Finally Applied

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · Apr 15, 2008

Sending all good thoughts and wishes to you!

RNintheMakin · Apr 15, 2008

Goodluck!!! Keep us posted!!!

I applied to MDC for the fall but if I don't get in i plan on applying to Barry, UM and BCC as well for the Spring term of 2009-- I was looking into Nova, I hear they have a wonderful Nursing Program!

labrador4122, RN · Apr 15, 2008

they are a great nursing program. but very tough.

I went there the first semester, and unfortunately I passed my nursing theory courses but failed the advanced A&P

the program is 31 months. yes, that long.

However, they do not interview all applicants, just the ones that meet their criteria, then after the interview, narrow the students down to the ones they chose to start the program.

I was there in 2005, so I was the second class to start.

they are very expensive $4K per semester, and there are 4 semesters for each year. winter, spring, summer, fall.

the lab is amazing there, it actually looks like a real hospital, with a nursing station, and nurses lockers that you can actually use.

I was supposed to retake my A&P class, but chose not to, it was $2k+ dollars, and I had been accepted for the fall '05 at BCC

so hey BCC was a cheaper option, so I opted for that.

us students at BCC were not treated so great, they were extremely tough classes, but I made it thru and now I am a pediatric RN.

NOVA is great, but be ready to be in school 5x per week.... no kidding

I was there from 9-2pm everyday. it was like a full time job.

the buildings are great BTW, the library is gorgeous, the instructors really care about you, and the dean loves when you go and visit her.

you will spend a lot of money, but in the end, you get a great education. I can't say the same about BCC. 1/2 of the time I was at BCC..... ok more than half. I was scared to death to try a new skill in clinicals because at BCC any little tiny miniscule mistake you make is an automatic failure. and it is not that way at NOVA. I have a really close friend of mine who went thru the entire program at NOVA and she kept me updated on the program.

anyways, good luck on getting in.

I've never heard such great things about any other BSN progam out there.

and BTW they have a 100% pass rate on their boards

idbeme · Apr 15, 2008

Thank you all for your kind words. I'm nervous, but very excited. You had mentioned a lot of this information about Nova a while ago, and it was this information that got me really excited about the program. My sister-in-law is doing the online RN-BSN program there and is really enjoying it, but she is doing mainly papers.

I'm sure I'll write a big fat YAY when I get the acceptance letter. (Notice its not if but when - gotta stay positive.)

Jstar08 · May 25, 2008

Good luck!! And I hope you get accepted to NOVA!! =) :yeah:

I am going to apply there as soon as I finish with my pre-reqs. I already have a bachelors degree from UCF, and I am currently looking at the nursing profession to get into. But Nova is definately my first choice for schools.

Please keep us updated in your progress with Nova! :wink2:Good Luck!

labrador4122, RN · May 25, 2008

OK...I've been trolling and asking a few questions here and there, but I'm sooooooo nervous. I just finished the application process for Nova Southeastern for the fall class. I read on someone else's thread that they interview all applicants, but I'm wondering how long do I wait before I call to set up an interview? This is the only BSN program I'm applying to and pretty much have my hand committed to this pot (for those that play poker you understand.)
I'm nervous and just hope all my hard work w/ my 4.0 pre-requesites and a not so stellar 2.9 undergrad will get me in. Any good vibes would be appreciated.
Alison:nono:
oops...I thought this was fingers crossed...

It is not true that they interview all applicants. I asked James, he is the admissions coordinator in NSU- in davie, when I applied back in 2004.

They do interview the most eligible candidates, then make a decision for the 50 who will get in.

I know, I was in in january of 2005.

If you get chosen for an interview tell me, so I can give you some pointers.

One girl in my chem class went to the interview after me, and I was giving her some pointers- but she was so confident that I don't think she listened, and didn't get in. she was so jealous, and never answered my phone calls after I got in.

labrador4122, RN · May 25, 2008

Thank you all for your kind words. I'm nervous, but very excited. You had mentioned a lot of this information about Nova a while ago, and it was this information that got me really excited about the program. My sister-in-law is doing the online RN-BSN program there and is really enjoying it, but she is doing mainly papers.
I'm sure I'll write a big fat YAY when I get the acceptance letter. (Notice its not if but when - gotta stay positive.)

thats great! I was thinking of doing the RN-BSN program there. But honest, now that I have a family, I can't drive all the way to Davie for a program that I can do for cheaper closer to home.

So God Willing I will do the FIU RN-BSN program online.

I am going to an information session in july.

NOVA is a great great great school. The teachers are great, and the DEAN loves when you stop to say "hello" at her office. She is never annoyed and anything that she can do to help you or give you advice she will.

I miss that school.

but There is a reson for everything....... and I became a nurse anyways.

sometimes I think that maybe I should go to NOVA to see the Dean to show her that I made it. because I remember eventhough that I failed the class, she told me that she believed in me, she believed that with hard work I could be an RN, and just because I failed one course did not mean tha I would never be an RN. She was the best.

I hope you get into that school. work hard and you will make it.

you will have loans at the end but so what, little by little you will pay it off- you will have great memories, you will learn a lot, you will get treated with upmost respect, you will meet great new friends.

+ you will get prepared for the NCLEX-RN from the beginning.

so you wont have to worry about not passing.

Its a great great school.

:nurse:

idbeme · May 25, 2008

You are right, they do not interview all applicants. This year they had over 750 applicants, interviewed 150 for 100 spots. 100 will get acceptance letters, 20 will get wait-listed, and 30 will get I'm sorry letters.

As far as the interview, just be yourself. First off, what they don't tell you is its a group interview process. They take 6 people at a time, you do a writing sample, then go on a tour led by a few nursing students. Then they interview you one by one. Our interviewers were an alumni and a faculty member. Next year James said he wanted the interviewers to all be alumni, since they know what it takes to get through the program. Our alum was the valedictorian for the first graduating class who was also a "non-traditional" student.

The questions they ask are pretty basic, name a time you succeeded, name a time you didn't. What do you do to handle stress, what makes you want to go to Nova, etc. Pretty basic questions, some that evaluate your way to prioritize, some about personality. The best piece of advice I have is to be yourself. You can't bluff your way through it.

My interview went really well, so I'm pretty confident I'll be getting an acceptance letter pretty soon. (Positive thinking goes a long way in the universe!)

Good luck with everything.

As far as the RN-BSN program, my SIL is doing that right now. Its mostly online. She only has to go to campus Wednesday evenings. She's 31, had a 12 year old and a 4 year old and works full time at Broward General. If she can do it, anyone can. Not that she's not smart, but her life is so busy, that if she can find the time to do it, anyone committed can as well. Its more papers than actual course work.

labrador4122, RN · May 26, 2008

that's phenomenal!!!!!!!!!

i am so happy for you that your interview went well. i have great feelings about you!!

when you get your jacket it is so exciting! you just can't wait to get it. i still have both of mine hanging in the closet- one unused with the tags still hanging on- but it made me feel good that i was one of the few of 350 applicant's to be accepted.

the campus is beautiful- i loved going there- i felt pure luxury when i went there- and to scan your id to the parking lot to get in, it felt good. i felt like top of the line! lol.

one of the girls who just graduated did her practicum on my floor- and she was great! she was being trained as if she was an employee there- and she followed the rn's schedule. i saw the director talking to her rn supervisor and the director wants to hire her.

most of the nova students are super nice- and umm that's because nova student's get treated superb!

nova is a school that is worth every penny- i know it's expensive, but they really do try to help you out in getting the loans set up, they sit down with you and figure out everything with you- so you won't have to worry about that.

so that is new that they are doing group interviews now.

when i was there, it was only me- and the interview pannel was 2 instructors and the dean- and you are right the questions were very straight forward- they liked me obviously so i got accepted.

it's funny that when i was in the interview-1 week prior i was bitten by a patient at work and my arm was green & red almost like a corpse it was so gross- but thank goodness for jackets!

none of the people that were there with me on the tour got spots in my class.

but anyways. i am super happy for you!

it's always great to talk about such a wonderful place such as nova. honest- no other schools are like this- you can ask your sister in law where she did her as and perhaps she has a few stories to tell you......... this is i am assuming she went to broward at bcc.

idbeme · May 26, 2008

You are correct...she went to BCC...but 10 years ago, so the program was a lot better than what its rumored to be right now.

Thank you for all your kind words. I'm eagerly anticipating some kind of letter...good or bad news. I agree that even though it is insanely expensive, it is going to be worth it. They are opening a second sim lab that is supposed to be better than the one they already have. (It was supposed to open this week.) The facilities are gorgeous, I've gotten a lot of the same feedback from current student that the faculty is really there to help you. The other thing that really impresses me is the amount of clinical time, and the areas you get to spend clinical time in. When talking to the alumnus she answered the question I have for her, "Do you feel you were better prepared than other new nurses," with an enthusiastic "Yes!" She talked about all the clinical experience she had and how so many people are prepared to go into peds, icu, etc. right out of school. That makes me really excited since I already have a pretty clear cut plan on where I want to go with my nursing career. They assured me I would get the quality education I was looking for, along with enough clinical time to be employable in the area I'm looking at right out of school. Of course a B.S. in Psych, having a child, and being 35 when I graduate will also be helpful factors.

Thank you again for all your words of wisdom, and while you didn't graduate Nova, your passion for that program speaks volumes. You mentioned you thought of doing the RN-BSN. If I were you, I'd go for it. I'm going to be commuting from Wellington...that's how important this is to me. For the short period of time it takes to complete the program and the little time you actually have to spend on campus you can still get the degree you first wanted from a school that is working really hard to be #1 and separate itself from the rest in South Florida, all of Florida, and the rest of the country.

labrador4122, RN · May 27, 2008

That is trully a great school. And Honest, it wasn't anything that the school did for me to fail a class- I failed because to me it was very hard- and I guess I didn't focus on the right things- perhaps I didn't pay attention to what I was studying.

The A&P class is very straight forward and straight up memory- there is nothing to figure out- either you know it or you do not know it. And for my class there was 5 of us that failed out of A&P that semester.

I love critical thinking type of questions- and if we would of started out without that class- I know in my heart that I would of made it.

To me critical thinking makes sense. I could always break down the question and break it down to the 2 best answers and almost always pick the correct answer- not all the time obviously I am not perfect- but I think that it helped once I started with BCC.

I would like to go to FIU now- just because it is closer and only $100/credit compared to Nova's $500/credit. But perhaps I will apply there if FIU does not take me in... but God willing they will.

Any time you meet a NOVA student, they always say positive things about the school. That school is a great program, and you do get actual clinical experience without that fear that if you try something you will fail.

My friend that graduated from there is amazing, during her 3rd semester she had already learned how to start IV's, draw blood- and a lot of things that at other schools you do not get to do.

I remember she drew blood from an HIV patient!!

you get great experience there.

the only negative would be the other students! when you have a bunch of women together there is always ought to be some drama! there were divorces, hook ups, verbal fights------ but who doesn't get that? I got the same too when I was going thru my program at bcc, and my friend and I joked around and said that we should have a reality tv show about our journey thru nursing school!! lol. you are basically eachother's company for the next 2 years.

Good luck to you, and I am sure that you will have lots of success there.