CSULA 2015 ABSN Program

ebolton · Feb 26, 2015

@RNNP
Can you provide us a sample schedule?
How was finding a job post graduation?
Did you have time to do things outside of studying/ clinicals for example, research opportunities/ volunteering/ etc?
Pros and Cons to CSULA's program?
Thanks!! :)

I concur...sample schedule would be tremendous help. I would add, outside of studying etc - what about time for your family? I don't get scared of the heavy work load, studying, etc....my only concern is having some time for my son. I work full-time now, maybe the hours i'm away from home would equate that while I'm in school. I do plan to stop working if I get accepted. :)

lrahm16 · Feb 26, 2015

For those that got an interview, do you have a class in progress? Just curious because I have one non-science class in progress and wonder if that makes a big difference or not.

I did not have a prereq in progress when I was invited to interview, but I did finish up my last prereq (nutrition) about two weeks ago.

lrahm16 · Feb 26, 2015

@irahm16 how did your interview go? Any insight into the process would be much appreciated.

@xochrlstinaxo The interview was way less stressful than I'd imagined! ------------------ is very friendly and makes you feel comfortable. The essay portion was good -- nothing tricky! Overall it lasted about an hour and a half.

Everyone should be aware that the program is now 18 months, no longer 15. ----------------- told me this yesterday, and explained that it's because all CSUs are being forced to transition from quarter to semester (most CSUs are semester anyway, but those that use the quarter system, like CSULA, must switch). This cohort is the last one that will have quarters BUT, the final course, which is the clinical immersion course, will be a semester rather than quarter. In other words we would have all quarters, and one semester at the end as CSULA makes the transition. This brings the total time to 18 months, rather than 15.

snailszy · Feb 26, 2015

That is great information! So by this cohort, you mean the 2015/ "our" cohort?

And will the MSN portion be semester as well? THANKS!

RNNP · Feb 26, 2015

@snailszy

@RNNP
Can you provide us a sample schedule?
How was finding a job post graduation?
Did you have time to do things outside of studying/ clinicals for example, research opportunities/ volunteering/ etc?
Pros and Cons to CSULA's program?
Thanks!! :)

SUMMER: it was M class, Tu class, F clinical (fundamentals), Sat class and clinical (fundamentals)

FALL: Tu class, W class, Th clinical (OB) --this is the "chill" quarter... the ONLY one. lol

WINTER (NOW): Tu class 8-6, F clinical (psychiatric nur) Sat clinical (medsurg) Sun clinical (medsurg)

SPRING: TBD but it will be 2 days of clinical (peds and acute care) and 2 days of lecture

SUMMER: this is when we do the preceptorship so our schedule will match that of our individual preceptor. I think we have a community health clinical and lecture too... idk lol

What i wrote above is what MY schedule has been. There are 30 of us. We get split into three groups of 10 each quarter (same lectures but different clinicals). We split that ourselves so your cohort will come up with a way of doing that.

I am graduating in september so no job yet. I have heard it is rough out there though from cohort 10 and others in the field.

If you want to sacrifice your free time (which is very limited) with friends/family/bf/etc then maybe you will have time for research opportunities/volunteering )

on WORKING: only one person in our cohort has a full time job. I don't know how she does it. She is amazing. A couple others (4-5?) are CNAs/EMTs oh and we have an ER scribe too and have 1-2 shifts a week or so. The only quarter I've felt like I could've had a job was fall... but i didn't bother looking for a job that I could only do for 10 weeks. That's my personal choice though.

CSULA PROs: Although we don't pay the regular undergraduate tuition our program is definitely one of the cheapest out there. We definitely have a great reputation in the hospitals where we do our clinicals too! nurses are always like "oh you're from Cal State LA... good!" oh and ---------------- is wonderful! she pretty much holds your hand and guides you through this whole thing.

CSULA CONS: our financial aid office! BUUUUT you guys are lucky because they just hired somebody to work on the school of nursing students FULL TIME so we should benefiting from that next quarter as well :) PARKING. It's a commuter campus so everybody drives. Just plan to go early (be there by 8:45 am) and study in the library until lecture starts or go to the gym or something and then you can be happy and not frustrated by parking ^^ (summer quarters are exempt from this bc parking is easy then)... hmmm other than that I can't really think of anything else but I will update if i do!

RNNP · Feb 26, 2015

I concur...sample schedule would be tremendous help. I would add, outside of studying etc - what about time for your family? I don't get scared of the heavy work load, studying, etc....my only concern is having some time for my son. I work full-time now, maybe the hours i'm away from home would equate that while I'm in school. I do plan to stop working if I get accepted. :)

Hi @ebolton!

I can add on my previous post regarding "free time." This will depend on how much studying you need to grasp information. How fast do you read? do you have a photographic memory? ... so many variables. There is A LOT of reading. But you'll figure out what's important to read and what isn't with time. You can all ask us (the previous cohort) for tips too! we did this and asked cohort 10. There will be opportunities of doing that later for those of you who get accepted. I can tell you that we have FOUR amazing moms in our program right now and they are rocking it! This does not mean they are not having to make a lot of sacrifices and have missed out on quality time with their families... but they are making it work for themselves :) ... once and if you get in I'm sure any of them would be happy to chime in! (or maybe now if they see this hah).

RNNP · Feb 26, 2015

That is great information! So by this cohort, you mean the 2015/ "our" cohort?
And will the MSN portion be semester as well? THANKS!

Hiii... yes, the MSN portion will be semester as well. We will have to go through the transition ourselves for that. "your" cohort would be cohort 12. and FYI I had my English prereq in progress when I got an interview and still got in so don't worry!

ShirleyRex · Feb 27, 2015

@RNNP - Thank you, you've been so helpful!

ajt87 · Feb 27, 2015

I have a non-science class in progress and got an interview, so I don't think it makes much difference. It was one of the first questions asked of me just to double check I would be done in time.

TLeeM · Mar 1, 2015

Hi @ebolton!
I can add on my previous post regarding "free time." This will depend on how much studying you need to grasp information. How fast do you read? do you have a photographic memory? ... so many variables. There is A LOT of reading. But you'll figure out what's important to read and what isn't with time. You can all ask us (the previous cohort) for tips too! we did this and asked cohort 10. There will be opportunities of doing that later for those of you who get accepted. I can tell you that we have FOUR amazing moms in our program right now and they are rocking it! This does not mean they are not having to make a lot of sacrifices and have missed out on quality time with their families... but they are making it work for themselves :) ... once and if you get in I'm sure any of them would be happy to chime in! (or maybe now if they see this hah).

Ah thanks RNNP! I agree with everything you say!!

xochrlstinaxo · Mar 3, 2015

Any updates? :/

snailszy · Mar 4, 2015

FYI. I had my interview and she said that we are going to hear decisions end of March.