Bdab

So I've just been accepted into an MSN-FNP program, but it doesnt start for another several months. My background so far is 4 years in heme/onc, and just passed my 2.5 year mark in a neuro/pulm ICU. Are there some general study materials that anyone might recommend that I could use to get a jump on things?

Always have a change of clothes, and a second set of scrubs in your car. Learned that one the hard way. Sometimes, it's wet, on you, and didn't come from you. Having backups on hand is fantastic! And make SURE you have shoes that you can comfortably stand (and even run in, when the occasion calls for it) for 10-14 hours a day, depending on your shift lengths.

So, long story short, I'm looking for some advice here. I want to bump my career up to the FNP level now that I've got a few years of practice as an RN in what amounts to a low level ICU/high acuity PCU hospital setting. The issue that I run into right now, is my GPA, and I have had 0 luck in getting ahold of advisers that will follow through with how this might play out. I think my cumulative (Program + all preceeding work I think?) Sits around a 2.87 right now. When I was younger (15 years ago), I was pre-med and ended up screwing up my GPA pretty badly (two semesters below a 2.0) and dropped out. That said and done, I went and got my ASN at another college and ended up with a 3.6, transferred it to another college, and finished out my ASN-BSN coursework with ~3.8. However, the two horrible semesters were at the same school that I obtained my BSN, so it drags my cumulative down under the 3.0 mark that most schools look for, despite the grade forgiveness I was granted for being an immature child in my earlier years (Ol Bdab liked to party haha). At this point, I'm unsure how to go about raising the cumulative (tried to work it out, and according to a few sites Id need almost 27 credit hours at a 3.5 level to drag it above floating.) The two schools I'm looking to apply to both mention that they want a 3.0 minimum (purdue & indiana university), but "extenuating circumstances will be taken into account." So the question is, should I take a year of courses to try and boost my GPA with nothing to show for it? Are there other reputable online schools that aren't weighted so heavily on GPA? Sorry, I know this is a wall of text, but this is completely overwhelming!

If it helps you guys for scheduling purposes, originally when I was accepted to the lafayette school, I was waitlisted. I got my orientation information three-ish days before the actual date. It was done over the phone when the program chair called me. SO, even if the third round emails have gone out, they still have to shuffle around everyone as they accept and decline positions at different schools. The end of of the application process was suuuper messy when they did it for us. It's a ****** thing to say, but more often than not changes to scheduling are often done last minute, so from here on out, flexibility will be SUPER important for everyone!

I'll tell you what. Every step of the process from start to end is stressful, but you will never, ever regret any of it. I about had a heart attack when my license number popped up and changed to active.

Holy cow this thread exploded. Sorry I've been quiet for a while. I come bearing good news though. I now have the letters "RN" proudly next to my name! That test was absolutely BRUTAL. I'm glad to see so many people getting in! I'm here for questions if you guys need me!

Oh jeez. You'd think they would keep some form of uniformity between the schools. I still think solid hunter green instead of one color top and one bottom would look so much classier. The fact that you said bowling team makes me laugh. My best friend's mother pointed out that we looked like nail tech's. Needless to say we burned the tops right after school was over.

Nope. There was never a color change for us. Just those ugly tan and green combos. I would have loved a solid colored scrub set!

For us at lafayette it was just the opposite. Tan bottoms with green tops!

I honestly don't remember there being "rounds". We had paper applications, and you either got a rejection, waitlist, or acceptance letter in the mail. They seemed to come whenever the nursing chair got around to it for the most part.

I agree. I remember being pretty pressed and under the gun for my immunization record (I'm a california native, and they mysteriously couldn't find them). I had to have titers drawn for just about everything. If it helps anyone who's fearful of low scores, I got into lafayette during an extremely high applicant semester apparently (2 apps per 1 seat), and my application score was something like 122-124/160. Even if you have a low score, don't give up hope! I was told by my advisor that even if you get waitlisted, an average of 6-10 people decline their seats for each campus in order to give a "yes" to their home/closest campus.

I actually just got my permission from the BON (There's a long drawn out process that takes a large chunk of time to get everything sorted by the state) to take my nclex, and it's scheduled for June 5th :)

Hey guys! I always loved reading threads like this! I just recently graduated from the lafayette ivy tech's traditional ASN program a few weeks ago. If you guys have any questions, or need guidance, feel free to ask! You're in for the ride of your life!