CUNY School - BMCC

nynurse2b · Mar 15, 2004

A friend of mine just graduated this past Dec 03 from BMCC. She did really well. Was able to pass her LPN boards after her completion of her third semester. She will be sitting for her RN boards in a few weeks. She never had complaints...I know that the 4th semester was the hardest for her but at my school the 4th semester is the roughest one too...good luck with your quest for a school!!

Hi, has anyone gone here or know some one who has? I am looking for all feedback - good or bad - about the Associates Degree program there. Lots of bureacracy? Good teachers? Prepare you well for licensing exam? etc, etc,e tc!
THANKS IN ADVANCE!!

-jt · Mar 17, 2004

I graduated from BMCC in 1982.

I didn't get to go to the nice "new" campus on Chambers St next to the WTC though. The city ran out of money during construction and its completion was put on hold. It opened the Sept after I graduated. We had to have our classes in rented office space in skyscrapers and buildings all over Midtown. My English lit class was upstairs from the top-less Pussycat Lounge on 47th and Broadway. The girls would meet us coming in as they were getting off "work" in the morning and were so nice --- encouraging us to stay in school. :)

I know it was some time ago that I was there, but I really liked BMCCs program (especially as compared to the uppity one I got thrown out of on Staten Island).

Our professors and adjunct instructors at BMCC were also still working bedside nurses - and militant nurse activists. Throughout the program, they gave us the real deal about working in a hospital, and stressed the importance of nurses being politically aware and involved as active members in the state nurses assoc.

They also required us to take the LPN exam as part of our final in the first year -for practice for the RN exam, which was similar in format, and to afford us additional job opportunities while in RN school. We didnt have a choice. We HAD to take the LPN exam, whether we wanted additional job opportuinites or not.

That requirement turned out to be very helpful to some of our students who then were able to work as LPNs and improve their financial situations. They might not have done that if we were not forced to take to that exam as part of our final. BMCC instructors were culturally diverse, tough, no nonsense, real bedside nurses. I liked that. It was 20 years ago so I dont know if its still like that --- if it isnt, it should be!

After graduation that May, we were also required to return to school 3 days a week from 9am - 2pm all through June for the RN license exam review. We took actual prior exams in the mornings and went over the answers and reasons for them in the afternoons. Everyday. All day. For weeks. By the time we had to take the real RN licensure exam which was given in July (over a 2-day period with pencil and paper!), we were soooo prepared that we had nothing to be afraid of.

Some of the questions on the previous exams that we had been given for practice in the review classes appeared again, word for word, on our real exam. We breezed right thru that test ----- and we had a 99% first-time pass rate.

I also liked the diverse experience we got clinically. We used many of the citys public hospitals - Harlem, Lincoln, Metropolitan, the VA, Bellvue.

BMCC is part of a task force to help stem the shortage of bedside nurses. They released a report on it last year and also included an outline of their plans for the nursing dept. You can contact BMCCs presidents office online and ask for one. I did and he sent me 10 more to pass around at work. :)

nycNurse2b · Mar 17, 2004

SOunds like BMCC was at the top of its game 20 years ago. I can only hope the program is still the same today.

Are there any recent grads who can enlighten me? Or are there any specific questions i can ask the Nursing Program head to gauge the quality of the program? I will ask about licensure pass rates and thanks to -jt i'll ask about the review program and whether or not they still require students to sit for the LPN program.

By the way, are all nursing students eligible for the LPN exam after their first year?

LuvaNurse04 · Mar 23, 2004

Hi! I'm the friend that just graduated from BMCC in December. I was in the evening/weekend program. No one is required to take the LPN exam, but you can take after the third semester. I took mine last August and have been working as an LPN since October making way much more than I was previously.The state wants you to have completed some MedSurg first. jt probably had med surg earlier in the program than they do it now. So this would vary from program-to-program.

Anyway, I enjoyed the program. It became more difficult as it got closer to the end, but it just made you more determined to finish successfully. Many of us have made sacrifices to make it through the program, some left their jobs or dropped part-time in the last semester, you're tired, you barely have time for family, the exam anxiety will give you ulcers! LOL! Seriously, I would and have recommended the program to others. The professors and adjuncts are still very diverse and many are still working in hospitals or home care. I'm sure that a few were around with jt too. I feel that they prepared us well. I'm told that this semester their exams are modified to reflect the new type of questions on the NCLEX to further prepare the students.

We had a NCLEX review course that is free to the students that have passed. They had a schedule for the day students and the eve/weekend students, but anyone could go at anytime. It came out to about 2weeks if you went to each one. Yes, shorter than jt's but you have to figure in that the NCLEX isn't two days anymore (thank GOD).

I hope this has helped. Good luck to you. By the way, I took my NCLEX-RN today. Say a little prayer!

nycNurse2b · Mar 23, 2004

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond.

While I always appreciate the responses i get from EVERYONE, it was most helpful to hear from you as you are a recent grad of BMCC's nursing program.

I actually spoke to an administrator in the nursing program at BMCC yesterday and was told that there is no waiting list to get in. Very excited and very encouraged!

Mind if i ask you some more questions?

LuvaNurse04 · Mar 24, 2004

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond.
While I always appreciate the responses i get from EVERYONE, it was most helpful to hear from you as you are a recent grad of BMCC's nursing program.
I actually spoke to an administrator in the nursing program at BMCC yesterday and was told that there is no waiting list to get in. Very excited and very encouraged!
Mind if i ask you some more questions?

Not at all. Fire away....

nycNurse2b · Mar 24, 2004

1.What is the average class size?

2.Did you find it difficult to register for the classes you needed? i.e. did they fill up fast, not offer them with enough frequency, etc?

3.Did you attend in the evening / weekend program?

4.Did you work full time while you attended?

5.Was it extremely difficult?

6.How long did it take for you to complete the program?

7.Did you work in a hospital at all during the time you were in the program?

8.What is your undergrad degree in? Mines in business and I’m sooooo concerned because I’ve never taken Science courses – at all!!!

Ok, sorry to bombard you all at once, but its all greatly appreciated!!!!!

-jt · Mar 24, 2004

Really? Well if Bobbi Harris and Gem Chema are still teaching there, send them my love.... and gratitude! :)

Good luck on your exam.

PS

Right. After pre-req courses & fundamentals were completed, we officially started the nursing program. Med Surg 1 & 2 were taken in our first year in the nursing program. Then we had to take the LPN exam. :)

nycNurse2b · Mar 24, 2004

What a moron i am lilmamita! Blew right over the fact that you just took your boards - my bad. My fingers will be crossed until further notice! Hope you did great.

[thanks -jt: I only noticed it after you mentioned it in your post]

LuvaNurse04 · Mar 25, 2004

No Problem! LOL. I'm about to go to bed, so I'll answer ALL of your questions hopefully by tomorrow. Oh yeah, by the way,

Found out my resultstoday, just check my new signature!

Lilnurse0803, RN · Mar 25, 2004

hello lilmamita,

i am currently a part time/evening weekend student at bmcc. since i already have a bachelor's degree in forensic science, i was able to transfer in a lot of credits. i am currently taking the last three classes before i can apply to the clinicals. this is my second semester there and all i have left to take is microbiology.

i am so excited and nervous since some of my grades from **** *** are b's. my grades in the bmcc courses are all a's and i am working very hard to get a's this semester as well. although there is no wait list, students have to keep reapplying semester after semester until they can get into the program. :uhoh21: last year the minimum acceptable gpa for acceptance into the program was 3.38. every year this changes depending on the strength of the applicants that year.

what is the application process for the clinicals like? if i take my last required course this summer (microbiology) how soon after will they send notice of acceptance?? i have an advisement appointment sat. april 17th for the summer/fall. i am thinking about taking micro in the summer.

i appreciate your kindness in enlightening those of us new to this process.

once again, congrats, rn. :)

edited out instructor's name.