Illinois NCLEX testing centers

[gradnursechicago]

Hi! Does anyone know if the Continental Testing Services in Illinois are open and processing applications? I applied two weeks ago and haven't heard back. I am waiting for my ATT card so I can schedule my NCLEX.

Also wondering if any Illinois testing centers are open and what the wait time is? I am hoping to test and pass by July because I need to pass before my official start date at work. I tried emailing the lady in charge and it replied with an automated response saying CTS is closed until May 31st due to the Governor's restrictions but then on the CTS site it says the office will be working from home.

ANY help at all would be greatly appreciated because I am stressing out about not testing in time.

[gradnursechicago, BSN, RN]

On 5/22/2020 at 1:53 AM, Eliana Menningen said:

You can check the status of your Continental application on their website. Your ATT will be updated on Pearson once your school submits your final transcript or roster to Continental, you will also need to submit fingerprints. Our class finished in mid April, I got my ATT a week after the school submitted everything, was able to take the NCLEX the following Monday and already have my license. It was a quick process surprisingly. I'm in Chicago.

Unfortunately, everyone in IL is now graduating so the process might take longer. Originally we were told it could take anywhere from 2-10 weeks to recieve our ATTs. From my class the longest anyone has had to wait to test was 2 months, but this was by choice. Most of us were able to test in a couple of weeks. Hope this helps!

It’s been three weeks now and I’m getting so nervous. I haven’t heard any info back. I know they received my ED NUR form bc I have tracking info that shows it made it to their location. I don’t know what to do.

the rest of my class is applying for missouri and they received their ATT today and all their stuff was turned in a week ago.

[newgrad1122, BSN]

hi there! I applied to Illinois for licensure as well and I am struggling to know whether or not all the parts of my application were received. When I go to check the status all it says is "pending" - is that what you see as well? I am just wondering if this means they got my application at all because it has looked like this for weeks

[gradnursechicago, BSN, RN]

37 minutes ago, newgrad1122 said:

hi there! I applied to Illinois for licensure as well and I am struggling to know whether or not all the parts of my application were received. When I go to check the status all it says is "pending" - is that what you see as well? I am just wondering if this means they got my application at all because it has looked like this for weeks

I’m so glad I’m not alone because I was freaking out bc my work was telling me people are still getting licensed just fine and I’m over here graduated in April and am still waiting for my ATT. I turned in an online application back in February and got fingerprinted and the last thing I had to turn in was my ed nur form (since I don’t turn in my transcripts since I’m applying from out of state) and it says they were delivered almost 4 weeks ago. On my online portal with CTS it says pending. It tells me my missing forms: Ed nur form or school roster. Does yours not say what is missing on the bottom?

I finally got ahold of someone at CTS and they were extremely rude. They told me they have been closed since mid March EVEN though the governor said their office was an essential business so they said they have 1000s of applications to go through and it could take a week or it could take a month. They were extremely rude and hung up on me.

[newgrad1122, BSN]

6 minutes ago, gradnurse314 said:

I’m so glad I’m not alone because I was freaking out bc my work was telling me people are still getting licensed just fine and I’m over here graduated in April and am still waiting for my ATT. I turned in an online application back in February and got fingerprinted and the last thing I had to turn in was my ed nur form (since I don’t turn in my transcripts since I’m applying from out of state) and it says they were delivered almost 4 weeks ago. On my online portal with CTS it says pending. It tells me my missing forms: Ed nur form or school roster. Does yours not say what is missing on the bottom?

I finally got ahold of someone at CTS and they were extremely rude. They told me they have been closed since mid March EVEN though the governor said their office was an essential business so they said they have 1000s of applications to go through and it could take a week or it could take a month. They were extremely rude and hung up on me.

Oh no that's really frustrating. I am also applying from out of state and submitted my ED NUR form with my fingerprints and got the return receipt on May 20. So they should have everything now. I don't see on the application status anything that is missing for me. Does yours say that under "deficiency"? Mine is just blank underneath that.

I hope they can get through them quickly now that they are back to full operating hours as of today. I feel very in the dark with all of this.

[gradnursechicago, BSN, RN]

3 minutes ago, newgrad1122 said:

Oh no that's really frustrating. I am also applying from out of state and submitted my ED NUR form with my fingerprints and got the return receipt on May 20. So they should have everything now. I don't see on the application status anything that is missing for me. Does yours say that under "deficiency"? Mine is just blank underneath that.

I hope they can get through them quickly now that they are back to full operating hours as of today. I feel very in the dark with all of this.

Yep under deficiency it says: Ed nur form or school roster.

What do you mean you got the return receipt on May 20th?

I feel very in the dark with all of this too. They said they will go in order of how the applications were received so I'm assuming they will start with the applications from March ? I am hoping I will get approved this week because I need to take the NCLEX ASAP for my work! I am just so so so frustrated because their website said that CTS was staying open with the pandemic but whenever I called it always said it was closed. I am frustrated with how lightly they are taking the processing of applications. I could literally lose my job if I don't take and pass the NCLEX by beginning of July. If I didn't have to pass the NCLEX before the start of work, I wouldn't be worried about it at all. I just wish they would update my online portal so I could see they received the ED-NUR form and I wouldn't have to worry about sending in another one.

I don't need this additional stress!

[newgrad1122, BSN]

1 minute ago, gradnurse314 said:

Yep under deficiency it says: Ed nur form or school roster.

What do you mean you got the return receipt on May 20th?

I feel very in the dark with all of this too. They said they will go in order of how the applications were received so I'm assuming they will start with the applications from March ? I am hoping I will get approved this week because I need to take the NCLEX ASAP for my work! I am just so so so frustrated because their website said that CTS was staying open with the pandemic but whenever I called it always said it was closed. I am frustrated with how lightly they are taking the processing of applications. I could literally lose my job if I don't take and pass the NCLEX by beginning of July. If I didn't have to pass the NCLEX before the start of work, I wouldn't be worried about it at all. I just wish they would update my online portal so I could see they received the ED-NUR form and I wouldn't have to worry about sending in another one.

I don't need this additional stress!

I'm sorry to hear that ? By return receipt I mean they signed for my documents when I mailed them so I know they were delivered. I sent them via Certified Mail so I could track when they were received.

I feel you though, it is very stressful. I am also the only person I know that has applied to IL from my school so I haven't had anyone to talk to about all of this. I feel like I am missing something or did something wrong. But I'm glad yours also says "pending" on the application status.

[Eliana Menningen, BSN, RN]

Just an update... Chicago and it's surrounding suburbs have been hit hard by rioters and looters. There has been a lot of violence and in lieu of this a lot of places have taken precautionary measures and closed back down. Chicago was not even reopening from COVID 19 yet, and now this. Don't expect any business to run as normal any time soon. I know this is disheartening, but it's probably time to reach out to your job and let them know what is happening.

[gradnursechicago, BSN, RN]

3 minutes ago, newgrad1122 said:

I'm sorry to hear that ? By return receipt I mean they signed for my documents when I mailed them so I know they were delivered. I sent them via Certified Mail so I could track when they were received.

I feel you though, it is very stressful. I am also the only person I know that has applied to IL from my school so I haven't had anyone to talk to about all of this. I feel like I am missing something or did something wrong. But I'm glad yours also says "pending" on the application status.

Ohhh okay! My dean of my school sent in my ed nur form with tracking and she told me it was received 3.5 weeks ago so I am assuming she knows if they got there or not. It's so relieving hearing from someone going through the same thing as me. There were two other people that were supposed to be applying for IL licensure but they backed out after seeing the nightmare of a process it was. I feel like I am constantly missing something or I need to resend my forms. It is nearly impossible to get in contact with anyone and if you do, they are extremely rude. Do you have to pass the NCLEX before beginning work?

6 minutes ago, Eliana Menningen said:

Just an update... Chicago and it's surrounding suburbs have been hit hard by rioters and looters. There has been a lot of violence and in lieu of this a lot of places have taken precautionary measures and closed back down. Chicago was not even reopening from COVID 19 yet, and now this. Don't expect any business to run as normal any time soon. I know this is disheartening, but it's probably time to reach out to your job and let them know what is happening.

I saw all of that ? Chicago just can't catch a break. I want to help in the hospitals by working but I can't do that if I don't have my license yet ? It's all very overwhelming

[newgrad1122, BSN]

3 minutes ago, gradnurse314 said:

Ohhh okay! My dean of my school sent in my ed nur form with tracking and she told me it was received 3.5 weeks ago so I am assuming she knows if they got there or not. It's so relieving hearing from someone going through the same thing as me. There were two other people that were supposed to be applying for IL licensure but they backed out after seeing the nightmare of a process it was. I feel like I am constantly missing something or I need to resend my forms. It is nearly impossible to get in contact with anyone and if you do, they are extremely rude. Do you have to pass the NCLEX before beginning work?

I don't have a job yet and I'm worried my applications won't get looked at until I have my license or at least know when I am taking the NCLEX. If you don't mind me asking, where did you get a job?

[gradnursechicago, BSN, RN]

1 minute ago, newgrad1122 said:

I don't have a job yet and I'm worried my applications won't get looked at until I have my license or at least know when I am taking the NCLEX. If you don't mind me asking, where did you get a job?

Northwestern Memorial in downtown Chicago. I applied, applied, applied since December. I didn't have any of my applications looked at or anything and then the second week of March, I got a call asking for an interview. It is very difficult to get a job as a new grad in Chicago.

All I can suggest is apply to as many positions as possible and turn on Indeed and Glassdoor job notifications for the positions you want. Even apply for positions you aren't qualified for, the worst they can do is deny you. I even applied to jobs that said "suggested experience 1-2 years", hoping to hear back from them and at least get some interview practice. I applied to close to 100 jobs and heard back from ONE. While applying, I applied for hospitals near my school and in my hometown, to help get interview practice ? It helped A TON!

Where are you applying? You got this, don't give up!

[newgrad1122, BSN]

2 minutes ago, gradnurse314 said:

Northwestern Memorial in downtown Chicago. I applied, applied, applied since December. I didn't have any of my applications looked at or anything and then the second week of March, I got a call asking for an interview. It is very difficult to get a job as a new grad in Chicago.

All I can suggest is apply to as many positions as possible and turn on Indeed and Glassdoor job notifications for the positions you want. Even apply for positions you aren't qualified for, the worst they can do is deny you. I even applied to jobs that said "suggested experience 1-2 years", hoping to hear back from them and at least get some interview practice. I applied to close to 100 jobs and heard back from ONE. While applying, I applied for hospitals near my school and in my hometown, to help get interview practice ? It helped A TON!

Where are you applying? You got this, don't give up!

Oh WOW! congratulations!! I would love to work at Northwestern - so far I have applied to 4 different units there. I also am applying to Lurie & Rush! I would be happy getting a job anywhere though. Thank you for your advice ?

[gradnursechicago, BSN, RN]

1 minute ago, newgrad1122 said:

Oh WOW!! congratulations!! I would love to work at Northwestern - so far I have applied to 4 different units there. I also am applying to Lurie & Rush! I would be happy getting a job anywhere though. Thank you for your advice ?

Thanks!

Don't give up. I know a lot of hospitals are on hiring freezes right now, and Illinois Masonic is suspending their interviews for their July new grad residency. Contact HR, find someone you can email that is hiring and ask them questions about the position.

EVERYONE doubted my decision to move to Chicago. I was really anxious and defeated hearing that most new grads struggle to find positions. It's true. I applied to hospitals in my hometown and my school area and I heard back within 24 hours and received the jobs within 2 hours of interviewing. Chicago is a whole new world. I am just telling you even though people say it's difficult, don't give up! I had a mediocre GPA 3.4ish but I had 3 years of hospital experience as a nurse tech. I think it helped to have something like that stand out. I wasn't a part of the nursing honor's fraternity or whatever it was called because I didn't get invited to join ? NW recently updated their site for applying which allows you to see when a recruiter is looking at your application, when they are asking you for an interview etc.