Help- UPMC Shadyside

[julz78]

Hi Everyone!

I am looking into going to Shadyside. I got the info packet, but I have a few questions, hope you can help.

First, I graduated high school 10 years ago and only took general courses. Any suggestions as to what study materials I should use for the entrance exam?

I see that there are college courses. Are those takes at Shadyside or do I have to take them elsewhere before I apply at Shadyside?

Was there any courses that had to be taken before you could apply for the nurse program?

I am so nervous about taking the pre-entrance exam. So nervous that I feel no matter what, I'll fail. I went back to college for something else, and totally bombed the math and English test and had to start from the beginning. Do I even have a chance? I'm not stupid, just forget easily when I don't use those skills. In the job I have now, only adding is used. Please offer any help/suggestions you might have so I don't sign up for this exam unprepared. I really want this for myself and my kids. I know I could do this if I put my mind to it and I feel that I would be a darn good nurse.

Okay enough blabbing... can you tell I'm nervous? Thanks so much everyone. (Oh, I have to take the evening /weekend classes.)

:redbeathe Julz78.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

Hi Julz, I too have applied to Shadyside (hoping anxiously to be accepted for Fall '06 full-time class). In your info packet Shadyside reccommends a few books that might help you prepare. They were called something like "How to Study for the Nursing Entrance Exam" or some such similar title. Either get those out of the library or buy them at a bookstore, they were an enormous help to me in preparing. I understand your fear of failure, I feared I'd fail too when I took the entrance exam. In fact, I did fail, but that's ok, because you can retake the exam again if necessary. Upon taking the exam again, I raised my score by 19 points, getting my score high enough.

As for the college course work such as A&P and micro, I've heard that some of their college classes are taken at Chatham College. You will get tuition reimbursment for them as well. You take these courses right along with your nursing courses after you apply to Shadyside. No courses have to be taken prior to applying, unless, of course, you wanted to take classes to transfer.

If you have any more questions let me know. When are you hoping to start (Fall '06, Spring '07, etc)?