Mature Male attempting to get into rpn for Jan '12, HELP!

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I am a mature male wannabe nursing student. Any advice would be helpful! I've recently applied for Mohawk, Niagara, Conestoga and George Brown for the RPN nursing program for January 2012 start date. I will be 27 at the start of college...I'm worried as Ive been away from school for awhile. In 2003-2006 I took police foundations and have worked in the security/loss prevention field ever since. After a lengthy battle with cancer I am looking for a huge career change and fresh start. I live in Hamilton and my first choice is Mohawk. Any advice on how difficult it is to be accepted or the process is helpful. DO they simply care about my highschool grades? I did highschool awhile ago. I know I have all requied courses but probably not the best grades. I've graduated a college program but again not the greatest marks. I'm worried about competing with recent highschool grads. Does being a mature male with life experience in this field play a role at all?? I know Mohawk has an entrance test...if anyone has any information on where I can look for help with this or advice that would be great. Does anyone know if the other schools Ive mentioned require an entrance test. Tests are not my strong point so I am very nervous. Nervous all around! HELP!!! Thanks in advance :)

Also, when should I expect to hear from schools for the January start date? IS it any easier to get in January?

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

You sound like you would be a good candidate.I went back to get my RPN when I was 38. Yes, having some life experience under your belt is a real asset when it comes to returning to school as a mature student.Also having had the experience of being a patient will be something you can really draw on when it comes to dealing with patients as well.

You will likely have to write an entrance exam any where you apply but they will look at your high school grades as well. The only advice I can give you on that score is to brush up on your math, especially algebra, ratios and metric conversions.

Deep breath. Try to relax. Let us know how you make out.Good luck.

P.S. I like your user name :mnnnrsngrk:

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Thanks for the advice. I will start to brush up on some stuff. What school did you go to?

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Firstly, I applaud you taking the first step of applying. I am starting the RPN program at Mohawk in Sept. I too am a "mature" student - I will be 36 when I start. My entrance marks that they looked at were h/s - math, chem, bio, and english. I re-did my chem and bio to raise my marks. I wrote the HOAE exam for entrance which is given 50% consideration for entrance. So...if your highschool marks are not strong - make sure you prepare, prepare, prepare for you HOAE. I used some prep exam books for the HOAE...and the best one I found was at www.hoae-test.com. I was told by admissions that they receive less intake applications for January than September. So lots of good things in your favour - good luck

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I went to Georgian College.

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Thank-you takeabreath. Congrats on getting in at Mohawk, it is my first choice. I look forward to hearing how you enjoy the porgram :) I have recently just applied so I have yet to book my test yet but I guess I should start to prepare in the meantime. Do you know if Niagara, Conestoga, and George Brown require entrance tests...all I could find before receiving letters was that Mohawk required an entrance test. Good to know that January receives less applicants.

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I think George Brown requires applicants to write the HOAE (which stands for Health Occupations Appitude Exam) - but I may be mistaken. I seem to think too that George Brown does interviews as well?? But again, don't know for certain. I am super excited. The campus at IAHS at Mac looks terrific.

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Did you apply anywhere else besides Mohawk? They are my first choice but thought it was best to keep my options open and apply elsewhere. The campus does look amazing. You are going to have such a great time. Hamilton seem like a place where there is lots of opportunities in nursing, the placements should be great! Thanks for the heads up on G Brown, I guess I will have to wait to get something more official in the mail. How long have you know youve been accepted to Mohawk...or elsewhere?

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I also applied to Fanshawe in London - but like you, Mohawk was my first choice. I applied in Feb. I was #1 or #2 on waitlist...I got my official letter and offer in May. The opportunities and facilities were a few of the main reasons I chose the program. Keep us posted about your application. :)

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So far I have heard from Mohawk and Niagara that they have received my applications...still waiting for Conestoga and George Brown. Ive been calling Mohawk for days to book my HOAE test, no luck yet. Ive studied a tad with their practise test. Hope to do some more studying when I have it booked. I called Mohawk and they said they received 950 applicants so far for January start...for 85 spots. Niagara has over 400 applicants so far (but are expecting more) for only 30spots...and Conestoga has 95 spots but were not willing to tell me how many generally apply for January...have yet to get through to George Brown. I am getting nervous but all I can do is my best :)

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Specializes in Surgical.

Hi- this is my first post here. I felt I should reply, since I am in pretty much the same boat as you! I'm 35, and I've also applied for the January 2012 intake at Mohawk. I've dumped all my eggs into one basket though- I have two young sons, and no option for travelling anywhere other than Hamilton for school. Those are some pretty horrifying numbers you've shared! I didn't have great high school marks either, so I'm in the process of completing math, English, biology and chemistry through the ACE Distance program at Mohawk. I'm not sure how that's going to factor in, since my grades won't be in until at least end of June or into July...? Anyway, I have just received my confirmation too, and I still have to book the HOAE. I was just looking around to see what people are using for study guides, and ran across this thread. I guess technically, I'm the competition- but I figure they will need at least a few oldies like me to balance out the 18-year-olds! :)

Best of luck to you!

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Thank-you. Best of luck to you as well. And good for you for trying to get back into a college course while having a family. Sounds like a good plan to take those course to upgrade marks...Im sure you will still be ok on the grades as they said offers at the earliest will be end of August and onward. Wish I had thought of that! The decision to attempt to go back to school wasnt a whim, Ive wanted to for awhile now and to be in the health care field. But when I finally decided to take the leap there really wasnt any time to upgrade my marks (and apparently it is VERY mark driven...not based on previous experiences)...I guess if I dont get in I have all the time in the world to upgrade :s I was just sad to hear it is only really based on highschool grades which seems so long ago. Not looking forward to competing against the kiddies right out of highschool. I was told yesterday by mohawk that they have over 900 applicants and expect more for their 85 spots BUT that in the september intake it is about 4 times this amount...so I guess we've applied at the best time we can. As for the HOAE...I am really not looking forward to it to be honest, tests are not my strong suit and being out of school awhile is nerve wracking. I used their practise test for format and my gf is a teacher so has tried to make me some sample tests for practise. Ive googled the test and their are study materials out there but they come at a fee and now with only 4 weeks left to write the test probably wont have much time for the mateirals to arrive and look through them.

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