Oregon 2008: How I Earn My Acceptance Letter

OregonBSN · Jun 9, 2008

i will be attending:

linfield-good samaritan school of nursing in portland oregon

accelerated bachelor of science in nursing

my prerequisite gpa is:

3.91

my thoughts on prerequisite courses:

my prerequisite course work began in fall of 2006, as evening classes after my full time job. here is the sequence in which i completed them:

fa'06: a&p 1

wi'07: a&p 2, developmental psyche

sp'07: a&p 3

su'07: nutrition

fa'07: algebra iii (replaced a c in integral calculus)

wi'08: anthropology & sociology

sp'08: microbiology

all other prerequisite courses were taken care of with my previous bachelors.

i worked full time at a desk job, so evening classes fit best into my schedule. as a married father of two, family time is important to me. most of my studies were completed after everyone went to bed - plus it was a bit quieter.

if there is any course you want to hit a's on it is a&p. when you start have that mind set that you must earn an a in these classes. as you can tell form the application process, it is heavily weighted. with my schedule, a&p as my only class was ideal. i really had to work hard to keep my a in winter term. make friends with your a&p professor. really. they are there to help and really want you to get the stuff. if you feel comfortable around them, it will be easier to ask questions and ask for clarification on topics. i recommend kop at clackamas, as well as espino. if you are a glutton for punishment and have the time, kop teaches the accelerated a&p series over the summer. that's all there courses in 12 weeks or something crazy like that.

after anatomy & physiology, the other courses were fairly easy. more like busy work and reading. don't let up on your studies though it is important to keep focused and keep your gpa up.

i believe that a high gpa really is key into getting into oregon schools. i didn't want any c's in my prerequisite grades. i only had 2 b's (which actually kind of made me mad that i slacked on those classes.) in my opinion, you should retake anything with a c or lower. a great gpa will help get you over that initial hurdle for an interview in the ocne programs.

most applicants have such high gpa's, i feel that oregon schools are getting top quality candidates into their programs. i hear of other parts of the country where someone got in with a 2.6 gpa, and it make me wonder how that program compares to oregon schools.

i applied to:

2007 ohsu: rejected - essay needed improvement, all prerequisites not complete

2007 clackamas: rejected - not enough points for an interview, all prerequisites not complete (gpa: 3.82)

2008 ohsu: wait listed - but removed my name from the wait list

2008 mt. hood: declined my interview

2008 clackamas: invitation to attend

2008 linfield-good sam: invitation to attend

my thoughts on the application process:

there is a minimum amount of course work that must be complete before you can apply to ocne schools. if you earn a lot of extra points from clinical experience or other discretionary points, applying with this minimum complete may be competitive enough to get to the first hurdle. for all others who are not cnas, etc. i strongly believe you should have 90% of your prerequisite course work complete before you apply. i had zero clinical experience, so my application relied heavily on my gpa. looking back, my expectations of getting in when i first applied were unrealistic. this past year really made me more competitive and more experienced.

i kept all of my applications in an expandable folder. i printed each application at least twice. one for practice and highlight, and the other to actually submit. in that folder each school had it's own section and i kept all correspondence from the various schools together. i made note of each deadline and then placed them in my calendar so i would get reminders for the upcoming due dates. i made a check list for each task i needed to complete for each application. for example: write check, request transcript, and so forth. if any of the schools you are interested in still have their applications posted online, download them and start reviewing what you need to complete. they applications change very little year after year - you will still need to download the new application for next year.

if you have to write an essay, begin early, have several people read and critique it, and revise as necessary. it is not something you want to try and write the week before the application is due. perhaps work on it for a week or so then let it sit for a while. sometimes it is good to look at a project with fresh eyes. if you write an essay for one school chances are you can use most of it for another school with some modifications. most essays are a chance to tell them about yourself and why you want to become a nurse - basic stuff. don't let the word "basic" mislead you. your essay should be engaging, clear and well written.

the interview is the chance for the school to evaluate how you think on your feet - more accurately in the hot seat. the questions are a taste of how to think critically. a group interview is an interesting format in that you have a chance to speak first and the chance to improve on someone's response. like any other job interview you should be as professional as possible. the other guy and i wore a suit and tie, the women in our interview wore dress attire as well. we all kind of matched actually - it was funny.

i sat in the far left seat which put me to the right of the interviewers, this also happened to place me in the pole position. i really didn't mind that at all. if you are first to speak, you can establish a lead position. speak confidently and clearly. if you get tripped up, pause a second and then continue. i took a sheet of paper and my pen in. i noted the interviewers names and the names of the other applicants - and took notes. when it is your turn to respond after someone, do not say "i agree with what they said..." since i had everyone's name down, i was able to say "jane and john made very valid points..." i would then expand on that and add my own ideas. sit up straight and lean forward slightly, this makes you more engaging. make eye contact with your interviewers and when you refer to the others being interviewed. staring at the ground or desk when you talk to someone in this setting is a big faux pas - it will make you look unsure of yourself. you are nervous as hell, but don't forget to smile! since i was at the end, i was the first one up at the end of the interview. i was able to go the interviewers, shake hands and thank them by name (since i made a note) for their time and the opportunity to interview. the final tip for an interview? be confident, there's a reason they want to talk to you in person - show them why you would be a great nursing student.

if you have a high gpa and still don't get in, you may need to look at adding a cna to your orificenal. if i did not get in this year, that was my next course of action. and for portland applicants, apply to as many schools as possible. it gives you a better chance at getting accepted.

words of encouragement to future applicants:

when i first started this career change it seemed like an endless task. but here i am now, about to start school in two weeks! so keep at it, nursing school will come sooner than you think! your family and friends are there for support... (it can be something as small as an old friend telling you that you would make a great nurse.) you'll need them again once you are in nursing school. and finally, good luck, study hard, and help each other out whenever you can!

nurseby07 · Jun 9, 2008

i will be attending:
linfield-good samaritan school of nursing in portland oregon
accelerated bachelor of science in nursing
my prerequisite gpa is:
3.91
my thoughts on prerequisite courses:
my prerequisite course work began in fall of 2006, as evening classes after my full time job. here is the sequence in which i completed them:
fa'06: a&p 1
wi'07: a&p 2, developmental psyche
sp'07: a&p 3
su'07: nutrition
fa'07: algebra iii (replaced a c in integral calculus)
wi'08: anthropology & sociology
sp'08: microbiology
all other prerequisite courses were taken care of with my previous bachelors.
i worked full time at a desk job, so evening classes fit best into my schedule. as a married father of two, family time is important to me. most of my studies were completed after everyone went to bed - plus it was a bit quieter.
if there is any course you want to hit a's on it is a&p. when you start have that mind set that you must earn an a in these classes. as you can tell form the application process, it is heavily weighted. with my schedule, a&p as my only class was ideal. i really had to work hard to keep my a in winter term. make friends with your a&p professor. really. they are there to help and really want you to get the stuff. if you feel comfortable around them, it will be easier to ask questions and ask for clarification on topics. i recommend kop at clackamas, as well as espino. if you are a glutton for punishment and have the time, kop teaches the accelerated a&p series over the summer. that's all there courses in 12 weeks or something crazy like that.
after anatomy & physiology, the other courses were fairly easy. more like busy work and reading. don't let up on your studies though it is important to keep focused and keep your gpa up.
i believe that a high gpa really is key into getting into oregon schools. i didn't want any c's in my prerequisite grades. i only had 2 b's (which actually kind of made me mad that i slacked on those classes.) in my opinion, you should retake anything with a c or lower. a great gpa will help get you over that initial hurdle for an interview in the ocne programs.
most applicants have such high gpa's, i feel that oregon schools are getting top quality candidates into their programs. i hear of other parts of the country where someone got in with a 2.6 gpa, and it make me wonder how that program compares to oregon schools.
i applied to:
2007 ohsu: rejected - essay needed improvement, all prerequisites not complete
2007 clackamas: rejected - not enough points for an interview, all prerequisites not complete (gpa: 3.82)
2008 ohsu: wait listed - but removed my name from the wait list
2008 mt. hood: declined my interview
2008 clackamas: invitation to attend
2008 linfield-good sam: invitation to attend
my thoughts on the application process:
there is a minimum amount of course work that must be complete before you can apply to ocne schools. if you earn a lot of extra points from clinical experience or other discretionary points, applying with this minimum complete may be competitive enough to get to the first hurdle. for all others who are not cnas, etc. i strongly believe you should have 90% of your prerequisite course work complete before you apply. i had zero clinical experience, so my application relied heavily on my gpa. looking back, my expectations of getting in when i first applied were unrealistic. this past year really made me more competitive and more experienced.
i kept all of my applications in an expandable folder. i printed each application at least twice. one for practice and highlight, and the other to actually submit. in that folder each school had it's own section and i kept all correspondence from the various schools together. i made note of each deadline and then placed them in my calendar so i would get reminders for the upcoming due dates. i made a check list for each task i needed to complete for each application. for example: write check, request transcript, and so forth. if any of the schools you are interested in still have their applications posted online, download them and start reviewing what you need to complete. they applications change very little year after year - you will still need to download the new application for next year.
if you have to write an essay, begin early, have several people read and critique it, and revise as necessary. it is not something you want to try and write the week before the application is due. perhaps work on it for a week or so then let it sit for a while. sometimes it is good to look at a project with fresh eyes. if you write an essay for one school chances are you can use most of it for another school with some modifications. most essays are a chance to tell them about yourself and why you want to become a nurse - basic stuff. don't let the word "basic" mislead you. your essay should be engaging, clear and well written.
the interview is the chance for the school to evaluate how you think on your feet - more accurately in the hot seat. the questions are a taste of how to think critically. a group interview is an interesting format in that you have a chance to speak first and the chance to improve on someone's response. like any other job interview you should be as professional as possible. the other guy and i wore a suit and tie, the women in our interview wore dress attire as well. we all kind of matched actually - it was funny.
i sat in the far left seat which put me to the right of the interviewers, this also happened to place me in the pole position. i really didn't mind that at all. if you are first to speak, you can establish a lead position. speak confidently and clearly. if you get tripped up, pause a second and then continue. i took a sheet of paper and my pen in. i noted the interviewers names and the names of the other applicants - and took notes. when it is your turn to respond after someone, do not say "i agree with what they said..." since i had everyone's name down, i was able to say "jane and john made very valid points..." i would then expand on that and add my own ideas. sit up straight and lean forward slightly, this makes you more engaging. make eye contact with your interviewers and when you refer to the others being interviewed. staring at the ground or desk when you talk to someone in this setting is a big faux pas - it will make you look unsure of yourself. you are nervous as hell, but don't forget to smile! since i was at the end, i was the first one up at the end of the interview. i was able to go the interviewers, shake hands and thank them by name (since i made a note) for their time and the opportunity to interview. the final tip for an interview? be confident, there's a reason they want to talk to you in person - show them why you would be a great nursing student.
if you have a high gpa and still don't get in, you may need to look at adding a cna to your orificenal. if i did not get in this year, that was my next course of action. and for portland applicants, apply to as many schools as possible. it gives you a better chance at getting accepted.
words of encouragement to future applicants:
when i first started this career change it seemed like an endless task. but here i am now, about to start school in two weeks! so keep at it, nursing school will come sooner than you think! your family and friends are there for support... (it can be something as small as an old friend telling you that you would make a great nurse.) you'll need them again once you are in nursing school. and finally, good luck, study hard, and help each other out whenever you can!

no further reading necessary, i think i know which guy in the class you'll be. i hope that all of the staff and student learn a lot from you, also the nurses at your clinical will enjoy your positive knowledge and valuable input. speak up often!

NewNurseyGirl2009 · Jun 9, 2008

i will be attending:

start 6-23-08

adn

my prerequisite gpa is:

3.86

my thoughts on prerequisite courses:

i took my time completing pre-req's 2 years. they weren't bad. anp and micro were stressful because i knew i had to do well to get in to the program. nutrition was horrible.

i applied to:

clackamas-accepted

clarke-accepted

pcc-denied

my thoughts on the application process:

keep trying. it takes forever but it's very worth it. i feel better about getting in because i had to work so hard for it. you appriciate something when you earn it and it's not easy to do so.

words of encouragement to future applicants:

good luck.

OregonBSN · Jun 9, 2008

no further reading necessary, i think i know which guy in the class you'll be. i hope that all of the staff and student learn a lot from you, also the nurses at your clinical will enjoy your positive knowledge and valuable input. speak up often!

thanks nurseby07!

Spotty44 · Jun 10, 2008

excellent thread idea! i wish there had been a thread like this when i was applying!

i will be attending:

mt. hood community college, adn. start date january 2009.

my prerequisite gpa is:

3.9

a&p gpa is 4.0

my thoughts on prerequisite courses:

all of my prerequisites, with the exception of bio 101/102, micro, and human development were retaken. i had to take a&p, nutrition for my undergraduate degree, but they were too old to be accepted. both classes were very easy for me the second time around.

fall 2006: a&p i, bio 101

winter 2007: husband and i moved from hillsboro to gresham so i took the quarter off.

spring 2007:a&p ii, human dev. (online)

summer 2007: a&p iii, nutrition (online)

fall 2007: microbiology (online)

winter 2008: bio 102 (online)

the rest of my prerequisites were transferred from my undergrad degree.

i tried to take as many of my prereqs as i could online. while i was taking my prereqs, i was working full time, helping my husband with the accounting for his restaurant, and also running the household (husband works 70-80 hrs per week so i have to do all the cleaning, dishes, laundry, bills, etc). for a little while, i was doing all of this on top of commuting via max between gresham and hillsboro (that's 4 hours per day on the train). online classes were an absolute godsend! i got in most of my study hours while on the train and then again at home. eventually i got a job in portland and some semblance of normalcy was returned.

i applied to:

(first year applying)

mhcc - accepted

pcc - denied (big surprise :chuckle)

ohsu - almost applied but didn't have time to do the proctored essay

ccc - almost applied, but realized at the last minute that they wouldn't waive wr 121/122 like the rest of the schools around here do for people with bachelor degrees.

my thoughts on the application process:

once you get a ridiculous amount of applications going, it gets really hard to keep track of things. i kept all of my application materials in a tabbed three ring binder. at the beginning of each section, i had a checklist for the specific school so i could keep track of what was needed vs. what i already had.

once i got my apps started, i also had a large manila envelope for each school i was applying to. i put a checklist on a large post-it-note and affixed it to the front. as i got various portions of the application done, i put it in the envelope so it was all ready to mail when everything had been gathered. i had tons of transcripts that i had to keep track of. of course half of these envelopes became needless once i dropped ccc and ohsu out of the running.

my biggest piece of advice for the application process is to get your transcripts asap, especially if you need transcripts from pcc!! when i started applying, i requested transcripts via fax from five different schools. within a week, i had received all of the ordered transcripts (including the one from tacoma, wa that i had to request by snail mail), but nothing from pcc. long story short, it took forever for me to get my pcc transcripts. the same thing happened to a co-worker of mine...it seems to be a common issue. if you have pcc transcripts to get at the last minute, i recommend you go to pick them up in person.

another piece of advice: although it is not required for most programs, get some type of healthcare exposure/experience if you can. i've worked in the healthcare field as a physical therapy aide for the last six years. i can already tell that the experience has been absolutely invaluable (inpatient especially)! i already know that i'll have a jump-start into nursing school because i'm familiar with the operations of a healthcare facility, i've been exposed to patients puking on me, i've been able to sit at the nursing station and observe the dynamics, i've talked to countless nurses about their jobs, i'm familiar with all sorts of drains, tubes and iv pumps, and medications, i'm also familiar with patient transfers and i can even make a bed...the list goes on and on! although i didn't get points for the work with mhcc, i was able to talk about my experience during the interview and i really think it helped me!

some notes on the interview process:

*first and foremost, be yourself! there was one person in my interview group that sounded as if they had made up a bunch of stuff that they thought the interviewers wanted to hear...don't make stuff up, it's obvious.

*try to keep your answers concise and well organized, don't ramble! i noticed as i was listening to other people answer their questions that a couple of them rambled so much, you eventually forgot what question they were answering. i know that people do this out of nervousness, but try to avoid doing it if you can.

*act engaged and interested in what everyone has to say. look at the person that is speaking. don't slouch in your chair, fiddle with papers, or look otherwise uninterested.

*take some time to relax before the interview. i think that was my biggest problem with the process. i was really nervous and i know it showed while i was speaking....shaky voice and all. obviously that didn't hurt me too much, but it's always nice to put your best foot forward.

* make eye contact with everyone while you are speaking. don't look down, don't look only at the faculty, look at everyone.

words of encouragement to future applicants:

keep trying! if you don't get in the first year, do something to get yourself extra points and keep reapplying. quite frankly, i was absolutely astonished :eek: that i got in on the first try when i had only applied to two schools. i had myself completely convinced that i wouldn't get in.

CuriousMe · Jun 10, 2008

to keep it uniform, here is a general format to follow: 2008 oregon ocne schools, portland area colleges & universities with an adn or bsn program.

i will be attending:

ohsu, ashland

my prerequisite gpa is:

4.0

my thoughts on prerequisite courses:

f06 - a&p1, nutrition, wr121

w07 - a&p2, math 111, span 101

sp07 - a&p3, wr122, lifespan human development

su07 - microbiology, research writing

f07 - genchem 221, cell bio 211, med term, diversity in healthcare

w08 - genchem 222, psy 201, soc 204, math 243 (statistics)

sp08 - gencehm 223, piano, white water rafting, independent study ochem

not all of these were prereqs.

prereqs are in bold

courses i need for my bsn are italicized

courses i need as prereqs to my upper division electives are underlined

the rest were fun for this term :)

i actually worked full time until this past summer (su07), i don't recommend it overall. i didn't sleep for long stretches of time. i recommend working as little as possible.

i applied to:

lane community college - accepted but declined

ohsu, ashland - accepted and attending

my thoughts on the application process:

ohsu required a proctored essay at the time of application. to prepare for this, i went over the characteristics they had given us (leadership, cultural competence, integrity, etc...) and wrote about experiences in my life that illustrated these ideals.

lcc invited semi-finalists to a proctored essay in mid-may. i got together with other friends who were invited to the essay and we discussed some of the same characteristics as above. as this essay was actually three questions that we had to answer in 60 minutes, we also shared strategies with each other.

i would say to focus on getting great grades, especially in your science classes, but that's not new information :)

the programs i applied for did not count health care experience at all in the application process.

words of encouragement to future applicants:

just keep working at it, your hard work will pay off.

Dental Hygienist · Jun 10, 2008

i will be attending:

mt hood cc jan 2009, adn (will continue my bsn thru ocne)

my prerequisite gpa is:

3.91

my thoughts on prerequisite courses:

i took most of my pre-reqs between 1999 and 2001 in preparation for dental hygiene school. i just needed psy237 and genetics to complete the nursing pre-reqs which i took winter 2008. believe it or not the pre-reqs for dental hygiene school were much harder than the pre-reqs for nursing school. most of them were the same as for nursing school, except for dental hygiene school there were just more pre-reqs in general and more sciences and you had to take a full year of chemistry.

i applied to:

mhcc- accepted

my thoughts on the application process:

i just focused on points. points points points. i did every little thing possible to get the most points. gpa is most important, take any of the "extra" classes that will get you more points. if you are 3 or 4 credits away from an associate's degree, get it because you get more points. if you can work as a cna, do, because you get more points! :specs:

words of encouragement to future applicants:

if you work hard and get good grades, you should get in. focus less on getting your pre-reqs done "fast" or in your ideal timeframe and focus more on getting a's...even if that means taking classes just one at a time and dragging the pre-reqs out for 2 or 3 years instead of 1 year.

BSN2010 · Jun 10, 2008

i will be attending:

linfield, accelerated bsn, start june 25, 2008

i was originally planning on attending an adn program as the rns make the same salaries. however, i knew that i'll eventually want to continue my education to get a masters in nursing later in life and found out that nearly every masters program requires that you have a bsn to apply. so i just decided to get it all out of the way now so that i may enjoy my years as an rn without having to worry about when i will have time to do an adn to bsn route. my husband is choosing to do get his adn now and do a bridge course later. either way has its perks and drawbacks, whatever way works best for you.

my prerequisite gpa is:

mt.hood cc, clackamas cc, linfield 2-year & accelerated look at prereq gpa:

mt.hood cc: 3.81

clackamas cc: 3.91

linfield: prereq support gpa 3.69, science gpa 3.72

ohsu accelerated looked at accumulative gpa (from all classes ever taken): 3.11

my thoughts on prerequisite courses:

nutrition, stats, chemistry and genetics done in my first bachelors

spr '07 - developmental psych, wr 122

sum '07 - a&p i

fall '07 - a&p ii

win '08 - a&p iii, sociology

spr '08 - micro, cultural anthro

all classes within the last year taken at pcc. first word of advice, talk to a pre-nursing college advisor before starting. they have a lot of good info and brochures, are familiar with the classes you need for nearly all the nursing schools in the area, and can help you plan a good and quick way to getting everything done. a lot of them are pre-nursing advisors for multiple ccs in the portland area so know intimate info about schools other than the one you are taking your pre-reqs at.

a&p is the tough stuff. i know it's considered a 4 unit class while bi 112 is 5 units, i don't know why because you spend way more hours out side of class studying for a&p. think of a&p as a 6 unit class. because they are considered the most important courses on nursing school applications, try to take them on their own per quarter if you can. i had a year of a&p in high school and then took a quarter of refresher in college so the material was very familiar to me. however it still took an incredible amount of studying to get a's. and word of advice, ap ii is the hardest of the series. api is really just brute memorization. do not expect the same kind of class for apii. i know a lot of people who did fine in api and then apii took them by surprise because it is different kind of course than api; learning concepts, not memorizing things. apiii was mainly applying the concepts of apii to other systems in the body but still a lot of work.

all the rest of the classes were fun, interesting, and relatively easy after a&p. micro takes some work but it is such a fun class that you don't really mind it. i worked full time while taking classes in the evening. evening teachers are generally pretty cool as they know the majority of their students have full time jobs, families, etc.

applications were due for ohsu, linfield, and hmcc in the middle of winter quarter so for ohsu and hmcc i just needed to finish a&p iii and micro. for linfield, i applied with 4 classes left to get grades for (a&p iii, micro, sociology, cultural anthropology) but was still accepted so if you have a plan to finish your classes by matriculation, apply apply apply!! clackamas cc app was due apr 15th so i was in the midst of taking micro when applying.

i applied to:

2008 linfield accbsn & 2 year bsn (same application) - accepted to accbsn

2008 ohsu accbsn - denied

2008 mt. hood cc - invited for interview but took myself off the list

2008 clackamas cc - invited for interview but took myself off the list

my thoughts on the application process:

like spotty44 said get your transcripts early!! i had the same problem where i received my transcripts from all of my colleges (including california) within a few weeks while pcc took 2 months via fax (and that was with calling to prod them) i was told by pcc that it is much faster to order the transcripts through mypcc and it did take only a few days by that route but for those of you who do not go to pcc anymore and may not have access to mypcc, ordering transcripts the traditional way takes forever.

and, as linfieldnursingguy suggests, write your essay early! i started mine in early dec for jan 15 ohsu due date. i had many people read it over. but then i let it sit for a few weeks and then changed it up for linfied for the feb 1st due date. i definitely felt the linfield version of my essay was stronger than the ohsu version and i think that is because i was able to put it down for a few weeks.

kept all my application materials and correspondence in a file and kept a list of all things to be done in my day planner.

words of encouragement to future applicants:

say something nice!

you start you pre-reqs and you think, man i have a long way to go before i can even start nursing school. but let me tell you, time has a way of disappearing while in school. especially if you are working full time; i work all day, then take the class all evening for 3 days out of the week and before i knew it the week was gone. just start, keep focused, and you'll be starting before you know it.

JustJane2008 · Jun 11, 2008

while it is still relatively fresh in my head, i wanted to pass on some of what i learned from the admissions process and taking my prerequisite classes. i hope other applicants who earned a spot this year will also share some pointers for people following after us. post any tips you can think of, but be sure not to violate the confidentiality of the interview questions and essay.
to keep it uniform, here is a general format to follow: 2008 oregon ocne schools, portland area colleges & universities with an adn or bsn program.
i will be attending:
full name of your school, start date, and what you will be earning ads or bsn
my prerequisite gpa is:
list your prerequisite gpa
my thoughts on prerequisite courses:
how long it took you to complete, thoughts on a&p, math, nutrition, developmental psyche, etc. how many of your prerequisites did you have complete at the time of your application, etc.
i applied to:
name of school and if you like - the status of your application
my thoughts on the application process:
how you prepared your applications, writing essays, interviewing, etc.
words of encouragement to future applicants:
say something nice!

linfieldnursingguy, thank you so much for starting this thread. :up: for all those who posted...thank you for your advice and support. its definitely helping me get through all the doubt, etc. also, the interview, organization, and gpa tips were great. i think i'll need to save these come fall applications. eek..

guys, just one question which the ohsu website didnt really cover. i know that i can apply to ohsu's accelerated program + the ocne at the same time.

but can i apply to the ocne program in more than one of ohsus campuses? for ex, can i apply to ohsus ocne @ portland and @ oit? it seems the odds are worse in the portland campus...

thanks again everyone :loveya:

CuriousMe · Jun 11, 2008

LinfieldNursingGuy, thank you so much for starting this thread. For all those who posted...thank you for your advice and support. Its definitely helping me get through all the doubt, etc. Also, the interview, organization, and GPA tips were great. I think I'll need to save these come Fall applications. Eek..
Guys, just one question which the OHSU website didnt really cover. I know that I can apply to OHSU's Accelerated program + the OCNE at the same time.
But can I apply to the OCNE program in more than one of OHSUs campuses? For ex, can I apply to OHSUs OCNE @ Portland and @ OIT? It seems the odds are worse in the Portland campus...
Thanks again everyone :loveya:

You need to choose which campus you'd like to apply to. You can designate which campuses you'd like to also be considered for.....but I was told a campus will only look at those names if they don't have enough qualified applicants (and you know the chance of that happening :coollook: ).

Peace,

CuriousMe

DarkHairedStudentCCC · Jun 11, 2008

i will be attending:

clackamas community college fall 2008 -adn program first (rn in 2 years) then 1 year ocne for bsn.

my prerequisite gpa is:

winter '07 - mth 111, wr 122, phl 101

spring '07 a&p 1 (231), fn 225

summer '07 a&p 2 (232), speech 111

fall '07 a&p 3 (233), cultural anth, wr 123, psy 215

winter '08 psy 101, art history 205, wr 121, bi 112

spring '08 microbiology 234, stat 243

(all taken at ccc)

my thoughts on prerequisite courses:

i took my cna class through the company i work for and many in the class had applied to schools and couldn't get in. this was before i had started taking prerequisites. they told me how hard it all was. i think it is best to take it one day at a time and not concentrate on the larger picture while you are actually taking prerequisites, it makes it too much to handle. i was working full time when i started a&p 1 and i managed to get a's in everything. a&p 1-3 at clackamas is very good! they give you a packet of notes at the beginning, so i didn't have to take lots of notes. it was very helpful for me because my handwriting is very messy. i then knew what to expect and dug right in. i would copy the entire a&p notes by hand while processing the information. i was surprised by fn 225, it was rather difficult at first. it would be good to know the krebs cycle, or have studied chemistry before taking it. psy 215 was very simple, and math, coming right out of high school, was easy. if you are looking for an easy humanities class don't take art history! it is not easy and requires lots of time for study and a research paper to get an a. i enjoyed all of my prereqs immensely and they go by very quickly. i applied with all of my prereqs done.

i applied to:

clackamas community college 2008- accepted -will be attending

mt. hood - accepted -declined

ohsu -alternate -declined

my thoughts on the application process:

it is important to have as many points as possible to get in, but i wouldn't do something just for points. in becoming a cna, i did it not just for points but for the experience and knowledge that i know will help me become a better nurse. i didn't know then how important being a cna would be to getting into nursing school. during the interview process, i didn't think ahead of time at all of what i was going to say. even for my proctored essay at ohsu i just went and wrote from the top of my head. maybe that is the reason i didn't get in, but nonetheless, in in-person interviews i believe going in fresh with nothing contrived is much more organic and you than anything else. as far as applications, i kept each one in an envelope and had the dates for each school marked on a calendar. during the winter break my sole goal was to complete the applications. i am very grateful for competitive applications as i was attended santa barbara city college for a semester and would have had to wait 3 years!! i decided to take my chances and got in.

words of encouragement to future applicants:

as another poster said, i think it is a good idea to span prerequisites over 2 years. it is much less stressful that way and gives you a much better chance of getting in (or to be able to apply to bsn school). save your fear for the nursing classes not the preregs