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.
It was just a regular envelope with one sheet of paper in it last year. Scared the living crap out of me until I read "Congratulations" at the top. LOL! All that stuff that usually comes in a big packet was (and is still) online. Not electronic, mind you, but you'll have to print it out and bring it in/send it in. Kind of old fashioned around here when it comes to registration.
news flash: i got my letter today. am i the first? the letter, in a regular envelope, had a one page note inside which read "that due to the number of applicants that can be admitted to the care program at this time an alternate admissions list has been developed. you have been placed on this list for fall 2010," etc....
if anyone is curious, this is a repeat application and my gpa is a 3.5. i thought i did really well on my interview. i did have two unexpected questions that i wasn't sure i answered well due to the sheer surprise of the questions.
one was "what do you think has been your greatest accomplishment in life?" well, at the age of 48, that's pretty hard to narrow down as i've had quite a few. the most tricky question was "name a time in your life when you have been treated as a minority culturally, politically, or socially and explain how you overcame it. that one blew me away as i did not see how it applied to an accelerated nursing program. it came out of left field. the male student looked at my confused face and basically said to his interviewing partner that maybe the question had to be reworded, so i did it for them. in addition, i was interviewed by a ph.d. , who did not teach in the program and two students. i thought at the time of the interview that if i were a serious candidate that i would have been interviewed by someone who taught in the care program.
good luck to all of those anxiously waiting for letters. if you have any input, thoughts, or analysis to my observations it is welcome as i am trying to decide whether to pursue this program as an alternate. thanks and good luck!
NEWS FLASH: I got my letter today. Am I the first? The letter, in a regular envelope, had a one page note inside which read "That due to the number of applicants that can be admitted to the CARE program at this time an alternate admissions list has been developed. You have been placed on this list for Fall 2010," etc....
If anyone is curious, this is a repeat application and my GPA is a 3.5. I thought I did really well on my interview. I did have two unexpected questions that I wasn't sure I answered well due to the sheer surprise of the questions.
One was "What do you think has been your greatest accomplishment in life?" Well, at the age of 48, that's pretty hard to narrow down as I've had quite a few. The most tricky question was "Name a time in your life when you have been treated as a minority culturally, politically, or socially and explain how you overcame it. That one blew me away as I did not see how it applied to an accelerated nursing program. It came out of left field. The male student looked at my confused face and basically said to his interviewing partner that maybe the question had to be reworded, so I did it for them. In addition, I was interviewed by a Ph.D. , who did not teach in the program and two students. I thought at the time of the interview that if I were a serious candidate that I would have been interviewed by someone who taught in the CARE program.
Good luck to all of those anxiously waiting for letters. If you have any input, thoughts, or analysis to my observations it is welcome as I am trying to decide whether to pursue this program as an alternate. Thanks and good luck!
Your post makes me nervous. I had a 3.5 and I think I did well on the interview except for 2 questions. I think I have been getting cocky and just kind of asuming that I would get accepted. They interviewed 70 people for 50 slots and I figured you really had to blow it to not get in but obviously the 70 people they picked to interview were the 70 that they wanted.
Does your letter say what number alternate you are? Don't fret Tigerlover because people apply to various schools and of the 50 that are accepted there will be some that have to withdraw for all sorts of reasons. You still have a chance.
I wonder if they are sending out the letters to alternates first, and then the ones accepted.
If you got your letter on Wednesday and you are local I will be checking my mail on Friday or Saturday.
@Tigerlover do not give up like ChanelCinq said ppl will be dropping for some reason so your chances are still good. I live locally as well and I didn't get a letter. What area do you stay in? I wonder if they sent out the alternate letters first. Good luck everyone again and Tigerlover to you as well :-) stay positive
@Tigerlover do not give up like ChanelCinq said ppl will be dropping for some reason so your chances are still good. I live locally as well and I didn't get a letter. What area do you stay in? I wonder if they sent out the alternate letters first. Good luck everyone again and Tigerlover to you as well :-) stay positive
Like classy and chanel have said, stay positive even if you receive a wait-list notice. There are only 70 applicants for 50-55 slots, so the chances of still getting in are good. I know in our class (which had 175 applicants for 50 slots) people that were wait-listed as far as 15th ended up getting in (and that's just that I know of). If you are wait-listed, be prepared for a very short turn-around if you get an acceptance letter (like a day or two). And don't despair if its late July or even August before you hear back (as I know of one person who got accepted only a few days before classes started).
Like cpk said, our acceptance letters were on a single sheet. There is no glossy packet full of smiling, multi-cultural people or a bunch of forms to fill out. I hope this has improved, but after I sent in my acceptance confirmation, I didn't hear a peep from the school until about mid-July when I got a list of the necessary immunizations I needed to send them. The registrar fees are similarly put out at the last minute, so make sure you are financially ready.
Something that was new for beejay and cpk's class was a CARE orientation, where the accepted applicants came to the school and we (C8) met with them. I'm a little fuzzy on the dates, was it in june? Also, I know that C9 has great class officers who will be working with the incoming students to help them. Best of luck to everyone during this very stressful time.
I was telling Tigerlover in a PM that one of our best students was pulled off of the waitlist the day before level orientation (the day before classes start).
We received our letters at the end of April last year and we had that orientation in mid-June where we turned in forms we had and filled out class registration forms. I hope we get to do the same this year.
The process improved somewhat. About a week after I sent back my acceptance (about the first week of May), I was sent a web address with all kinds of instructions and forms to print, fill out, and bring back. The big thing is, had I not already started my immunizations and medical stuff for another school, it would've been incredibly stressful to fit all of that into 3 months.
Have your funds in order in ways other than plastic. Technology as far as registration is nil - no online regsistration or online tuition payments. In other words, be ready to jump at any given notice. Once you're in the program, that's how things go anyway .
We officers are super excited. We'll be more excited if you come see us in June because this block we're in will be over and we'll have an easier ride for awhile! LOL!
cpkrn2b2011..about how much would you say that we have to pay for the first time? I actually hv someone that was in your class with the initials of D.B.
Thanks so much for all of the words of encouragement. I am going to get on the "alternate admissions list" since I am committed and determined to be a nurse and attend LSUHSC!
My intention was to inform CARE X applicants that letters were on the way soon, not to make you nervous with my status. Honestly, after thinking over my interview, (as I've mentioned before) i felt that I could have prefaced my answers with more information, or more of an explanation. So, although the interview was fun and flew by, maybe I thought I did great but could have done better. The students and faculty did have a lot of applicants to interview on the first day.
( To answer some questions, I as told that "wait list numbers" are not given out. I suppose this will be reviewed when the time comes. I live in New Orleans, Lakeview area, for those wanting to know when to expect their letter.)
Good luck to everyone. I know that most of you who are now nervous due to my post will get your congratulations letter sooner than later, and, quite possibly, I will see you all in August!
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jjb40
13 Posts
Interviewed April 10th... waiting on the mail!