General questions before nursing school..

ShelbyaStar · Feb 2, 2015

It's a long process and a big pile of paperwork, even if the application is relatively simple like mine (had gpa and teas, no resumes or essays or anything like that). Write out what you need to do when and tackle it a bit at a time.

It may depend on how flooded schools in your area are, but I personally think applying for a bunch of schools is a waste of time. Apply for the school you want and MAYBE one or two others. I personally intended to apply for a second but didn't, got first choice without a hitch. Also didn't retake teas and all that. Got a good score, not amazing, called it a day. Don't make extra work for yourself.

TEAS isn't so bad. Get a study guide and practice a little each day. I don't know the HESI but I'm guessing it's similar?

You can do it!

Also get your vaccinations out of the way. That was probably the biggest pain if a hurdle to jump before applying!

Edit: sorry didn't realize this was Texas specific but I think the post still stands

ztran · Feb 2, 2015

It's a long process and a big pile of paperwork, even if the application is relatively simple like mine (had gpa and teas, no resumes or essays or anything like that). Write out what you need to do when and tackle it a bit at a time.
It may depend on how flooded schools in your area are, but I personally think applying for a bunch of schools is a waste of time. Apply for the school you want and MAYBE one or two others. I personally intended to apply for a second but didn't, got first choice without a hitch. Also didn't retake teas and all that. Got a good score, not amazing, called it a day. Don't make extra work for yourself.
TEAS isn't so bad. Get a study guide and practice a little each day. I don't know the HESI but I'm guessing it's similar?
You can do it!
Also get your vaccinations out of the way. That was probably the biggest pain if a hurdle to jump before applying!
Edit: sorry didn't realize this was Texas specific but I think the post still stands

Thank you so much for replying and your advice! How is everything going for you so far?

Is there any thing else i should know? I know i have to apply for certain nursing school by a certain deadline to get in at a certain time. Is there a specific time i should take the tea or hesi? (they are both similiar) but i heard the teas were easier for some

By the way, any advice for studying a&p? (Currently studying right now and i feel like im learning a different language)

angieperry · Feb 2, 2015

I will also say get your immunizations out of the way. Hep B for instance takes six months to complete. Like shelbyastar said applying to a bunch of schools is waste of money. Apply to your top two schools and I know at least you would get into one. Good luck on finishing your prerequisites. Am not in nursing school yet. Am done with all my prerequisites and have applied to midwestern state university and university of Texas at Tyler. I know I will get into one. Currently taking pathophysiology and introduction to nursing at UT Tyler.

ShelbyaStar · Feb 2, 2015

Thank you so much for replying and your advice! How is everything going for you so far?
Is there any thing else i should know? I know i have to apply for certain nursing school by a certain deadline to get in at a certain time. Is there a specific time i should take the tea or hesi? (they are both similiar) but i heard the teas were easier for some
By the way, any advice for studying a&p? (Currently studying right now and i feel like im learning a different language)

I just took my first test so we'll see! Ha.

Look at when the tests are held in your area. I was living in a small town but applying to school in the city. Because there was only one program in town, they only offered the TEAS in the fall for spring application. I missed that window so I had to drive four hours each way to what ended up being my school to take it.

If you think you might want to retake the test, most let you but it has to be a couple weeks apart or something, so leave time for that. I knew I wasn't going to drive that far again just to retake a test, but I might've if I had been able to take it in town. They also fill up fast, so if you have some sort of constraint like a work schedule or travel time, sign up early.

Even if you're up to date on immunizations it can take some hunting to find the records. Most of mine were done out of state so that was a hassle. Plus if you do need to get some immunization like chicken pox, you can't get it too close to the TB test, which also needs to be done in two steps. So yeah... vaccinations are a huge headache you can get out of the way!

For A&P, reading is not enough. It's helpful to skim if you have time but really most of your attention to the diagrams and make sure you understand them. I drew my own diagrams on a dry erase board over and over. For lab, I put blank diagrams into sheet protectors and then used a dry erase marker on the sheet protector to label them over and over. Youtube has a lot of helpful videos for understanding blood flow and things like that. In general I took some main concepts and then went to youtube for deeper understanding.

Also recorded lecture and took the best notes I could, then went back and relistened and filled in holes in my notes.

Didn't really study for tests in particular, make sure you understand things as you go and then review them before the tests.

lesligutierrez · Jun 26, 2015

Hey,

I am applying to HCC in Spring of 2016. I am just finishing up my prerequisite. Have you taken the hesi yet. How was the A&P section. Any advise? Email me [email protected]