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Discussion

Help: Applying for BSN program

I'm taking the last of my nursing prerequisites and needed some advice regarding the process leading up to applying into a BSN program in Houston.

I have a overall gpa of 3.4 and have completed about 30-40 hours of non medical volunteer work. Have an associate of arts degree. Served as a medic with the Marines for 5 years.

My questions are:

1. When should I take the Hesi exam and what recommended study guide/book/site should I use

2. How much and what kind of volunteer work should I do

3. What type of questions do they ask in an interview

4. Who would be good to get a LOR from?

5. What other things would you recommend to increase my chances

Anything would be so appreciated. Thanks in advance.

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    Former HM myself! 0000, not 8404, though.

    To answer your Qs:

    1. Check out the HESI forum. Tons of great info here.

    2. Research programs to see if volunteer experience counts for you or not. Each program has different criteria. My HM experience helped me, as did just being a vet.

    3. Not all schools do an interview. Of the 10 I applied to, only one did. They didn't ask much about nursing, but it was more about seeing how we work together under pressure, and they gave us an opportunity to ask questions. I'm sure others have had different experiences.

    4. Not a single school needed a letter of recommendation, and sending them unsolicited will only work against you. Again, research the schools to find out what's needed. I have providers from the Navy and our team nurse as references, but I've never needed a letter of recommendation for anything, even for jobs now that I'm a nurse.

    5. Advice- get As this semester. Anything you can do to boost your GPA is good. Nail the HESI. Beyond that, again, look at their criteria. Many schools here simply had their own calculation of the overall GPA, prereq GPA and TEAS score, and that was all they looked at. One had an interview, and one had an essay. The other 8 had none of those. It pays to do your research and not waste time and energy on things you don't need.

    Oh, and hydrate. :)

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    RunBabyRn: Thank you so much for all the info. I sincerely appreciate it.

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