Oakland University Accelerated BSN fall 2011 Cohort

evansmom · Dec 9, 2010

That is definitely a good point, ejcl. I would love to start early, but I am thinking I may want/need the summer off for sanity reasons. Haha. Plus I am not from MI (but I live here now) and I think I want to go home to see family. It's already been a year and a half since I've been home. It will be 4 years by the time the program is over if I don't go home next year.

kvisintine, BSN, RN · Dec 10, 2010

Hey Everyone...

Would you guy's mind sharing where your overall GPA was in pre-reqs was when you applied and got accepted? As of today, I have a 4.0... but I am having a TERRRIBLE time with my A&P II class at OCC- Highland Lakes. Our professor quit mid way through the semester, then we had a sub for a couple of weeks, and then they brought in a 3rd teacher to finish off the course... all three teaching and testing styles have been different, and two of the instructors were foreign with major language barriers. UGGGH! I am afraid that I may end up with a B+ (depending on my final), which will bring my GPA down to a 3.8... and then I have Organic in the spring (my last pre-req), chem is not my strong point, so I am already planning for a A- or B+... which means when I interview, I may have a 3.76... Do you guy's think this is too low of a GPA to get accepted with????

Sorry to butt into your thread... but I have been actively watching all of you go through the process, trying to pick up on any helpful hints along the way... Any advice would be much appreciated...

ejcl68 · Dec 10, 2010

Hi Kvisintine,

I won't share my exact GPA but it was above a 3.5. But I had other things which to me meant more than my grades. Your GPA is excellent and you should not have any problem in that area. A & P is a very difficult course and a B+ is a good grade so don't feel bad about that. In my opinion, and A or B in A & P means you can handle difficult courses. From what I know about Oakland, they take a very holistic approach so it's not just about your GPA. For example, someone may have a lower gpa but did awesome in their interview/goal statement, etc. and they may get in over a 4.0 student who did not. Also, it's some of the little things that can differentiate you from others. I would advise volunteering at a hospital or getting your nursing assistant training - if you don't use it, it's great experience. Oakland actually has a nurse assistant training program and if I was looking at this program, I would take it through them. I would think this would significantly strengthen ones application. Good luck!!

evansmom · Dec 10, 2010

Hey Kivistine,

My pre-requisite GPA is a 4.0. However, my undergrad GPA was on the lower side. OU does look at the whole package. I have a ton of edxperience in a hospital setting. Don't be upset about the 3.76 GPA, it is a really good GPA. Also, it seems like OU has made most people apply twice before you make it in. So don't be surprised if you have to do that. I did. I hope they keep the interview process like they did for last time around. I felt so much more comfortable and I feel like they got to meet me, rather than just look at me on paper. Let me know if you have any other questions, I will try to help. :)

CookiMonster · Dec 10, 2010

My prereq GPA is somewhere around a 3.8/3.9... I never calculated it exactly. 3.7 is great, I wouldn't worry about it and just keep working hard to keep it up. :) My first degree was in Biology (Chemistry and Business minors) and I had a 3.32 overall, graduated 2007. Grades are important of course, but if you can set yourself apart by having some different health care experiences, that will prove to them that you know what you are getting into, which I think is important as well. I volunteered in the emergency dept., cardio clinical research dept, and in a retirement facility, all supervised by RNs. I think the interviewers really liked seeing that I had those varied experiences and I had a lot to write about in my essay. Definitely don't worry though, worrying doesn't accomplish anything but making you feel bad. :) Just do what you can do. Not to mention, a 3.7 is great in my opinion.

kvisintine, BSN, RN · Dec 10, 2010

Thanks Guys! I am so excited for all of you that got in and I am really looking forward to my interview in the Spring. I have been volunteering in Crittenton's ER and love it! I was also thinking of obtaining my CNA certificate, or one in phlebotomy... one of the OU nursing students at Crittenton said that this is one thing she wished she would have had more practice in. Ejcl68, was the CNA program you looked at with OU or OCC?... the one I have been looking at is with the Red Cross.

My undergrad GPA was a 3.96... I have a BS in Engineering and an MBA... with 20 years in automotive (I'm still working). I just spoke with the NRS 220 professor, and he has agreed to let me enroll in his course for Winter...I know it is a leap of faith , but I'm looking forward to getting a jump on completing the remaining 3 Nursing prereq's as early as possible.

Good luck to all of you... and thanks again for offering your feedback ;-)

bronzemint23 · Dec 10, 2010

I've been away from the thread for a while, but to respond to you, CookiMonster... I applied for Fall '11 as well in my second attempt. But I did apply for May '11 in my first attempt, plus I have already completed all of my Nursing pre-reqs. I guess they just saw that I was done with them and bumped me up automatically b/c they probably had a few empty spaces. They certainly didn't ask me, it just said May '11 in my acceptance letter, and i'm definitely not complaining. I am glad because I was done with my classes this summer and I didn't want to wait too long between my NRS classes ending and actually starting the program. I plan on reviewing the courses over the next few months as a refresher though... I will definitely need it :)

dandy7778 · Dec 10, 2010

I am going to offer those hope (and stressing over the 4.0) with low prereq GPAs. I took my bio's 10 year's ago and got 2 Cs (I was fresh out of high school at the time). My prereq GPA was 3.1 - bare minimum (they aren't accepting it anymore) - but I was grandfathered into the old requirements since I applied before September. I was rejected the first time I applied and accepted the second. Hope that helps. I am proof that Oakland is not just looking at prereq GPAs. I had a 3.9 in my undergrad in business. I think (as we all here did) I showed a strong desire, committment and passion to get in the nursing field. I felt good after my second inteview. I have been a working professional for 12 + years and am currently employed in automotive. I should note that I have no healthcare experience - but am currently looking into shadowing at the local hospitals.

Kvistine - do not stress over prereq perfection (I'm sure we all have perfectionist tendancies and many of us have that A type personalities - it helps us to get to our goals) - but life and the nursing field is far from perfect - so I think they are looking for well rounded flexible individuals.....and also, if you are rejected the first round (hopefully not) - it definitely seems to pay off to try again.

nnarod · Dec 11, 2010

kvisintine ,

for orgainic chemistry i would recommend you take professor ----- at oakland university. i too was afraid of this subject and struggled with another professor and dropped the course. i found him to be the best professor i have ever had. he's hilarious and explains things over and over again in very simple terms. he was great. i hated to miss any of his classes as he was so entertaining.

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evansmom · Dec 14, 2010

Hey everyone,

Does anyone know when orientation will be for Fall 2011? Just a round-about date. Not the exact one, because I am not even sure the school knows yet. Just a comment based on past Fall cohorts. I asked someone from a different cohort and they said about 6 weeks ahead of the first day. I am just wondering if that is the case for all cohorts? Or because this person is in the Winter cohort and they have holidays to deal with? I am trying to plan a trip to see family and wanted to go in the summer, but I don't want to buy tickets and find out I have to change my trip. So any ideas? Thanks!

dandy7778 · Dec 14, 2010

@ Kvistine,

Just a word of advice.....since you are a working professional (with many years of automotive experience) - be prepared to answer why you did not pursue nursing from the get go and pursued Engineering. I think they might be looking at automotive workers trying to find a ticket out since it has been so bad recently....wish you all the best getting to your goals!