cabrerakm

So this is something I can actual speak to from experience also. The application has the required prerequisites to be considered in bold (micro, AP 1 & 2, and chem). The other classes listed are not a requirement for acceptance but are additional points. In @Jess.W case, micro absolutely with no exceptions has to be done to be considered. DEP does not. For when I was accepted, I had all classes done except DEP, they tried to tell me they were throwing out my application. I told them that they need to pay attention to their own application and what it said. They apologized because they were wrong. I then went and did DEP online during term 3. Even with missing DEP, my HESI scores were high enough with additional quality points offered from high HESI scores. Hope that helps clarify!

I know people who have done that, but just make sure you pull up their accreditation status on the FL BON first. Make sure that they aren’t probationary and have full accreditation and then keep an eye on NCLEX passing rates. If all checks out, then the only difference at that point really comes down to cost.

I have to also agree here. I was not a strong student through nursing school simply because I couldn't grasp HOW to take the tests. I understood the content to a point but would get too hung up on the facts and not what it was actually asking for. OVERTHINKING. When I was preparing for the NCLEX, I felt overwhelmed with the scores I kept getting back and would put myself down for not picking what should have been the obvious answer. When I realized that the problem wasn't mainly with my core knowledge, I 100% put my focus on testing strategies instead that allowed me to break down each and every question. It helped me learn what to listen for and what to throw out completely regardless of whatever med or disease it was asking about. I then started doing 75 questions a day for 2 weeks. I would take them in study mode at first so I could read the rationales immediately. Then after a few days, I switched to test mode so that it would be more realistic for me and help with my anxiety. If I didn't know the answer with 200% confidence, I stopped what I was doing and immediately went through the strategies of breaking the questions down. My scores on UWorld jumped from the 40s to the high 60s. I started really grasping what the NCLEX was looking for and because of the strategies and how I practiced, my anxiety was under control and I went into the test with a clear head.

That is correct. For when my cohort was going through acceptances, there were only 2 or 3 people that received an acceptance letter after being placed on the waiting list. The list is then cleared. Points are EVERYTHING to get into this program so if the next pool of applicants have a higher points cutoff, it's not good for those that were waitlisted before as they would then be ranked further down the list than on the previous list. I've seen the cutoff come in as low as the 120s in older semesters and as high as the 140s for others.

@Jess.W Thank you! And as far as I am aware, there were a few that applied the first time when I had applied and didn't make the points cutoff but that reapplied and made it either the term after or the one after that. The unfortunate part is that it is all dependent on how strong the pool is for the individual term starts and has nothing to do with you as an individual person. If your points are low, you just have to hope that whenever you apply, no matter how many times, that everyone else that is also applying has a lower score average. There are only 120 seats per term start so it is extremely selective (mostly because there aren't alot of nurse educators too), BUT very possible as long as you kept with As and Bs on your pre-reqs and your HESI scores are good. Even though I received 0 points for not having completed DEP2004, I made up for the lost points by gaining quality points for all 4 sections of the HESI for 80% and above. I came from no medical background whatsoever - no family in the field and was literally just hoping whatever I had was enough. I didn't even really know if I had a chance when I was calculating out all of my points because I didn't even know if 136 was good. All I saw was that it was a max of 160 and thought that I didn't have anywhere close to what I needed but it was. For my cohort, the point cutoff was something like 128 if I remember correctly. There is also a waiting list where we had 1 or 2 people added to our cohort at the last minute before term 1 started due to people declining their acceptance or being unable to provide all the medical documentation needed. There were also people that applied to both the LPN program on top of the RN program in hopes that if one didn't work out, then maybe they could get accepted into the other, and actually ended up getting accepted into LPN instead.

@Jess.W I see that they updated the application since I had applied. It used to be where you were required to have completed the 5 classes in bold on the application and the ones not in bold would not keep you from being considered but you just wouldn't get any points. When I had applied, I had all pre-reqs done prior to the deadline/admission except for DEP2004. I added that as an online class while I was in term 1. I was a first time acceptance for Spring last year with 136ish points. Application process was pretty straight forward. Just stay on top of every single email you get. They had issues with receiving all of my transcripts but I bombarded them if I didn't get an answer within 24 hours to make sure everything was taken care of on time. It was a bit of a mess going into orientation because the communication from the nursing department is not always the best - they like to tell you things at the last minute and make it mandatory. After acceptance, they send the student handbook that outlines dress codes, etc for clinicals/lab. They give all of the information to go get your background check/fingerprints done, along with how to order you lab kit. They also have a breakdown of the physical required along with the required titer proof they need in order for you to participate in clinical rotations. As far as being in the program, it takes a good full term to get used to being bombarded with a ridiculous amount of tests (4 tests per 7 week class - not including the med-surg HESIs you have to take each term) on top of clinical assignments/papers. The amount of reading/studying is insane but once you find a rhythm that works for you, then you take off. We lost a lot of people in term 2 so be prepared to step up the game because that was the hardest term. I just graduated the program so if you have any questions about anything from start to finish, please ask! :)

Should not be an issue. The acceptance points for my term was like 135 and it was that way for the term prior to mine also. Great job on your HESI!

That is correct, only 120. Classes are 24 people with 5 teachers. Good luck everyone!

I was the same way. After your acceptance letter, they first initially send you the information to get your background check, drug test, and fingerprinting done. They gave us a month to turn that in. It cost about $110 for all 3 of those. Once those were turned in, we were then instructed to get our medical documentation together (flu shot, tdap shot, ppd skin test, positive titers for all immunizations as they do not accept shot records, physical examination). We had to Then have these done by orientation which was about 3 weeks. Insurance through doctor can cover this but if you go through like a walk in clinic, it will be about $300ish. At orientation, they told us they had to submit the list to the bookstore to get our skills kit (can't buy it before they have the list). This is $200. Books are covered in tuition so you don't have to pay for any of those out of pocket. Some people were able to get their uniforms prior to orientation but because they only carry them at north campus, a lot of us had to wait until orientation. We didn't wear them until week 3 clinicals. But you do need to have your nursing student polo with khaki pants for day 1 labs. Scrub pants can be purchased anywhere you want as long as they are all white with no cargo pockets on the pant leg. Scrub tops are at the bookstore but most sizes will be in short supply so be prepared to have them ordered. There is also a form you need to fill out to get your name tag ordered ($12).

You're right in line with what I had when I was accepted for Spring! :) I had 139. Would have been higher but I hadn't completed Human Growth yet. Taking that during Term 1 now. Great job and good luck!!

Just remember to breathe! The HESI is in 9 sections but you can take them in any order you want. So get your best subjects out of the way first if you can, then you take your time on the remaining sections. I never actually used a HESI prep book, only a TEAS prep book. I took both tests in 2 consecutive days and made really good marks on both with just the one book since they were both essentially the same test. This is the book I used just in case you were interested: ATI TEAS Secrets Study Guide: TEAS 6 Complete Study Manual, Full-Length Practice Tests, Review Video Tutorials for the Test of Essential Academic Skills, Sixth Edition: 97815167

I think I got really lucky with my school but I was also limited because of my military benefits. I was following an Allied Health degree plan because all of the prerequisites were in that degree plan and I was taking between 6-8 classes every semester. I took 75% of the classes online since I was also working full time. Managed to get all of my classes and my degree completed in a year.

Application is submitted through email with your CPR card copy and a copy of HESI transcript only if you took the test somewhere other than FSCJ. Official transcripts have to be sent so emailing them won't count as official. Be warned though..they seem to have trouble getting all transcripts. It took them more than 3 months to say they finally received all of mine after multiple attempts to have my other schools resend them so it doesn't hurt to have an unofficial copy readily available if they ask. My other schools had the electronic proof that FSCJ had received and opened them but they claimed they didn't.

Cutoff for Spring was 135.167 Schedule actually isn't too bad. You have 2 classes per Term but they are taken one at a time in 7 week blocks. For us, there were 2 different types of schedules. The 2 schedules were in these blocks: Tues - Lecture and Lab Wed - Clinicals Thurs - Lecture -or- Tues - Clinicals Wed - Lecture and LAb Friday - Lecture *ALL tests no matter what teacher or class days take place on Monday at a specific time per your term at the FSCJ testing center of your choice as long as there is availability.* There were different times for the classes depending on the teacher with some being as early as 8am and as late as 2pm. Clinicals are 7-4 no matter which schedule. They told us that they don't do evening classes every 4th term so there will be one term during your program that will not have an evening option.

Titers are required for Hep B (unless you sign declination form), Varicella, and MMR. You're also required to have a negative PPD along with current Flu vaccine and TDAP vaccine (unless you have had TD vaccine within the last 10 years).