GMU ABSN program 2017 applicants

LawyerRN2b · Mar 30, 2017

Thanks! I went back to my email and somehow missed the one about visiting. I'm def going to check it out on the 4th. GU's is tomorrow so it will be nice to see them side by side within days of each other.

NeuroICURN17, BSN · Apr 3, 2017

Speaking a person in the current cohort, I can say that this program is anything but awesome. If I could go back and pay more $$ to go to a longer, more organized and efficient program, I would have. I am a good student (3.8 GPA in the program), I already have a sign job offer and I can say this program is deplorable. I could go into details but I really don't want to be a debby downer. This isn't just my opinion but it seems to be the general consensus of everyone, it's very subpar to what we were told and what we expected this program to be.

The only advice I can offer is, if you applied to multiple programs and got in, SERIOUSLY consider those other programs. I cannot stress it enough. Spare yourself blatant lies made by faculty, incompetent instructors, and clinicals that cannot even be fulfilled (i.e. pediatrics was offered and replaced by school nursing/health administration/free clinic clinicals which DOES NOT prepare one for understanding peds).

cast · Apr 3, 2017

Hey,

I just got my acceptance letter ! I applied to traditional, but still check your emails!!

Ryan624 · Apr 3, 2017

Ahhh congrats! Nothing yet for me

snanda88 · Apr 3, 2017

Congrats!!! I applied for the ABSN but have no heard anything yet- been refreshing/checking my email all day!

@NeurolCURN17- are you talking about the traditional program or the accelerated? I have heard different things about both programs- the traditional one is run less smooth than the ABSN? Is that true?

LawyerRN2b · Apr 3, 2017

Neuro! That's so disappointing to hear! I am pretty set on Georgetown but haven't submitted my deposit yet b/c I want to see what happened with GMU. Could you go into more detail? Also, do you have an idea when that new building will be ready? It looks like it could be a year away from the pictures online.

snanda88 · Apr 3, 2017

Hi Lawyer- How long did it take you to hear back from GWU? I got an email last week saying my application was sent to the committee for final review. Just wanted to know when to expect to hear something? Congrats on getting in :) Hope to hear from both soon!

LawyerRN2b · Apr 3, 2017

Oh I didn't apply to GWU....just GMU and Georgetown. GWU was too far of a commute for me. I visited GT last week and it was awesome. Hope you get great news soon!

snanda88 · Apr 4, 2017

ohh oops! sorry I thought you said GWU! Sorry!!! :)

KatrinaSparkle · Apr 4, 2017

Snanda- GWU takes about 3 weeks to get a final decision after you get the preliminary review email. So it shouldn't be too much longer for you to hear back.

snanda88 · Apr 4, 2017

Thanks :) Appreciate the response :)

Still refreshing emails all morning! lol

NeuroICURN17, BSN · Apr 4, 2017

@snanda88, both programs are run by the same faculty for the most part. The traditional program was in danger of losing their accreditdation because the pass rate for NCLEX was in the 60 something percentile. The ABSN program was at almost a 100% pass rate, but I would attribute that mainly to the drive and dedication of the students. A typical ABSN student is more driven and more mature than a traditional (not that a traditional student isn't capable of that, it's just something that comes with age, maturity, and life experiences). Most ABSN students know that they need to study their butts off to pass that NCLEX- I would not attribute their success to the school.

As far as the ABSN program - pros: it's cheaper than the other options. Yes, this is true. However, there are several extra fees you will be charged once school begins that are separate from tuition. A $75 fee here and a $90 fee there doesn't sound like much in the beginning, but you will see that it sure adds up. Money generally couldn't be saved on textbooks by renting or buying used because we HAD to have the online resources for those books (it was incredible what the cost of books was- like $600-$700 for the 1st semester).

2nd pro: the ABSN program is 11 months. I have 4.5 months to go before graduating. I want to preface this by saying that my prereq GPA was a 4.0 and I have a 3.8 GPA currently. I'm not saying it to brag, I'm just telling you because you can do very well in the program, but still feel ill equipped as a nurse because of the training given to me by this program. It isn't possible to learn everything thoroughly and completely in 11 months. Anyone can regurgitate information for an exam, but retention is a different story. I wish I had 3-6 more months to really 'get it'. I don't doubt for a second that I will be a great nurse, but I'm going to do it using my own drive and initiative, not by what the school offered to me.

I say this program is subpar for many reasons:

-Not everyone is lucky to get a good clinical instructor. Some people will have the opportunity to give meds at nearly every clinical. Others, will only give the bare minimum (this is something that's important for a new nurse to do and understand). Some of my peers gave countless injections and countless meds. I gave 2 injections and maybe 6 meds to a total of 2 patients. It wasn't apples to apples and it was mostly due to the fact that my instructor just wasn't the best. She would disappear for the entire day until the end of clinical. I was told later I'd have more opportunities later on in the semester to give meds and injections, however in our next clinical it hasn't happened (we can't give meds to psych patients, very rarely in OB unless you have a good instructor, and since the school wasn't able to secure Peds acute care facilities, that didn't happen either). Some people were sent to health departments for Peds clinicals and were able to have the opportunity to give tons of injections, but others were sent to school clinics and the MAP clinic where, once again, no meds are given.

- Often, emails go unanswered and information regarding clinicals isn't passed on until 12 hours before we are supposed to go. I can manage it ok, but for the parent in this program, it can be a struggle.

-Throughout the semester we have also been told we would get to make a list of speciality preferences for our preceptorship and that they would be considered to some extent when placing us. That has changed as well as of the other day and now none of our preferences will be considered including what hospital we will go to in relation to where we live or where our preferences lie. For me, I was really hoping to gain an ICU preceptorship since that's where I was given an offer. Additionally, where I was given an offer wanted to designate a spot for me to do my preceptorship there and gain CC experience. However, the faculty will purposefully make sure to not give you a preceptorship based on employment because "they do not want their students to be treated as employees". It's unfortunate because this type of experience (ICU) isn't offered in the program. It is so frustrating to have a program work against your best interests at every corner. It should also be noted that GWU, Shenandoah, and Marymount have NO problem with placing their students in preceptorships where they will eventually work. Not Mason! If you want L&D, it'll likely go to someone with no interest in it. That's how it seems to pan out.

-Luckily you guys will have the new facility to do lab in. But I'm sure you will see the glory that is current lab before you go there. This includes dummies that fall apart during assessments and expired materials galore.

- I wish I could say that is it, but really the frustrations just continue to mount. The faculty does not communicate with their students, some faculty should NOT be teaching due to giving incorrect information and saying inappropriate things to students on a regular basis, and others spend their time "teaching" for reading PP slides verbatim.

Also, you will do a Winter Course - nothing wrong with that except we completed it in the beginning January and we are STILL waiting for some of our assignments to be graded. Some items in that course were not even opened until a day before the class was supposed to be over, which basically meant if you were trying to complete the online course quickly to go somewhere and enjoy your winter break, you couldn't because you still had to wait for assignments to open.....

Overall, my biggest frustration is just being lied to. I was given the impression at the info session that this program was the best in the area and that they required the best students because of the superiority of the program. While the best students DO go into this program, the program doesn't even come close to meeting them halfway. I, and many others, have felt lied to over and over and over again and I wish someone had told me how it was going to be. Part of me feels guilty for ranting, but I honestly would have wanted to know all of the facts before taking the plunge.

The silver lining is it's 11 months and you will be a nurse! That's fantastic! And if you're a driven individual that really cares about your patients, you will be a great nurse regardless of the school. If you can put your head down for 11 months to get that BSN then go for it, just know what your getting yourself into.