CSI Spring 2011 Hopefuls?

HumanContract · Mar 14, 2011

I got in with a 4.0 GPA, and have never felt so stupid since starting. This program is bananas! I heard from plenty of people that it's one of the hardest programs in the NYC area, but I figured I could hack it. I LOVE nursing, and absolutely love the material and going to clinicals is amazing every time; but it is HARD to keep up....definitely not an "easy route" to a "well paying job" which is why a lot of other students either tried to get in, or got in, and are now dropping out for another career route after realizing it's not gonna be a piece of pie. I'm going to stick it out, and work my butt off as I have been doing....I just really hope that all that I'm doing (which is my very best) will be enough...if not, I'll surely be heartbroken.

Mentalageis16 · Apr 6, 2011

I am applying to the same school fall 2011, so far I have B in psychology and english, A in ethics, taking my A&P I this semester, almost done, hopefully a B, I self tested and score a raw composite of 122 on NLN, any chance of me getting in this program here? I also heard from someone that this program like male students over female, is it true, supposed another male has the same academic standing as me would get in easier than me, I think it's not fair? any comments that you guys could offer me at this point? thanks!

HumanContract · Apr 7, 2011

Hey Mental, to tell you the truth, it's really hard to know if you'll get in. For the spring semester, I had a friend who had a 3.7 gpa and he scored 123 on the nln and he didn't get in. Then once I was in, there were people who got in that had gotten in with 3.4s and had gotten a 115....it was kinda weird to tell you the truth. The school makes it seem as if the highest scorers and gpas get in first, and that roughly 1 in 3 applicants get in. However, that was clearly not the case...maybe they have to take a certain percentage of people with lower scores and gpas to be "fair"...I'm not sure.

So as far as males being preferred over female applicants I don't think that's the case, there's a mix of all types of students in the program, ones with awesome academic standing, ones with average academic standing, and there are less male applicants than female applicants. In my med surg class I think there are maybe 5 males in 40 students total. At orientation we counted 11 males total for the program, there might have been a few who didn't show, so that's just a rough idea.

I wish you the best of luck though, if you do get in, make sure you do the pre-requisite reading they give you at orientation before classes start. It might seem like a lot, but once you start it's gonna be more and more reading and before you know it you'll be way behind. We're half way through the semester now and I know of plenty of students who still haven't finished their pre-req reading because they pushed it aside at first only to realize there was no time for it once classes begun. Also, if you hit the withdrawal date and you're pretty sure you're not going to make a passing grade, do yourself a favor and withdraw. If you withdraw, you're still in the program and can take 110 again. If you fail out of 110 you have to go through the whole application process again and hope to get in. Also, definitely get the Fundamentals Study Guide at the book store if you do get in, it's definitely helpful in learning the nclex type questions you'll be seeing on exams. Do practice questions in the nursing computer lab, get yourself familiar with the style of questions. You could know all the material and still fail a test if you aren't accustomed to taking that style of test.

Also, at clinicals, try to do as much as you can, if your clinical instructor asks for volunteers for something, raise your hand...before you know it the semester will be over and you'll have wished you had gotten more opportunities. Ask questions, if you ever have a question about something that's going on in the hospital, just ask! You're a student and you have the right to ask questions and learn...once you're out of school and licensed and in the hospitals...people are going to expect you to know exactly what you're doing, so the more experience you get in school -- the better! So don't be shy at clinicals, make sure you're prepared for whatever you might be doing that day by doing your reading and dive in there with full confidence, it might take you a few weeks to feel comfortable, but don't let the semester fly by without giving it your all. Spend time with your patients, even if you finish your "assignment" early, try and stick around and learn all you can, if you run back to post-conference early, the CI definitely won't take you seriously. Shadow your patient's nurse if there's nothing else to do, never say no, or I can't, if you aren't comfortable doing something ask your CI to accompany you. The first day of clinicals a fellow student went to her patient's room and found him sleeping, so she came back to the instructor and said, I need a new patient, mine is sleeping and I'm not gonna wake him up to ask him a bunch of questions when he's sick. Well, she got an earful from our CI...in a nutshell, this is your job, even if you're a student you need to get used to "waking up a patient" and getting your job done. Unless the patient's nurse tells you that she doesn't want you doing something, you pretty much have no right to say no. You've gotta do what your CI tells you, or you'll definitely be stamped as the "lazy" or "scared" one early on. I've had my CI assign non english speaking patients to students who did not speak their language, because it DOES happen in the real world, and you should get used to these things before you're thrown out there after being licensed. I might be scaring you a bit, lol, but honestly...it's a great program and you learn a lot of very critical things in clinicals, so I definitely think everybody should do their best to get as much experience as they can while under student status.

Best of luck to you, and don't slack...not even for a day...if you think you have nothing to do and can have a day off, you're wrong! Look at your outline and find something you can read, re-read, or study. Oh, and if you don't absolutely need to take any other classes with 110 -- don't! Maybe med dosage or something small, but don't take on bio 160 or micro while taking 110 or 120, those are the hardest two semesters in the nursing program, you're better off taking them in the summer or winter if you can.

Mentalageis16 · Apr 8, 2011

Hey Mental, to tell you the truth, it's really hard to know if you'll get in. ... Oh, and if you don't absolutely need to take any other classes with 110 -- don't! Maybe med dosage or something small, but don't take on bio 160 or micro while taking 110 or 120, those are the hardest two semesters in the nursing program, you're better off taking them in the summer or winter if you can.

Hi HumanContract,

I'm really appreciating your comments here!!

Thank you so much for giving so a lot helpful information to clear my long existed doubts!

It's like I have my engine ready to roar but no room for me to run, that kinda feeling right now.

I dont think I do so bad as far as GPA, I also heard from someone that CSI do accept students with lower GPAs but it depends on a lottery system - - I now have confirmed the fact that students get in first with higher GPA is NOT true. That proved there has to be a lottery system there! If that's the case...I'll be really lucky if they pick me. Sigh~

I have 3 questions more if you could help,

1)at times when you get in, did all student received annoucement over the website on one specific day or do they get to be interviewed once been selected by the program?

2)one advisor said we could also submit writings(essays) along with application, but I saw no spaces for an essay on an application, did you write an essay?

3) if you don't mind me knowing, what was your GPA and NLN when you applied?

Thanks a bunch! I really think you'll make a great nurse if study the way like you said! From that , I see myself as not working hard enough yet! really need to catch up

HumanContract · Apr 8, 2011

Hey, glad I could help! I wish somebody had told me all those things before I started, lol. Luckily I stayed on track pretty good and read everything on time, it's going to be a learning experience for sure. I got in with a 4.0 gpa and a 128 on my nln. Haven't seen an A since on anything important (percentage wise)....it is tough and definitely, like I said, a learning experience. I've never had to keep a schedule before this semester, now I have every hour booked with something to do.

So for your questions:

1. We all received the online announcement at the same time, however, it was posted earlier than the time they gave, I believe they said at 1pm it would be posted and a friend of mine texted me at 11 saying it was posted and when I checked, mine was posted as well. So that might happen with you too if ya wanna check a little earlier. I also didn't have an interview, and neither did anybody else I know, so unless that's something they're starting this fall, I don't believe you'll be interviewed.

2. I didn't write an essay for the application, and hadn't heard anything about an essay until you mentioned it, so I don't think it's protocol.

3. I already answered this one above, I had a 4.0 gpa - not sure if you know this but they only look at the gpa for the pre-reqs so even if your gpa isn't awesome overall, as long as you do well on the pre-reqs, that's all they look at. You can double check, but if I remember correctly the classes they calculate the gpa for is : Eng111, Philosophy 130, Psy100, Bio150.

Are you at CSI now or are you transfering? If you have any other questions, just let me know.

P.S. You DO actually need every book thats listed, except for one - the Skills Checklist for Fundamentals of Nursing, I think it was a total of like 16 books in the end. You do use them for Nurs120 and maybe even further though, so it's not like 16 just for one semester. The lady at the bookstore said I needed the Skills Checklist, but we haven't used it at all, because the professors make their own version which is sold in one of the books the professors put together. You'll also need a good Care Plan book for clinicals unless you don't mind going to the library all the time, I think mine was 54 bucks, and it's AWESOME! Perfect for all your clinical assignments and Care Plans, it'll be a really big help so you can get used to using nursing diagnoses correctly, it also has NIC and NOC and Pathophys in it, so it's kinda like an all in one. It's by Ulrich and Canale, here is the isbn # 978-1-4377-0174-6. There's really only two that anybody ended up buying, mine or this other one, and the other one isn't as helpful as mine, a lot of people ended up either exchanging it or selling the other one and buying the one that I just told you about.

Good luck with everything!

Mentalageis16 · Apr 9, 2011

Are you at CSI now or are you transfering? If you have any other questions, just let me know.
P.S. You DO actually need every book thats listed, except for one - the Skills Checklist for Fundamentals of Nursing, I think it was a total of like 16 books in the end. You do use them for Nurs120 and maybe even further though, so it's not like 16 just for one semester. The lady at the bookstore said I needed the Skills Checklist, but we haven't used it at all, because the professors make their own version which is sold in one of the books the professors put together. You'll also need a good Care Plan book for clinicals unless you don't mind going to the library all the time, I think mine was 54 bucks, and it's AWESOME! Perfect for all your clinical assignments and Care Plans, it'll be a really big help so you can get used to using nursing diagnoses correctly, it also has NIC and NOC and Pathophys in it, so it's kinda like an all in one. It's by Ulrich and Canale, here is the isbn # 978-1-4377-0174-6. There's really only two that anybody ended up buying, mine or this other one, and the other one isn't as helpful as mine, a lot of people ended up either exchanging it or selling the other one and buying the one that I just told you about.
Good luck with everything!

Hey Humancontract,

Thank you again on helpful tips!

I am a transfer at CSI and this is my first semester and already filed nursing application for fall 2011.

plan on taking A&P II and MTH 108 during summer as it was suggested by an advisor.

I really hope I get in, if I do, definitely I will let you know!

gonna study some vocabs for NLN now...so far I've scored perfect on math, science not so bad and English OMG...horrible horrible, only got like 33 out of 60 right, that has completely brought my NLN compository down to like a 120th.

HumanContract · Apr 9, 2011

When is your test date? I actually took the test last minute with a friend, I had planned on starting in the fall, I was reeeeally lucky to get a 128 without studying I think I just guessed most of the answers correctly. The math was not much of a problem for me, and I'm pretty good with English normally, but the science was stuff I hadn't seen in years! I guessed on almost every question besides the A&P stuff which was still fresh in my brain after taking it that semester. I was definitely surprised there wasn't more A&P on the test, there was a lot of stuff I didn't expect to be on there, like Environmental Science and Physics and Chem - which I never took! I dropped out of hs 10 years before taking that test lol, so none of that stuff was fresh in my mind. One of the hardest parts for the english, at least for me was the choose a title for this selection...which I wouldn't have thought would be that hard. It was pretty tricky because like 3 of the 4 titles always seemed to make sense, so you might wanna practice extra on those. I know a lot of people who had trouble with the vocab too, honestly I can't remember any of the specific questions but I don't remember having trouble with them, I mostly had trouble with finding the correct titles. You get plenty of time for the exam, and you get bathroom breaks which I was pretty surprised about...anybody could go to the bathroom and look in their pocket at cheat sheets. It's not as intense as you'd think. I even know of a few people who were able to use a calculator without anybody noticing which blew my mind! It's almost unfair if you think about it, but I can't complain because I was pretty happy with my score.

As for the math, there were a lot of conversions, like from percent to fraction or from fraction to decimal...that type of thing. There was also a lot of entry level algebra.

Well, just keep practicing, I'm sure you'll do great! Always look for the obviously wrong answers and choose from the ones that seem to make sense.

Mentalageis16 · Apr 10, 2011

When is your test date?

It is going to be 04/26. I'm scared to take verbal part of the exam, the vocabs are just impossible to tackle. Someone suggested using TOFEL vocabs which I'm doing now, and honestly I don't think I'd be able to remember all those words...maybe just 100 out of 500 will be my limit. :mad: I had my exam grade back today from A&P I, and only has got 85. but professor said will give bonus pts. :lol2:

I think by the time I get done with NLN, will suffer a brain damage.lol

with a 4.0 GPA and 128 NLN, I think you make an excellant candidate for nursing; as for me, I might not up to that kind of level yet, still has a lot to catch up with.

If you plan to sell any books, save them for me :smokin: just in case if I'm lucky to hit that jackpot lol

HumanContract · Apr 10, 2011

Hey, don't get yourself down...a lot of times preparing for an exam is a lot harder than the actual exam. I'm sure once you're taking it you'll think it's a breeze. You seem to have spent plenty of time studying, think positive!

I am actually keeping all my books, because most of them I will need for Nrs120 and even if I don't really need them, need them, I'll probably keep them so I can reference them if and when I need to since now all my books are pretty much geared towards nursing. However, if you want the isbn's of all the books you'll need I can get them to you ahead of time (before orientation) which is when you'll get the list, which is very close to actual classes. Then you end up having to buy most of them new at the store instead of having time to look for deals on the internet. There are 2 books you'll only be able to purchase at the school though, because they are written by the profs. So just let me know and I can give em to you.

Stay positive and dream big! You can do this!

Mentalageis16 · Apr 11, 2011

Hey, don't get yourself down...a lot of times preparing for an exam is a lot harder than the actual exam. I'm sure once you're taking it you'll think it's a breeze. You seem to have spent plenty of time studying, think positive!

:) You are really nice, I like you.

I really appreciate all your effort to cheer me up and has given so much information to me.

ISBN for those two books sold in school only, or maybe just the book titles will be enough, that will be great to have, the rest of em, I'll just check em out myself at the book store. I'm not in a hurry to buy yet, it's a lot money so I'll wait til 06/16/2011.

Thank you!:redbeathe

Mentalageis16 · May 17, 2011

Hey, don't get yourself down...a lot of times preparing for an exam is a lot harder than the actual exam. I'm sure once you're taking it you'll think it's a breeze. You seem to have spent plenty of time studying, think positive!
I am actually keeping all my books, because most of them I will need for Nrs120 and even if I don't really need them, need them, I'll probably keep them so I can reference them if and when I need to since now all my books are pretty much geared towards nursing. However, if you want the isbn's of all the books you'll need I can get them to you ahead of time (before orientation) which is when you'll get the list, which is very close to actual classes. Then you end up having to buy most of them new at the store instead of having time to look for deals on the internet. There are 2 books you'll only be able to purchase at the school though, because they are written by the profs. So just let me know and I can give em to you.
Stay positive and dream big! You can do this!

hey humancontract:

haven't heard from you for awhile, how you've been?

I recently have completed nursing application package and will take BIO 150 final exam and after that, I'm basically done!

NLN returned a score of 133 composite and 93%, hope I can make it with this score lol.

anyways, it's gonna be another month before they announce who gets in for the fall 2011 .

I'll let you know in June. If I got in, I'll meet with you and buy you lunch in cafeteria at CSI lol!

If not...I'll still enjoy my summer in Ireland hahaha. :smokin: