals for the Spring 2005 semester and I can tell you for a fact that the higher your GPA the better off you are. For example, the minimum GPA that was accepted for first time applicants for the Fall 2004 class was about 3.8. The pool of applicants grows larger each semester, so the higher the GPA the better your chance of being one of the students to get in.

My advice to you is to study really hard and try to get A's in all of your classes, especially the pre-clinical courses.

Best of luck!!!!!!!!!!!

nycNurse2b · Oct 4, 2004

Not sure if my original post was misunderstood. BMCC is supposed to be a great nursing program. Everything I hear is positive and supposedly they prepare you quite well for the NCLEX.

Make no mistake - I am a pre-clinical student there myself.

Was just interesting to see it pointed out in print that the school gladly takes a lot of money from a lot of people who will never get the 3.9 it takes to get into the program. It seems that a lot of other schools have 'wait lists' or other measures in place so that they will not take your money every semester if there is no room for you in the program.

That's all I was getting at.

Carry on...

Dsulyma · Oct 15, 2004

Im a preclinical student at BMCC as well and to tell you the truth, I am so nervous about this GPA thing. I have a 3.15 and expect to see it go up a little after this semester is over. Still, I feel that I cant concentrate on my work because my mind is more on my GPA and I wonder if I will ever be accepted into the nursing program at all. I heard there is a wait list for everyone to get in and most girls wait and wait and wait till they are accepted in, especially if you have a low GPA. I could be wrong.

There will be a meeting with Jose Serria and the preclinical students coming up on wednesday 2-4. Here is the link : http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/ Its on your bottom right. Lets all attend and get everything straightened out. Maybe he will put our nerves at ease.

cola78 · Oct 15, 2004

unfortunately i'll be at work when this meeting is going on (i'm in the weekend and evening program). please let us all know what transpires.

Im a preclinical student at BMCC as well and to tell you the truth, I am so nervous about this GPA thing. I have a 3.15 and expect to see it go up a little after this semester is over. Still, I feel that I cant concentrate on my work because my mind is more on my GPA and I wonder if I will ever be accepted into the nursing program at all. I heard there is a wait list for everyone to get in and most girls wait and wait and wait till they are accepted in, especially if you have a low GPA. I could be wrong.
There will be a meeting with Jose Serria and the preclinical students coming up on wednesday 2-4. Here is the link : http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/ Its on your bottom right. Lets all attend and get everything straightened out. Maybe he will put our nerves at ease.

Guest27531 · Nov 8, 2004

I wish all of you the best of luck...RN nursing programs have always been difficult...at all schools...and not only recently...I started in a diploma program (long time ago) where they had tough entrance requirements (difficult interviews and psychological testing in addition to grades). Once we passed through that we felt we were the cream of the crop but - no - the first semester was designed to be particularly difficult and only 50% passed on to the second semester (it was a three year program). Yikes!

All I can say to you is...when you are RNs you will be glad the standards were kept high. It is a difficult profession and you will be glad to have high level peers. Keep your eye on the goal but always have a back-up plan. What you are studying now will not be wasted...just work it all into a bigger plan so you will never be caught by surprise. Deborah

Nursenaa · Sep 20, 2005

i am a 4th semester student at BMCC, and to tell you the truth we have the best nursing program in the city. For every program you get into you should do your homework and find out the requirements. The year before i got into the program the lowest GPA was 3.3 or something like that, when i got into the program the lowest GPA was 3.54, the GPA keeps going up every year and pretty soon my guess is that they are going to go by more than just GPA. Here is a few pointer for some of you trying to get in the program

These are the 4 classes you need to concentrate and work hard on getting all A's (Pre-reqs)

1. Math 104 - nursing math

2. English 101,

3. Psychology 100,

4. Anatomy and Physiology 425

There are only 120 seats available in the nursing program 15 of which go to 1199 students and this is how it all works out

Morning - 40

Day - 40

Evening - 40

You will have to work more than overtime to get in the program, and also once you get in the program

you will have to maintain a C+ average to remain in the program and can only repeat once. However you cannot repeat Nursing 1 meaning you cannot fail nursing 1. Most people dont fail nursing 1, during my time only one person failed. There are no curves in the nursing program, no extra points you work for whatever grade you get. One thing to note is that nursing is like no other class you have ever taken you will have to learn new style studying and of test taking called critical thinking, took me 2 semesters to get it.

BMCC is a great Nursing school, Tacinelli is the greatest professor ever.

Nursing is a rewarding career and all the work and effort will all pay off in the end. Good Luck.

Email me with any questions or if there is anything i can help you with

Good luck in your career choice.

Bear in mind all nursing school have pretty much the same entrance requirement, even with a waiting list you do need a great GPA to get into any nursing program.

Lilnurse0803, RN · Sep 21, 2005

:) I totally agree with Nursenaa 100%. I am a second semester nursing student in the evening/weekend program at BMCC and I love it. The professors are very challenging, but after one semester I can tell you that my way of thinking and looking at the world has changed a lot. I have learned what it is to be a nurse, to think like a nurse, and to work like a nurse.

My clinical experiences so far have been exciting with a lot of hands on, allowing me exposure to the hospital/acute care environment. In addition, we do a few weeks in a LTC facility which is a change of pace from a typical hospital unit. My clinical instructors have been very supportive and a great wealth of information. My classmates have also been very supportive and there is no competition that creates tension in our class. We are all trying to reach a common goal and all lean on each other for support and help.

The program has gotten very hard to get into not only because of how many people apply, but because many of the applicants have excellent GPA's. The entering Spring 05' class had a minimum GPA of about 3.72.

The material you learn in your pre-clinicals reappears in your nursing courses so do well and take in as much as you can. Try to get A's in all your classes so that your chances of getting into the program increase. Best of luck to all!

Please e-mail me if you have any questions.

MrUptown · Jan 2, 2006

Hello all,

I'm a second semester nursing student at BMCC and it is very challenging. They make you work to get into the nursing department and you have to work even harder to remain in it. The lowest GPA to get in for Fall 2005 was 3.77 and that covered 120 seats. Over 400 students applied and obviously most didn't get in. I wish everyone the best of luck when applying to BMCC.

:) I totally agree with Nursenaa 100%. I am a second semester nursing student in the evening/weekend program at BMCC and I love it. The professors are very challenging, but after one semester I can tell you that my way of thinking and looking at the world has changed a lot. I have learned what it is to be a nurse, to think like a nurse, and to work like a nurse.
My clinical experiences so far have been exciting with a lot of hands on, allowing me exposure to the hospital/acute care environment. In addition, we do a few weeks in a LTC facility which is a change of pace from a typical hospital unit. My clinical instructors have been very supportive and a great wealth of information. My classmates have also been very supportive and there is no competition that creates tension in our class. We are all trying to reach a common goal and all lean on each other for support and help.
The program has gotten very hard to get into not only because of how many people apply, but because many of the applicants have excellent GPA's. The entering Spring 05' class had a minimum GPA of about 3.72.
The material you learn in your pre-clinicals reappears in your nursing courses so do well and take in as much as you can. Try to get A's in all your classes so that your chances of getting into the program increase. Best of luck to all!
Please e-mail me if you have any questions.

mfe916 · Jan 8, 2006

UGH! I'm in the pre-clinical nursing phase at BMCC and I am cringing right now. I do know that there is a GPA cut off for getting into the program and you have to keep applying. I just don't let it get to me and just keep trotting along in hopes that I do well and don't have any problems. I know that it's a serious issue, though. Where is this article you speak of? I'd like to read it.

I didnt read any article but let me tell you something. It is true about nursing school weed out a lot of the students. We had 44 in our class and only 14 graduated.. Takes a lot of work and commitment if you have those two things you will graduate..

Mel in NY