Direct entry and graduate entry programs II

NP-to-be · Apr 28, 2005

I think we start with one or two days, and we'll be placed around Boston, or in the vicinity of the city. No specifics yet, but we need to buy books, coat, scrubs, shoes, stethescope and bp cuff...
I'm going to be totally broke for the next few years

Wow ... I guess it's really real now :uhoh3: :uhoh3:

Gennaver, MSN · Apr 28, 2005

Thinking of you tonight Gen! How are your nerves?
-Jess

Hi,

Whew, I am at school now. The interviews are behind us now.

Things are good but, need a mintue.

I will post in a second or so, but, I wanted to check in. Nice to have you guys here!!!

:)

Gen

Gennaver, MSN · Apr 28, 2005

Gen -- Good luck !! You'll do great :balloons: :balloons:

Thank you NP to be, and Jess,

I think it went okay. Tough to say for sure. I felt really relaxed and at ease to ask my questions. There are some things I am concerned about, like potentially knocking myself out of consideration because I shared my interest in research and the Med/Surg offers only NP, PhD, and maybe in the future a clinical doctorate. It was suggested that if I want to research that I should apply directly to the PhD program.

This is not where I see myself.

I was told by two faculty that my interests may be elsewhere than in Med/Surg. This may be a little glitch though so I will include it in my thank you cards, (how I hope my research interest didn't overshadow my patient interaction interests and so on.)

This was a tough morning. There were 40 of us and they interviewed us in groups of 4 with two faculty doing the interview. Agh.

All of the candidates were really great, no kidding!! I hope that all four from my interview group can somehow get in. Yet, only 2 out of the entire 40 are going to be called as it is.

The decisions will be made after all of the specialties hold their interviews and give their counts on thier choices so that the grand total can be divided between the specialties.

Sigh, We should know they say by the end of May.

Oh, boy, I think I didn't do great but, somehow am not terribly worried about it.

Maybe its shock. :chuckle

Gen

smile123 · Apr 28, 2005

Thank you NP to be, and Jess,
I think it went okay. Tough to say for sure. I felt really relaxed and at ease to ask my questions. There are some things I am concerned about, like potentially knocking myself out of consideration because I shared my interest in research and the Med/Surg offers only NP, PhD, and maybe in the future a clinical doctorate. It was suggested that if I want to research that I should apply directly to the PhD program.
This is not where I see myself.
I was told by two faculty that my interests may be elsewhere than in Med/Surg. This may be a little glitch though so I will include it in my thank you cards, (how I hope my research interest didn't overshadow my patient interaction interests and so on.)
This was a tough morning. There were 40 of us and they interviewed us in groups of 4 with two faculty doing the interview. Agh.
All of the candidates were really great, no kidding!! I hope that all four from my interview group can somehow get in. Yet, only 2 out of the entire 40 are going to be called as it is.
The decisions will be made after all of the specialties hold their interviews and give their counts on thier choices so that the grand total can be divided between the specialties.
Sigh, We should know they say by the end of May.
Oh, boy, I think I didn't do great but, somehow am not terribly worried about it.
Maybe its shock. :chuckle
Gen

Gen, pat yourself on the back for getting through that interview! 2 out of 40 candidates will be called back? That's incredible! Good idea on the thank you notes! I will send good karma your way. Now you can concentrate on your classes, right? :wink2:

Smile123

Gennaver, MSN · Apr 28, 2005

Gen, pat yourself on the back for getting through that interview! 2 out of 40 candidates will be called back? That's incredible! Good idea on the thank you notes! I will send good karma your way. Now you can concentrate on your classes, right? :wink2:
Smile123

Thank you so much smile123!!

For the well wishes and the good karma. :)

As soon as I recover and get my head back into my homework I will try to finish up some assignments.

It is amazing that the applicant to candidate is 2:40. Yeowsa.

Thanks again for this pre-nursign forum and everyone else sharing their stories.

Sigh, now some more wait time.

I know that the other poster here is going to the May 3rd interview. I hope she reads these threads still. I am sure she is a busy one!! Oh my gosh, she may be on the road as we sit and read. Good Karma to her too.

Gen

elizabells, BSN, RN · Apr 28, 2005

Everybody ooommmmmmmm for Gen!

Thanks for your kind words, you guys! I figure I'll just learn as much as I can and try not to stress myself to death. Seriously, Columbia is not going to kick me out in the first week. I don't think they weed people out, so much. They did it in my prereq classes in undergrad, but it seems counterproductive for Columbia to do it in their ETP program, y'know?

smile123 · Apr 29, 2005

Everybody ooommmmmmmm for Gen!
Thanks for your kind words, you guys! I figure I'll just learn as much as I can and try not to stress myself to death. Seriously, Columbia is not going to kick me out in the first week. I don't think they weed people out, so much. They did it in my prereq classes in undergrad, but it seems counterproductive for Columbia to do it in their ETP program, y'know?

Once you're iaccepted into a stellar Direct Entry program, the school will do everything they can to keep you! It's just a hurdle to get in! They want to be sure you can withstand the rigors of the program so they scrutinize your pre-reqs and application! They also are judged by how many of their students pass the NCLEX exam on the first try, so they want you to succeed!

Think "OMMMMMMM" and those peaceful karma waves will help you in your program!

Smile123

Gennaver, MSN · Apr 29, 2005

Everybody ooommmmmmmm for Gen!
Thanks for your kind words, you guys! I figure I'll just learn as much as I can and try not to stress myself to death. Seriously, Columbia is not going to kick me out in the first week. I don't think they weed people out, so much. They did it in my prereq classes in undergrad, but it seems counterproductive for Columbia to do it in their ETP program, y'know?

Thank you for the ooommms,

Let me send some your way too, (and hopefully smile123 is right about rebound karma:) ).

We heard about the first cohort for our program and thier first semester, (some are doing great and some are having a tough balancing job.) Its hard work. Elizabells, keep on pushing forward and keep learning and doing, you will be great!

This morning I realized that its a 5% chance of getting accepted in my program and a 95% rejection rate. :) Breathing in, and centering.

I did send out some thank you cards and realized also that one of my two interviewers was the actual Dean of Nursing at UIC College of Nursing. Goodness!! She was really nice and encouraging and a darnright genuine nice person!!

Then again, so was the other lady, a professor and also all the interviewees, argh, the nature of the graduate school beast and all these darn restrictions and limitations, (why can't we all acheive our dreams-in this regard of NP GEPs.)

Good luck and well wishes,

Gen/Jennifer

Gennaver, MSN · May 1, 2005

Hello everybody,

While I am trying to be very practical and realistic about the GEP at UIC I am still hopeful too.

After sending out the thank you cards on Friday I realized that there were some other concerns I had.

I sent an email and cc'd it to both my interviewers, (the dean of the entire college and a professor). Hopefully I didn't commit a faux-pas (?).

A rundown of the letter was to ask where I should send my final college trasncripts since my graduation date was around the exact same date as final decisions--that was an okay part I am sure---then I mentioned that luckily I was invited into the Psi Chi national honor society for psychology and the national honor society for collegiate scholars and joined--that is the part I think I should have left out!!

I also shared that I was hoping to account for everything that was missing in my packet and that in it I mentioned my AAS in Biology would be finished this semester but, that according to the Illinois articulation agreement it turns out that it won't be complete until July 28th.

I then wrote that I registered to audit pathophysiology this summer at SXU in hopes to facilitate a smooth transfer to the GEP if accepted and plan to take nursing mathmatics in the fall.

OY, I really, really hope that this wasn't too much. I am sure the thank you cards were sufficient and did have the question about where to send the final transcripts but, then got a wee bit anxious and shared so much in that email!!

My back-up plan is in place and the odds for the GEP are so slim and the interview was so difficult to read but, I do hold out a little hope.

Sigh, breathing in and breathing out and trying to focus on final exams and final projects!!

Anyone heard from CEG? Her interview is this Tuesday.

Gen

smile123 · May 2, 2005

Hello everybody,
While I am trying to be very practical and realistic about the GEP at UIC I am still hopeful too.
After sending out the thank you cards on Friday I realized that there were some other concerns I had.
I sent an email and cc'd it to both my interviewers, (the dean of the entire college and a professor). Hopefully I didn't commit a faux-pas (?).
A rundown of the letter was to ask where I should send my final college trasncripts since my graduation date was around the exact same date as final decisions--that was an okay part I am sure---then I mentioned that luckily I was invited into the Psi Chi national honor society for psychology and the national honor society for collegiate scholars and joined--that is the part I think I should have left out!!
I also shared that I was hoping to account for everything that was missing in my packet and that in it I mentioned my AAS in Biology would be finished this semester but, that according to the Illinois articulation agreement it turns out that it won't be complete until July 28th.
I then wrote that I registered to audit pathophysiology this summer at SXU in hopes to facilitate a smooth transfer to the GEP if accepted and plan to take nursing mathmatics in the fall.
OY, I really, really hope that this wasn't too much. I am sure the thank you cards were sufficient and did have the question about where to send the final transcripts but, then got a wee bit anxious and shared so much in that email!!
My back-up plan is in place and the odds for the GEP are so slim and the interview was so difficult to read but, I do hold out a little hope.
Sigh, breathing in and breathing out and trying to focus on final exams and final projects!!
Anyone heard from CEG? Her interview is this Tuesday.
Gen

Gen,

You're a star in my book! You've gone through the interview, send your thank you notes, addressed any concerns they might have, and did a little tooting of your own horn in the process. Now it's just in the hands of the decision committee. Let it go and let the universe help determine your destiny. It's out of your control now. We will be rooting for you and sending in the positive karma flows.

Namaste,

Smile123

Gennaver, MSN · May 2, 2005

Gen,
You're a star in my book! You've gone through the interview, send your thank you notes, addressed any concerns they might have, and did a little tooting of your own horn in the process. Now it's just in the hands of the decision committee. Let it go and let the universe help determine your destiny. It's out of your control now. We will be rooting for you and sending in the positive karma flows.
Namaste,
Smile123

Thanks Smile123,

For the advice and the practical summary, (you are right, not so bad.)

Ready to wait and just see. :)

Gen

bruinlaura · May 3, 2005

hey everyone,

i've been so busy the past few weeks i didn't even know there was a new direct entry thread until today!:chuckle a few months ago i spent all my time waiting for that acceptance letter and now i fly out to columbia to move in like 3 weeks and i'm leaving my job in 11 days (and shaking the dust off my feet as i walk out, man i hate that job). anyone else overwhelmed?

elizabells, i feel ya on the med-math book. the math is easy but i kinda wanted to be taught the nursing stuff (isn't that why we're paying 56k tuition). i don't know what this test they're threatening is going to be like but i'm pretty sure that they aren't trying to weed us out. have you read the novel yet? i thought it was really interesting (especially compared to the math:chuckle )

best wishes for those still waiting. i'm going to the dentist right now and praying for no cavities.