Duke ABSN Fall 2015

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Hi All,

Just wanted to get a thread going for those who are applying to the Fall 2015 ABSN program. What are some of your degrees in? Is anyone applying to other schools? Also, is anyone planning on moving to North Carolina to attend?

Hi guys! So happy to have found this thread. I am also on the waitlist for the fall. I applied to the Spring 2015 cohort and was also put on the waitlist then but I was never pulled from it. I am crossing my fingers that this time is different! I am also wondering if people on the waitlist are able to attend Duke days.

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@stategrl Did you apply for UNC May cohort? My friend applied as well and I can't believe they haven't told you guys yet! Any tips for applying? I'm pretty sure I'm going to start working on my application essays for Jan matriculation. Good luck!

Yea I applied for the may cohort, we should hear any day now hopefully. Well all I can say is they give you an optional essay which I heard they actually expect you to do so don't skip that. Start your essays early, they ask for two pages for each question so much longer than Dukes.

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Congrats everyone! Btw since I'm not from the south, what is the reputation between Emory and Duke nursing? Also living wise between Atlanta and Durham? Coming from LA I'm a city girl.

Hi there, I've been living in Durham for a few yrs and there are nice areas in the triangle, not necessarily around the Duke campus though. Raleigh is nice and we are so close to chapel hill, the beach, and the mountains. Duke of course has an excellent reputation around here so you'll get great connections.

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thank you emmysara for your input!

@bluedevilNC- for the senior preceptorship, do we get to choose our specialty, such as ER or OR? as for electives, besides Medical Spanish, what others are there?

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To everyone who got accepted this cohort can you shed some light for people like me applying for next year. What tips can you share for the personal statement. Did you have a lot of volunteer experience. And what were your pre req grades like? Thanks in advance!!!

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@ Barron.ke . I don't know if i can help a lot, but my undergraduate degree was in music performance (3.5), so it's a huge change ( I do however have AP background in life sciences and calculus).

I had over 100 hrs volunteering and working with nurses, patient admissions at a major medical center. Also, I worked with a health club and shadowed a NP. I didn't use "sob stories" in my essays; rather, i reflected on my volunteer experiences and why the career change. I had specific stories and how it influenced me to pursue nursing, and how nursing education will allow me to do more. I did include personal experiences though, but briefly.

The essay is very extremely important for the admissions committee to learn about who you are. There is no interview, this is your turn to show your personality and why you want to be a nurse. It probably took me 4/5 drafts to write it, but the essay questions were the same as Hopkins, so basically I wrote 3 mini essays for one school. I'd suggest someone in healthcare for you to read it. Bf read my essay multiple times, he is in healthcare (although not a nurse). And as a previous poster said, I would suggest not going on and on about wanting to pursue NP/CRNA studies, unless specifically asked. I didn't go into great detail and had about a sentence about my future plans. I don't remember if i included diversity somewhere, but i'm also trilingual and grew up overseas.

At the time of application, I still had anatomy, micro w lab, and human development in progress. i did take micro at another school, but it was not accepted because it didn't have a lab. i took physiology before anatomy actually. Asides from that, I had all A's. When grades were posted, I immediately sent an unofficial copy. I also submitted grade reports while the class was in progress.

Recommendations: I submitted 4, although only 3 were required because I was afraid it wouldn't get there in time. I had 3 RNs writing for me. Of the 3, 2 I took classes with. The 4th was from a microbiology professor. I think coming from a RN and educator helped because there was one section where only RNs filled out.

One thing I wished I'd done was get a CNA certificate. I'd feel better entering clinicals having experience as CNA

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Wow thanks @charming_kitty I feel way behind now😩aside from church volunteering I don't have a lot of recent volunteer experience other than what I'm about to do within the next few months. I am currently taking A&P 1 and Statistics and am trying to apply before June 1st for next spring. Psych was a B, Micro A so far and I'm doing very well in both classes now. I am also a CNA but haven't been able to work as one because of school and children. I haven't started on my essays yet but from the sound of this I probably should start. My mom is a nurse and and in the progress of getting her masters so I can probably get tips from her. So you're saying you got recommendations written by RNs you knew?? I know we need a certain number of letters correct. Thanks for the great feedback!

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Forgot to mention undergrad gpa was 3.3.

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Barron.ke -

I have a M.S. In political science & criminology (dual degree) 3.9 GPA

My B.S. is in criminology (pre-law) 3.57 GPA

I had all A's in my pre-reqs except for DEV PSY, which I got a B way back in 2000. I also took the lab component to each science class as well as nutrition.

I was a Marine Corps Officer and special operations operator for 15 years (took early retirement!)

i was able to volunteer at the Naval hospital in San Diego during my last assignment in the military and was able to get ~1,300 volunteer hours in the last 2 years.

My statement was nothing special besides just talking about things I experienced during my time in the military overseas regarding leadership, conflict resolution, commitment, etc. I was also injured during one of my deployments to Iraq so, I spoke about that process and the rehabilitation that followed, which motivated me to go into healthcare once I finished my career in the military.

Not sure if this helps a lot but, that is what my profile pretty much looks like. And I'm a 33 year old male.

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@ Barron.ke . 2 of the 3 RNs were my instructors. Nursing school apps take application and luck! I had no idea i'd have RNs as teachers when I went into my class! When I enter nursing school this fall, it'll be 2 yrs since I graduate. I probably could have applied one cycle back, but I didn't want to risk rejection. I was worried I wouldn't even get into one school and the results have been great! Good luck!

totally have your mom read it! I was worried I sounded too much like a MD, since my main editor was one, but they can offer you good advice as well. I know a couple of ppl who applied to nursing school because they couldn't get into med school. Results were not so great.

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Oh regarding the essay on why nursing, I tend to disagree with other people in that I was very specific in what I wanted to achieve at Duke. I spoke about completing the ABSN and then immediately matriculating to the MSN ANP program with a concentration in Oncology. I know that Duke is different than other schools when it comes to the fact that they want ABSN students to continue to do their MSN. They highly encourage it in fact; words from 2 different top level professors/ administrators at DUSON. If you are not sure exactly what route you want to go yet, no problem. Don't feel compelled to have to spell it all out right now in your essay for the program.

I also forgot to mention that I speak three languages. This was pretty important for some reason when I interviewed for the HEA Scholar program.

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I was going to use my instructors from my CNA class for letters they are also RNs.!

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