Pomeroy College of Nursing

NursingBird · Sep 19, 2016

Hi guys! Just jumping in here. I also applied to Crouse and was able to get everything in (including my Kaplan testing) prior to the Sept. 1 deadline. I just received my letter on Friday to call and schedule an interview... so I'm hoping that is a good thing?!?! I don't have a prior degree, but I have straight A's in several of the science pre-reqs. I'm going into this as an adult learner (32 yrs old) so this is a new adventure. I applied to the evening/weekend program. I, too, and a little nervous that they don't fully have the course schedules finalized yet, but I know they have a reputation as being excellent so I am just going to go with it. I also applied to St. Joes and am waiting to hear back. I will say that I did really like the feeling I got from Crouse though. Everyone has been super friendly and accommodating.

Any idea as to what happens during the interview? How should I prepare? I haven't toured the facilities yet, and was going to go to one of their open houses coming up. Has anyone seen the simulation lab? I'm wondering how it compares to St. Joes - is it fully modern and up to date?

bcgirl47 · Sep 19, 2016

The interview is very informal. She just took my to a classroom and was very funny and friendly. She read basic questions and one I remember in particular was "when was there a time you had an obstacle that you had to overcome and how did you overcome it?" After my interview, she took me around the college. I saw the Sim lab and I haven't seen St. Joes but it is fully modern and up to date

ROCTJ, ADN, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2016

Welcome to the conversation! Congrats on getting an interview. I haven't even made it to that step yet. I am pretty sure that is a good thing! Are you currently based in Syracuse? Please let us know how your interview goes.

Hi guys! Just jumping in here. I also applied to Crouse and was able to get everything in (including my Kaplan testing) prior to the Sept. 1 deadline. I just received my letter on Friday to call and schedule an interview... so I'm hoping that is a good thing?!?! I don't have a prior degree, but I have straight A's in several of the science pre-reqs. I'm going into this as an adult learner (32 yrs old) so this is a new adventure. I applied to the evening/weekend program. I, too, and a little nervous that they don't fully have the course schedules finalized yet, but I know they have a reputation as being excellent so I am just going to go with it. I also applied to St. Joes and am waiting to hear back. I will say that I did really like the feeling I got from Crouse though. Everyone has been super friendly and accommodating.
Any idea as to what happens during the interview? How should I prepare? I haven't toured the facilities yet, and was going to go to one of their open houses coming up. Has anyone seen the simulation lab? I'm wondering how it compares to St. Joes - is it fully modern and up to date?

ROCTJ, ADN, BSN, RN · Sep 21, 2016

Has anyone received more information about what the evening/weekend nursing program schedule will look like? i.e. How many days per week and the time frames?

When I called a couple weeks ago, the woman I spoke with (Sue) said she did not know the specifics but that theory classes would be after 4pm on weekdays and clinicals on weekends. However, when I called a second time and spoke to someone else (unknown), she said that classes would start at 4pm on weekdays and that most clinicals would start at 3pm on weekdays with students expected to arrive earlier for patient/dept assignments. She also added that there would be few but some clinicals on weekends.

At this point, I am not sure which, if any, is more true than the other. It would be nice to know the schedule. For instance, the evening/weekend program at St. Joe's is every Wednesday, starting at 5:30pm and every other weekend Fri evening, and Sat/Sun 7am to 7pm. Now that is truly an evening/weekend program.

ROCTJ, ADN, BSN, RN · Sep 28, 2016

Deadline to apply is in 2 days!!! I take my placement exam tomorrow!

bcgirl47 · Sep 28, 2016

Good luck!!!

NursingBird · Sep 29, 2016

Thank you! Interview went well, I think. Very conversational. Everyone has been very friendly and welcoming, which I appreciate. I am a little concerned, however, because they stressed how rigorous the program is (which I expect... BUT....) and talked about not working during the program. Since it is an evening program geared towards working adults, I would need to at least remain employed part time. I am somewhat worried about that, but we will see how it goes. I think the St. Joe's program has a much better class schedule.

NursingBird · Sep 29, 2016

I did talk to the woman during my interview about this as I had the same questions. She said that the classes will most likely be during the week starting around 4, same thing with the labs, and then clinical will start at 3pm one day a week. She did say that we would need to arrive early to the floor on clinical days 2:15-2:30 in order to review our assignment, get ready and acclimated, etc. Sounds like being early is on time, and being on time is late. Weekend clinical would take place only occasionally, if there was a need based upon the location of the clinical.

I really love the mission of Crouse and have gotten a much better impression from this nursing school than from St. Joes. The people just seem friendlier and more interested in me as a person. But I am very concerned about the schedule. I need to maintain part time employment, and this schedule isn't really an "evening/weekend" program like the St. Joes program. I really wish it were scheduled more similarly to SJH.

NursingBird · Sep 29, 2016

Yay! That is so great! Have you been able to get everything else in so far? Placement exam isn't too bad and is pretty basic. Any news on an interview yet?

ROCTJ, ADN, BSN, RN · Sep 29, 2016

Hey NursingBird, Thanks for responding. I am glad you had your interview and that it went well! I got all my transcripts and other required documents submitted in time so I am happy about that. My admission/placement exam is 9/29 (technically today) so I will be happy when that's over as I'll truly feel like the "ball" is in the school's "court" then. I wonder what's the average time they take to offer an interview to the candidates they're interested in, after receiving their application. I was told that they have a rolling admission up until the 9/30 deadline so they have been constantly doing placement exams and interviews. You'll have to be sure to let us know if you get in. I'm rooting for you.

As it relates to the evening/weekend program schedule, I am pretty shocked that they said employment is discouraged as I thought the evening/weekend program was/is geared towards working professionals. One of the bullets on the program's page says, "Balance the demands of work and family while attending a nursing program." I have a (really great/flexible) part time job that I would like to keep if I can. I must say, I too was told that their program is VERY rigorous. It seemed to be said with emphasis. As you said, I expect any nursing program (and of course an evening/weekend option for working adults) to be rigorous. I was even told that I might want to consider a Fall '17 or Spring/Fall '18 start date because while I have completed a previous degree and maintained a 3.86 GPA, I haven't completed many of the science/liberal arts courses like A&P I, A&P II, Microbiology. (I have just completed Eng 101, Eng 202, Psy 101, Ethics, etc.) I did however push back, advocating for myself, saying that I believe that I am a viable candidate for the program, that I'm used to hard work and that I'm more ready than ever to start. Hopefully it was simply a genuine suggestion and not a soft admission rejection. I'll know soon enough I suppose. Don't they offer these courses (A&P I/II, Microbiology, etc) and already have them scheduled into the program's curriculum plan??? Does Pomeroy actually offer/teach the liberal arts courses or do they make students complete the course through another school (i.e. OCC)?? I obviously can see the benefit to having as many courses completed in advance as possible but it's not a requirement, right?

I really have a love for Syracuse although I was born, raised and still reside in Rochester. One of the many reasons that I am interested in the nursing program at Crouse is because it has a great reputation and like you said, the staff truly are very friendly, helpful, and transparent, which I like. While I really like how the St. Joe evening/weekend program is scheduled (I wish Crouse would just mirror their schedule), I missed the deadline to apply to that program and they have pre-reqs that I haven't completed. Then of course, there are the accelerated second bachelor programs in nursing but they all are very, very expensive and only a few months shorter than Crouse's 18-month program. They too usually have a long list of pre-reqs.

Long post. I'm sorry. Let's continue to wish each other luck!

bcgirl47 · Sep 29, 2016

Wow, I agree. I'm surprised they encourage students not to work during a night/weekend option... I applied to St. Joe's weekend option, as well, but didn't tour the facility or talk to anyone about it. I assumed I was just going to go and keep working but I think, for me, I really enjoyed the atmosphere of Crouse and think I will learn better going to school full time and taking a job as a nanny for some income... My mother was pushing St. Joe's program because 1) that's where she attended and 2) they have a program in which you can apply to that states you will work 3 years full time or 6 years part time and they will forgive 1/2 of your tuition... as well as you'll be able to continue working during your education. However, I just feel Crouse is the school for me.

Im glad your interview went well and also good luck on your embrace exam today, ROCTJ!

ROCTJ, ADN, BSN, RN · Sep 29, 2016

Thanks for the good luck wishes. I hope I do well. I have heard that there are such programs out there where you could work somewhere specific as a nurse for a certain amount of time and have a percentage of your loans forgiven. I have never been able to get the specifics though. I do hope to be able to participate in one of them once I finish nursing school. I also know of a program that Gov Coumo started where if you earned a degree at a NYS school, they will make your loan payment for you up to a year, while you "get settled" as a working, contributing member of society. I hope to participate in that program as well, if it still exists when I graduate.

Having done a lot of research, I haven't really been able to find many evening/weeking RN prorgrams, so it's cool that Syracuse will now have two, once Crouse's is up and running.