Peralta, Chabot and Contra Costa Colleges

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I am planning on applying for these collegese in addition to Samuel Merritt and Cal State East Bay. I would prefer to go to a community college due to the lesser cost, time and the fact that I will be raising a child. I would then go for an MSN later in life.

I have a BA with a 3.4 GPA from a UC in a non-science subject (no interest in getting the accelerated BSN while raising a child), straight A's in all my nursing prerequisites and hospital volunteer and work experience. Does anyone know what my chances would be for getting into one of these colleges? I have heard that both Peralta and Contra Costa use a lottery system so grades don't even count...is this true? What is the pool usually like for these schools, and how many applicants do they accept each year? On Chabot's website, they say they mostly accept people from within their district (I'm not). What would my chances be there and is it even worth applying?

Any other community colleges in the East Bay (I live in Oakland) that I'm missing?

Thanks so much for your help - boy, they make getting accepted to nursing school difficult don't they?! Even with the grades, you're not guaranteed a spot. Frustrating.

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No matter if you think your chances are low for Chabot, apply anyway. "Mostly" does not mean completely, and you may be one of the few from outside they accept. Chabot has an excellent program.

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Specializes in Tele Step Down, Oncology, ICU, Med/Surg.

You may also try Los Medanos.

I remember feeling much like you last year, but turns out I was accepted most everywhere I applied.

And, I applied to most of the same colleges you did. I will be going into the CSU East Bay - Concord Campus this coming Fall.

What I found with the community colleges is that most have some little extra step involved, like Contra Costa College requires their dosage class, etc. Given your good grades, I would really study for the TEAs test and take it this summer so you max your points for the CSU system. I actually think there is a larger pool of applicants for the CCC vs the CSU, and the CSU is not that much more expensive. Samuel Merritt is off the charts expensive.

Good Luck!

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I applied to Chabot this year! I live in-district, attended their orientation program (twice!), and I have a 4.0 GPA. I did not get in. In the rejection letter they sent me, it stated that out of the 793 applications they received for this year, 482 of them were qualified and in-district. A random lottery system was used to select 64 applicants, and then another random lottery system was used to select 50 alternates (this second lottery included the out-of-district qualified applicants, as well as the rest of the in-district who didn't make the first list). So basically I had a 1 in 5 chance of getting in, and I didn't make it.

I have heard bad things about Merritt's (not Samuel Merritt) programs, although I would have probably applied there anyway next year, however I did get in to Mendocino College, which is a fairly new program with an excellent reputation. I will be renting a small apartment to stay at 4 days a week, and I will be coming home on the weekends to Castro Valley.

I haven't heard that much about Contra Costa, although I know they take even fewer than Chabot and it is a lottery system there as well. You might want to look into Ohlone College in Fremont. They take 30 students in the fall and 30 students in the spring. Not sure if it is lottery or not.

Good luck!

Vicky

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I actually think there is a larger pool of applicants for the CCC vs the CSU, and the CSU is not that much more expensive.

Yes, but isn't CSU-East Bay a 3 year program versus 2 year for the Community Colleges?

Thank you to everyone for your help!!! Chabot sounds crazy impossible to get into, and I am sure Contra Costa is probably similar. At least for Merritt (Peralta), I live in-district so may stand more of a chance.

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Yes, but isn't CSU-East Bay a 3 year program versus 2 year for the Community Colleges?

Thank you to everyone for your help!!! Chabot sounds crazy impossible to get into, and I am sure Contra Costa is probably similar. At least for Merritt (Peralta), I live in-district so may stand more of a chance.

I would suggest if you have that excellent gpa, you might as well apply for it because three people i know of got accepted in contra costa college and one of them had excellent grades as you do and he was considered at merritt because of this reason. good luck!!

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I wouldn't consider Merritt.....unless I was planning on studying on my own.....with no help from the instructors.....Merritt College is a huge gamble.....they screw you soo bad that you need time to yourself to get over the trauma they endure on you.....they expect you to be nurses before you come in and be student RN's in 9 weeks....BEST OF LUCK TO whomever decides to take on this challenge

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Specializes in Tele Step Down, Oncology, ICU, Med/Surg.

I started CSU East Bay September '07 and will graduate with a BSN December '09. Not much more time for a BSN than for an ADN. Time should not be a consideration against going for the BSN programs. Given that there are less candidates applying your odds of gaining entry are better than the impacted ADN programs. Good luck to all!

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That school sounds terrible:no:, I am taking my prerequisites at contra costa college and they have a good nursing program with a very high NCLEX pass rate. I here from current nursing students that the teachers are very supportive. I am applying there as well as CSUEB. Good luck in your choice!

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Read this article on the Merritt College (Peralta) Nursing Program:

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/news/merritt_college_nursing_woes/Content?oid=850642

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Agreed! I am actually applying to Samuel Merritt and wish I had just applied there in the first place. Wonderful school. I have never heard anything bad about it, apart from the cost of tuition. I figure, it's an investment!

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Merritt College is a do-it yourself program, meaning don't except the instructors to help you with anything. They lecture and throw information at you, they use a bad fundamentals book, they tell you to study the book and then they put completely different questions on the test. They have it all calculated in their minds. You are expected to to know everything that they do, minus their 30+ years of experience. I would highly recommend reconsidering this school. Its not worth it and their goal is to burn you out. Sad especially when this state needs nurses.

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