George Mason Accelerated BSN 2009

mew56 · May 14, 2010

Thank you vwde, your post is very helpful as well.

I personally never had plans to work during the program, since I've always heard how tough accelerated programs are. I also already volunteer at a hospital but I also plan to volunteer as a EMT during the summer so hopefully I'll get some useful experiences.

I was wondering do most people who start the program stay in the program, or do many have to drop. I'm not sure how many students are in the GMU but I know it has more than some other programs I've looked at.

calledtodo · May 14, 2010

Make sure you are fully prepared to dedicate all of your time to the accelerated program. You won't have much time for anything else except studying. There are those that can keep up with the program and those that can't because they didn't realize it would be as fast paced. Look at how may credits you are comfortable taking in a semester. With accelerated programs you take alot of credits, clinical, lab etc. It can be done but you have to fully dedicate yourself. You have to give up many things. Ask youself if you are prepared to do that.

iheartpink · May 21, 2010

Most people are still in the program. We lost a few along the way b/c the program has a policy that if you fail a class (which means

Good luck to everyone. It can be quite frustrating with the lack of communication (and more... which you will find out on your own :madface: ), but hopefully a BSN in 12 months will be worth the drama.

mew56 · May 21, 2010

Was the drama due to the instructors or the students? I heard that in other programs students can be backstabbing but I was hoping that wasn't the case in GM.

Could you elaborate more on what was frustrating, other than the lack of communication? I'd like to mentally prepare myself for it this coming fall. :crying2:

calledtodo · May 21, 2010

Most people are still in the program. We lost a few along the way b/c the program has a policy that if you fail a class (which means

Good luck to everyone. It can be quite frustrating with the lack of communication (and more... which you will find out on your own ), but hopefully a BSN in 12 months will be worth the drama.

I am not sure what the programs work is like but at NVCC if you get less than a 78 you are out. :eek: Many people at NVCC get 76, 77.4 etc and are kicked out.

ammarac · May 26, 2010

Hey everyone.

I will be starting the 2nd degree accelerated program in Fall 2010 at GMU as well.

I called the nursing department regarding how the schedule will be and where should I live etc but I just wanted to know more about the commuting, driving, traffic and where I should look for an apartment from current nursing students.

I'm 23, married and have a 16 month old that I have to find a daycare for. The child development center at GMU has a 6 month waitlist as well as Fairfax Hospital where my husband will be working.

When I called the nursing department, they said they made a few changes this year. All classes will be held at the fairfax campus and most of our clinicals will be at Fairfax Hospital in Falls church.

Would it be more convenient for me to live in fairfax really close to the school or in falls church really close to the hospital. I'm coming from Southern Jersey from the suburbs where we dont even have sidewalks so I'm really terrified about DC/ Virginia traffic and rush hour!!

Since Julie mentioned we have classes 3 days a week on campus and one day at clinical would it be better to just live in Fairfax?? We visited the area and Fairfax seemed like the suburbs while Falls Church more like the city which I would love since I'm originally from San Francisco. I'm s0 confused since falls church is 13 miles away from gmu and it would take 30 minutes to get to school without traffic according to the gps. is it worth it. Where do all of you live??

This wouldnt be really an issue if I wasn't really scared of driving in a new busy area ( i had a bad car accident 2 years ago and therefore terrified).

Does anyone take the bus? public transportation?

Are there any mothers in the program? From the sound of it its sounds so intense and I'm feeling really happy I got in but overwhelmed at the same time. any advice. I hope I can managae school, being a mother, and wife all at the same time..

marie4123 · May 27, 2010

Has anyone thought about creating a facebook group for those accepted to GMU's accelerated nursing program? I've never created a facebook group before, but I can try if others are interested.

Ammarac, I've lived in Northern Virginia my entire life so I can try to answer some of your questions. George Mason University is actually pretty close to Inova Fairfax Hospital, it's the traffic that can make it a long drive. There is a lot of traffic during rush hour in the City of Fairfax and on Route 50. I have no idea when our classes will begin or end but perhaps we will be able to avoid driving during these hours. It might be nice to live close to the school to avoid the traffic on Route 50 and Route 123/Chainbridge Road. I will be living about 5 miles away from the school. I think any place in Fairfax, Vienna or Oakton will work, but pick whatever is convenient for you and your family. I don't know much about Falls Church, but I've never thought of it as a city, for that you need to go to DC. I used to live in Vienna and volunteered at Inova Fairfax, and it was a very easy drive (during the day).

I don't know anything about buses since the only public transportation I've used is the Metro. Here is the link to Fairfax County bus route: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/schedulesmaps.htm

I think the metro bus might go to GMU and Inova Fairfax.

Let me know if you have any other questions about the area.

whodatnurse · May 28, 2010

INOVA Fairfax Hospital is in the Fairfax County part of 'Falls Church', not the city of 'Falls Church' (which is NOT a part of Fairfax County...I know...seems especially crazy to folks from somewhere else). Anyway...it's very surburban in that area, and as previously posted, a not-too-long drive from the GMU campus.

If you can navigate the circles of New Jersey, you can handle the Capital Beltway and the Northern Virginia 'burbs. You'll be fine.

rxtorn · Jun 1, 2010

If you start a FB group let us know. I've never started a group, or done much on their either, but I'd be happy to join. It would be fun to see who will be in our cohort.

shinobi, BSN · Jun 11, 2010

Hi. I am in the USAF and trying to get into GMU thru the Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program of the Air Force, however, they have a 15,000/year cap. With this being a 12-month program, does this mean it is consecutive 12 mos or would it fall within 2 fiscal years (which is what i am hoping for).

Thanks!

hokiemama78 · Jun 14, 2010

i am about to graduate from the program and i believe it was just a little over $15000 (maybe $16000) which isn't that bad, in my opinion. also, it only qualifies as one year in terms of FAFSA, but I don't know how the USAF does it. FYI-We do have a woman in the military (it might be the air force) in our program and she very unsatisified with the program. She hates the disorder and the inconsistencies with the program. I'm a very "go-with-the-flow" type person, so i'm satisified with it.

Estrella55 · Jun 14, 2010

Hello,

Just to answer a "traveling question" on here that I noticed~Ammarac, you're better off living closer to the school than to the hospital.

For our first semester: We only had our clinicals at INOVA Fairfax for one day a week last year and our classes at GMU (Fairfax campus) for four days a week.

However, during our second semester, we had classes at the Prince William GMU campus (out in Manassas) twice a week, a class at the GMU Fairfax campus one day a week, and clinicals either at or near INOVA Fairfax or in DC twice a week.

They might be changing their second semester class locations next year so that you all will not have to drive to the Prince William campus as we did. However, I can't be sure. This is something that many of us, myself included, did not realize we would have to do until we were already in the program. I currently off of the Beltway in the Merrifield area and my commute to the GMU Prince William campus was about 30-45 each way minutes on an average day. My commute to my DC clinicals was about an hour, my drive to INOVA Fairfax was about 15 minutes, and my drive to the GMU Fairfax campus was about 25 minutes.

No matter where you decide to live, you're going to be doing some driving but it's not too horrible. Car-pooling is something that you'll likely do a lot of though and consider it a bonding experience. :) You fall into the pattern and before you know it, the semester is over and you're starting all over again with a new commuting schedule. We have students driving in from Stafford, Warrenton, Leesburg, Sterling, Alexandria, Arlington, Bethesda, even Baltimore!

It's a lot of driving and sometimes annoying, especially when you don't know what to expect, but it's over before you know it. I'm still in shock that my class only has 7 weeks left.