Hi. I am applying for entry to LSU's CARE program for my Accelerated BSN degree in August 2008. I am just getting ready to send my application off, and was wondering if anyone here has done this program, or is currently enrolled in it.
Mainly, I'm curious about the admissions standards. I have always been a very good student, and maintained above a 3.5 in college. I also have an advanced professional degree in another field. I am hoping these things will make me an attractive candidate for the school. I am curious how competitve the program is, especially for someone who is not a Louisiana resident.
Also, I'm wondering what the program is like. I know that it's got to be pretty intense if it wraps up all the nursing education into 18 months. What is a typical schedule like? How many hours a day and things like that?
I'm really excited about this opportunity, and looking forward to reading any responses here. Also, if anyone is currently applying as well, I'd love to connect with you so we can bite our nails together.
I was accepted to the CARE Program. I was looking at the schedule and there are multiple lab selections for anatomy and physiology classes. Do we choose one lab for each course or are there actually two labs per week per class? Thank you.
I was curious if anyone has been through the CARE Program could tell me how much time is spent in the classroom weekly? It seems there are either several labs for A&P or multiple choices for times and 4 hours alloted for testing on Friday afternoon. I am trying to rearrange some things in my life and thought that I would ask. Thanks
Congratulations to everyone that was accepted for Fall 2009. I will be applying for Fall 2010 entry. My transcripts were evaluated by LSU and I have a 3.52 with 2 more pre-reqs to take and one is Micro. Does that seem enough to get an interview? Did anyone interview that had around 3.5?
From everyone's posts it appears that GPA is not everything and weight is placed on interview, life experience, and finances. I think I have all the other areas covered. I have traveled and lived in some of the poorest countries in the world. My experience abroad is part of the reason I am going into nursing. I have financial means to pay for school and living expenses so that I don't have to work for 2 years.
LSU is my number one school although for a safety measure I will be applying to some other schools. If my GPA was higher, I wouldn't even bother applying anywhere else.
As a graduate of the last CARE class, I have to say: you are all in for a rude awakening with the CARE program. I have read all the wide-eyed posts of the in-coming class and it makes me feel for you that you don't know what you are REALLY in for. In the interviews we asked you those questions about making A's because you probably won't. People don't fail out from trying too hard, they fail out DESPITE trying so hard, DESPITE knowing all of the information that was presented in class -- people fail out because they are generally not supported by the teaching faculty or the program director, who should be ashamed of herself for the way she treats students behind closed doors (I have heard stories from SEVERAL classmates).
Well, strap yourself in for A&P and get ready for the ride- I cried after taking my first Physiology test, then it turned out to be my best exam grade in the course. Don't sweat it, you'll get used to killing yourself for C's. I did. And band together as a class, because no one else is there for you.
And if it's not too late, accept you second choice school. Trust me.
nolahscstudent, although this is NOT what those of us going into the program want to hear, thank you for your post. Forewarned is forearmed (although why I would want 4 arms is beyond me:coollook:).
I would be interested in hearing more of your thoughts on the program. Would you have gone elsewhere if you knew then what you know now? Do you feel ill-prepared now that you've graduated? If you ran the program, what would be the first thing you would change?
You sound quite a bit like one of the students who interviewed me - very no nonsense "this is how it will be" talk. Scared the beejeebus out of me, but I had made my choice. One thing he said was, "Be prepared to fail more than one of Dr. XXX's tests (physiology)." Everything you've said here, I've heard before in one way or another but it is good to get a reality check and reexamine my mind set before starting. I always tell people that I might be raring to go right now but ask me how I feel a year from now .
I am also interested in your thoughts on beejaycee's questions. I'm not being insolent here, I just want to hear more opinions and experiences.
You asked: Would you have gone elsewhere if you knew then what you know now? Do you feel ill-prepared now that you've graduated? If you ran the program, what would be the first thing you would change?"
Oh, yes, I would have gone somewhere else had I known. I even seriously considered applying to another school just in case the roll of the die did not come up in my favor on a test grade (and very often a roll of the die is what it can come down to - just ask the several people who were dropped from the program for being down the one or two points on a poorly written test that put their final grade below 77%). In the CARE program we already have one degree, a significant experience with at least one learning institution. In my case, my first degree was a superior educational experience, one where the whole program was structured to support the student and his learning process and growth experience. We were treated with respect and dignity, our ideas were listened to and encouraged and if someone was having difficulty there were structures in place to assist him. These concepts exist in very limited supply with the nursing program at LSU. One collegue even compared being in LSU Nursing to living in a communist country: you are expected to follow blindly and God help you if you don't like how you are being led. If you can't cut it their attitude is, "Too bad for you, no skin off our back." This attitude and these support deficiencies are definatly what I would change about the program.
For your other question, no, I don't feel ill-prepared to be a nurse. I learned how to be a nurse. I made sure to get what I needed. And, it's not all bad, there are also some really excellent teachers and great experience to be had. I am just warning you and giving you some info that I wish I had had.
I am also a CARE VII graduate and while I agree with some of nolalsuhscstudent's remarks, I don't agree with all of them.
I feel that the 'rough around the edges' feel of this program and the 'unfair' treatment issued are due to a few facts - this is a fairly new program (less than 10 years old) and faculty and staff are still working out the kinks to improve it. Also, we as a class were thrown into the midst of an entirely new curriculum being created and through us, as guinea pigs, there were mistakes to be learned from. Unfortunately, we were the test subjects for their experiment. Someone has to be.
Comparing this program to a communist country is a little dramatic and absurd - faculty will hear your complaints if its warranted. No, things don't always go the way you want them to, but, that's the nature of the bureaucratic academic beast. You can't please everyone. You work hard, you do what you have to, you get your little piece of paper that says 'Bachelor of Science in Nursing' and you move on.
Yes, there was some rough treatment and yes there were times when the testing dynamics were unfair. Overall the people who made it through the program did it because they wanted it badly enough. They stuck it out and they will all make great nurses through time and experience.
Keep in mind people - THIS IS AN ACCELERATED PROGRAM!! You are moving at a faster than normal pace and there will be bumps in the road. Learn to roll with the punches and smile under stress and you will survive.
I JUST GOT A CALL TODAY SAYING THEY HAVE A SPOT FOR ME !
I'M VERY EXICTED, however I'm wondering if I missed a lot. It looks like you guys had an advising day already. I have to call back and let LSU know if I accept the position, so I don't have any paper work yet.
Please let me know what you guys think and what's going on!!!
Congratulations and well done! I was wondering how things were going with you and if you were accepted. We filled out a bunch of paperwork (all available online so don't panic) and got to meet each other, many of the administrators, and some of the students from both the CARE XIII and XII cohorts. It looks like there will be 55 of us in August.
You need to get on the phone and accept! And then you'll get your LSU computer account so you can access the forms I mentioned above and get the ball rolling! :typing Come on in, the water's fine! I'll look over my notes a little later and see if there was anything that I think is an absolutely "don't miss" detail.
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I was wondering how things were going with you and if you were accepted. We filled out a bunch of paperwork (all available online so don't panic) and got to meet each other, many of the administrators, and some of the students from both the CARE XIII and XII cohorts. It looks like there will be 55 of us in August.
dcmedgrl
10 Posts
Hello All,
I was accepted to the CARE Program. I was looking at the schedule and there are multiple lab selections for anatomy and physiology classes. Do we choose one lab for each course or are there actually two labs per week per class? Thank you.