After binge reading the thread for 2015-2016, I decided it's time to start one for this year. I am a single mother opting to pursue a BSN after a post-quarter life crisis. Because I have multiple degrees, I have just about exhausted all of my financial aid options. I would like to hear from anyone applying for the scholarship. What's your story? What are your stats? Previous applicants and recipients I would like to hear your story too!
Starting at a private nursing school in May (with what little fin. aid I have left)
1 year AmeriCorps
1 year internship at group home for at-risk adolescents
5 years working with Dept. of Corrections (2.5 of which were counseling offenders)
People with credit checks who did NOT get an award, what are your stats? I know they grade the essays and CV/letters of rec. very strongly, so stats aren't everything. I had an english teacher read over my essays and they were "okay" so that's up for question..My
stats are:
Program: ABSN
EFC: 0
GPA: 3.73
1 year teaching English to ESOL and special education students in a low-income school.
I wasn't aware that the essays were graded so heavily, that makes me a bit nervous.
My letters of rec and work history are strong. I'm the top CNA in my facility, most requested and was recognized for exceeding expectations of clients and the health system I work for. I take care of the elderly in their homes and sometimes on a hospice unit in a hospital. The director of my department wrote me a strong letter.
I have a background in pharmacy. I worked in many healthcare environments, some full time and some part time: insurance co, psych hospital, software companies, mail order Pharmacies and Data collection for Pharma.
EFC=0
GPA= 3.92
BSN, beginning 3rd year in the fall. Adult student, transferred in college credits earned over the years from cc. This will be my first degree. I built a decent career off of a CPhT title but it was time to do more. (I do worry that being a non traditional student is an obstacle that could hold me back.)
-I have my master's in counseling psychology and have applied for the scholarship to attend a direct entry program where I will end up (hopefully psych) NP after 3 years. I currently work as a crisis clinician for a community agency which would technically be an area in need. I have volunteer experience with a suicide hotline as well as Big Sister/Big Brother mentoring an inner city youth. I would assume my essays are strong - at the very least they are average. I read one recommendation letter and it was extremely strong - I did not have the chance to read the other. I have felt pretty discouraged reading all the people who have received awards as it seems like a pretty high number receiving them in one day HOWEVER it looks as if some of you who posted your stats who did not receive award letters are VERY VERY strong candidates so maybe I shouldn't give up all hope. Good luck to everyone, I know so many of this really need this. I will reconsider school if I don't get it.
Also got a credit check on 7/15, no award email yet. Last year I applied I did not get a credit check and I did not get the scholarship. In the program guidance under Notification of Award (pg 37) It says a credit check will be performed on each applicants behalf. Regardless of whether that means every single applicant gets a credit check or more likely just those who made the first cut, you don't get the award without a credit check. The people on here who got an award claiming their credit wasn't checked either have no credit to be checked or did not look for one thoroughly enough (i.e specifically did not check their Equifax report). The only other possibility I can think of is if they have a credit freeze/lock on. A credit freeze prevents (most of the time) unauthorized hard inquiries which harm your credit score and show up on your credit report, in this case by CREDCO. This might then force CREDCO to only do a soft inquiry which does not show up on your credit report. If some finalists got their credit checked and others didn't that would mean applicants are not held to the same standard. They can't just arbitrarily decide whether to check a finalists credit or not. That would imply bias and discrimination of applicants which I doubt is the case.
I see people getting discouraged. I thought maybe this might help. In past years notifications have gone out in waves, based on when people are required to get their documentation in. I was told to have mine in my 7/31. So people who were notified yesterday that decline or don't get their stuff in will move out of the running and I would assume another wave will go out. Don't loose heart. Nurses are strong and dedicated and can handle pressure. You wouldn't be shooting for this if you didn't have those attributes. Keep the faith!
My email said congratulations you are selected for the scholarship, but when I click on the link to the HRSA page to accept it, it says that I am a finalist and this does not mean that I for sure got it. Did anyone else get this message? What does it mean? Did I get it or not??? I'm going crazy here not knowing what it means!
As long as you submit your documentation on time you are good. That is a legal disclaimer.
Also, as long as you still qualify based on your application. If you changed schools or from full time to part time or something of that nature it can possibly disqualify you. The award is contingent on the application that was submitted if it changed it could be a problem. That is why we have to submit the second enrollment form. I called this morning to ask some questions about this.
So #1. Docs in on time. #2 no major changes to application info. =Should be good.
Don't worry! I got awarded the scholarship but I don't think my essays were the greatest being that I wrote them two days prop to the deadline. As long as you expressed a true interest in the underserved population, you should be okay.
Got my award email last night for Nurse Corp then got an award email this morning for NHSC Scholarship. I'm going to defer the Nurse Corp one and accept the NHSC(less tax burden). That said my deferral will open up one spot and as someone said earlier I'd expect more awards to go out after 7/31(award paperwork deadline).
For comparison: EFC 0, GPA 3.9, NP student, ten years volunteer service w/ people historically oppressed by the system, rocking letters of rec, and good essays. Credit check 7/15 or so.
Keep hope alive for your award but keep in mind this scramble for subsidized education is the result of a capitalist system that values money over education and the well being of it's people. To get the subsidized education we all deserve to serve our neighbors we need a different system in place.
For those of you who have not yet received an award email please please do not get discouraged. God is faithful. He knows your needs, and he will always make a way. Just keep faith and trust in him. What's for you is for you. Jeremiah 29:11
PhillyRNtoBe
137 Posts
I wasn't aware that the essays were graded so heavily, that makes me a bit nervous.
My letters of rec and work history are strong. I'm the top CNA in my facility, most requested and was recognized for exceeding expectations of clients and the health system I work for. I take care of the elderly in their homes and sometimes on a hospice unit in a hospital. The director of my department wrote me a strong letter.
I have a background in pharmacy. I worked in many healthcare environments, some full time and some part time: insurance co, psych hospital, software companies, mail order Pharmacies and Data collection for Pharma.
EFC=0
GPA= 3.92
BSN, beginning 3rd year in the fall. Adult student, transferred in college credits earned over the years from cc. This will be my first degree. I built a decent career off of a CPhT title but it was time to do more. (I do worry that being a non traditional student is an obstacle that could hold me back.)