I have a good delimma. I've been accepted to Samuel Merritt ABSN and Chabot's ADN program. Which one should I go to? I've been trying to identify the pros and cons of my options. Chabot pros - cost, proximity, not as intense (I can have more of a life during school), Chabot cons - ADN, 2 years. The Samuel Merritt program is attractive in that it is only one year, I'll earn a BSN, and it'll be a really stimulating environment. One of my concerns with Samuel Merritt is that the program is only one year. Will we be rushed through the material and clinicals? What happens if I get out after one year and not know what to do?
Samuel Merritt is really expensive (50K), but I'll be done one year earlier with a BSN degree. I'll be able to make up the tuition in that year.
Another thing . . . I'm an older student (in 40's) so the faster I can start working as a nurse the better. So, which one would you choose. What do you think of the benefits of a BSN vs ADN? Will it make much of a difference?
Thanks for such an interesting blog. Lots of good comments and ideas.
I am the vice president of enrollment and student services at Samuel Merritt College, and appreciate your candidness regarding the admission process. We strive to provide exceptional service in all areas, and it appears you have experienced some problems with the admission process. It would be very helpful if you could provide me with specifics about what you sent and to whom you sent it. Through your observations and input we hope to make our service the best it can be.
Just wanted to update you. We are 3 weeks into the program and we get our clinical schedules soon. Yay! SF location may be different than San Mateo so I'm not sure how it works out for your group. Our class is great and we all get along and are very positive and look out for each other. I am just getting used to this schedule and then once I get used to it, the schedule will change again. I know it is early on in the program but with 3 weeks in, that means 48 weeks left Haha...It really does go by fast and I think you made a good choice since you will have your BSN in such a short time... Regarding the admin stuff, yeah, it can get annoying at times, but I get over it real quick when I think about the "pinning" and accomplishing what I've wanted to do for such a long time. Since the SF and SM cohorts are so new, there will be kinks along the way and you just have to go with the flow. They do the best they can and I do believe they want their students to succeed.
It's great to hear that things are going well for you. I've been wondering about your group. Already 3 week thru . . . yeah! Almost 6% finished!!! :) That's nice that you have a cohesive group because it will make the year so much more enjoyable. So, how is the workload? Is it as intense and people say it is? Also, where do you have your first clinicals? Any pointers that you can give me?
Did you buy all your books. A few people in the program and graduates have all recommended that I not buy all the books because they didn't use them all. Also, they said to try to rent some of the books from chegg.com. I met someone in the San Mateo program that is graduating this June. She has not bought or rented one book, and relies on the powerpoints and lecture notes to study for the tests. She has gotten all A's, except for 3 B's. That was encouraging for me!
I just got a call from Lizzie yesterday and I've been offered a spot in Oakland. I live in the East Bay and Oakland has always been my first choice. I want the shorter commute and I want to do my clinicals at East Bay hospitals where I may want to work later. The only bummer is that I cannot apply for the Kaiser Forgiveness Loan. I applied for the San Mateo loan but it can't be transferred to Oakland if I am lucky enough to get chosen.
What would you chose - San Mateo or Oakland. I have to let them know by tomorrow morning.
Thanks for your update. I'll let you know how I'm doing when I get started. Good luck with everything.
Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.
If I had my choice I would go to the Oakland campus, since the program has been around longer and possibly more organized. Knowing now what I know, I would have waited for a space in Oakland. I chose the timing as a priority, which was a mistake. Also, I would like to reword my original critique of SMC, as I recognize my criticism may have sounded like personal attacks, which were not my intention. I must emphasize that the S.F. program that I am in has been very unorganized, some of the administrators are very defensive of students feelings of dissatisfaction with the program which does not help and only leads to more feelings of angst. The angst is not unjustified, as many times clinicals change drastically, including schedule and location, instructors drop out of rotations or if they do stay, they feel burdened by teaching which comes out as impatience at students. I recognize this program is new, but for the amount of money we are spending and for the amount of bugs in the program is inequitable. The dissatisfaction among students in my cohort is more than a little and unless SMC rises to the occasion and tries to improve the quality of it's education with the extension campuses, it's reputation will go down fast. I don't think this is what anyone wants as I do think SMC had a very good name before expanding the ABSN programs. I think that something needs to happen, maybe an internal meeting with students and administrators to see what can be done to salvage the remainder of time we have and to make their program better for future cohorts. I don't think it's anyone fault individually but the program is not ready to offer the quality of education offered at Oakland and Sacramento. And I do think SMC does have some good staff and a lot of potential, but at this point it is not living up to its own standards and eventually it have very bad consequences for the the school as a whole.
Current BSN graduates who accepted the Kaiser Forgivable Loan program are not working yet. Some have RN too. I wonder if the program will continue. Lots of disappointed people right now. Students did their part, Kaiser NOT doing their part.
Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.
Go cheaper, b/c you might not be working right away. Job market not too good in bay area for new grads. If you go to SMC and need to take out money, you might be paying it back before you've got a good job. Most of the Kaiser scholars did not get jobs with Kaiser and will probably have to pay back their loans at a higher interest rate. So go cheap.
Kaiser scholars will not necessarily have to pay back their loans. If Kaiser does not do their part then they have broken the agreement per the promissory note. They have until 7/15 to get the grads working fulltime with benefits as staff nurses or they break the contract. Yes it may get 'legal'.
Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.
I thought there was no guarantee of employment. I am unfamiliar with the exact agreement thought b/c I wasn't a Kaiser scholar. I'm hope that the Kaiser scholars get employment or don't have to pay back the loan, because that is absolutely unacceptable that Kaiser would renig. The job situation is very bad now, so this situation really sucks for many people.
If they have no positions then they should release the grads from repayment obligations.
You be the judge:
E(2) of the Loan Disclosure Statement states, “Participation in this program [i.e., the Kaiser Permanente Nursing Student Loan] guarantees hiring to a nursing staff position . . . .”
Wow, I just turned down my acceptance to SMU ABSN after reading about the hiring freezes and decided to go with a two year program (despite the fact that I am an older student). I was accepted to BOTH USF CNL and CCSF ADN. USF costs about $70,000 and CCSF will have minimal costs. Of course there is quite a difference between an ADN and a Master's but from what I hear everyone starts in the same position on the floor. Any suggestions?
Wow, I just turned down my acceptance to SMU ABSN after reading about the hiring freezes and decided to go with a two year program (despite the fact that I am an older student). I was accepted to BOTH USF CNL and CCSF ADN. USF costs about $70,000 and CCSF will have minimal costs. Of course there is quite a difference between an ADN and a Master's but from what I hear everyone starts in the same position on the floor. Any suggestions?
You might want to rethink that....many new grad programs are requiring that you have a BSN (including Stanford, and a few big name hospitals down in LA) You would hate to go to school for an ADN and then have to go back for a BSN...
Haha...It really does go by fast and I think you made a good choice since you will have your BSN in such a short time... Regarding the admin stuff, yeah, it can get annoying at times, but I get over it real quick when I think about the "pinning" and accomplishing what I've wanted to do for such a long time. Since the SF and SM cohorts are so new, there will be kinks along the way and you just have to go with the flow. They do the best they can and I do believe they want their students to succeed.
katiesdad
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Thanks for such an interesting blog. Lots of good comments and ideas.
I am the vice president of enrollment and student services at Samuel Merritt College, and appreciate your candidness regarding the admission process. We strive to provide exceptional service in all areas, and it appears you have experienced some problems with the admission process. It would be very helpful if you could provide me with specifics about what you sent and to whom you sent it. Through your observations and input we hope to make our service the best it can be.