The George Washington University (GW) ABSN Program - Spring 2024

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Hi all! I wanted to create a thread for current and prospect George Washington University ABSN/VBSN students. I hope this thread will provide recent insight on the program. I got accepted into the program for Spring 2024, and I am looking to seek more information. Also, GWU has 2 scholarship programs: Washington Squared with MedStar and GW hospital. Please share any insight on those programs as well.

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I'm still doing prerequisites, but oh so interested in finding out more from current students!!  Thanks for starting this thread!

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It's my pleasure! Wishing you all the best with prerequisites. How many semesters do you have left?

BirthAdvocacyFirst said:

I'm still doing prerequisites, but oh so interested in finding out more from current students!!  Thanks for starting this thread!

 

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Update: I've completed interviews for both MedStar's W2 program and GW Scholar program and am pleased to share that I've been accepted into both. After careful consideration, I find myself leaning towards MedStar for several reasons. Firstly, MedStar is unionized, providing a sense of stability and support. Secondly, they offered more comprehensive information about the program, making the decision-making process clearer. I appreciated the detail that MedStar provided, and I wished GW did something similar. If GW offered more information and allowed us to tour, it would have influenced my decision as the location is more convenient. 

MedStar's interview process stood out for its thoroughness. The inclusion of a luncheon for prospective W2 candidates was a valuable experience, and I highly recommend attending if offered in the future. Prior to the interview, we were tasked with writing an essay. The virtual interview itself lasted about two hours, consisting of a one-hour presentation followed by interviews with two interviewers. To prepare, it's crucial to articulate your motivation for pursuing nursing, especially when asked to introduce yourself. They want to understand how you navigate various situations, particularly in terms of strengths, weaknesses, and handling dissatisfaction at work. 

On the other hand, GW's interview was relatively brief. They requested a resume before the interview, and while finding extensive reviews on their scholarship was challenging, insights from students in the facebook group shed some light. My interview involved interactions with five different individuals. Similar to MedStar, they were interested in hearing my reasons for wanting to become a nurse. Avoiding cliches and sharing a personal story about my journey to nursing proved effective. The questions also delved into situational scenarios, emphasizing teamwork experiences. Practice, especially refining my pitch and recalling instances of effective teamwork, was instrumental in preparing for this interview. Nursing interview question resources on YouTube provided valuable insights into structuring my responses.

I hope this helps!

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Hi, did you have to apply to W2 and Med Star after your ABSN acceptance or when did you have to apply? Am asking because, my application is under review, but am yet to apply for the scholarship. 

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Poshest said:

Hi, did you have to apply to W2 and Med Star after your ABSN acceptance or when did you have to apply? Am asking because, my application is under review, but am yet to apply for the scholarship. 

Hi, when I applied at the time, there was a checkbox at the end that asked if I wanted to be considered for the W2 Medstar Scholarship (W2 and Medstar are the same). The other scholarship is through GW hospital. When you get your decision letter, that is when you'll know whether you will move on to the interview steps for the scholarship. The school also offers a merit based scholarship that you will know if you received it once you get your decision letter. If you have any questions about GW, let me know. I'm in my final semester 🙂

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elegantlyrn said:

 If you have any questions about GW, let me know. I'm in my final semester 🙂

Hi there!  I am curious about the professors at GW.  Are they excited to teach and happy to answer questions?  Do they truly want to see students succeed?  Do exams match what is taught?

WRT classes, is everything mostly online or in-person?  How do you feel about the particular style of teaching?

Did you feel well prepared for clinicals?  Is the skills lab really open 24/7?

Do students feel prepared for Boards soon after school is over?

Thanks for sharing your experience!

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BirthAdvocacyFirst said:

Hi there!  I am curious about the professors at GW.  Are they excited to teach and happy to answer questions?  Do they truly want to see students succeed?  Do exams match what is taught?

WRT classes, is everything mostly online or in-person?  How do you feel about the particular style of teaching?

Did you feel well prepared for clinicals?  Is the skills lab really open 24/7?

Do students feel prepared for Boards soon after school is over?

Thanks for sharing your experience!

Hi! I think I can answer this question now that I am done with the program. For the most part professors are excited to teach. They answer questions respectfully and most are available during office hours. There are some that do read off their slides and you'll have to do a bit of self teaching or group study to fill in the gaps. 

 

Classes are mainly in person. Clinicals start in 2nd semester and then you're on campus a lot less during 3rd semester (3-4 times a week) and then 4th semester is primarily online due to preceptorship and community health. 

 

Tbh, unless you have CNA or EMT experience you're probably going to feel a bit underprepared for clinicals when you first start. But don't be afraid to ask questions! Clinical instructors love to see eagerness and are willing to help you when you are ready to learn. By 3rd semester, you will be more confident and ready by the time preceptorship starts, which to me was the most valuable clinical since it is one on one and more realistic since it is a 12 hour shift twice a week. 

 

GW does an excellent job preparing us for the board. The previous cohorts before us all passed with a passrate above 95%. And when we took our ATI predictor, the majority of us passed. For what it is worth, I think the GW price tag is worth it as it is a well known and respected school in the area. 

 

One thing I should note is the program is veteran heavy. The "VBSN" and "ABSN" students do have classes together, they are not separate. They also have a dedicated lounge on the 3rd floor for veterans to use to study. Also some people did not realize the program was in Ashburn Virginia, which is 45-50 minutes away from DC. We do have a shuttle that goes between the DC campus and VSTC campus (our Ashburn campus), but it only runs 3-4 times a day every 4 hours. 

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