esb86

Nothing to prepare. Last cycle, the career snapshot just ran through basic stuff like where you got your degree, your certifications, and your top two preferred locations.

I interviewed at LAMC. I heard from someone who works there that there were 3 positions available.

Did they tell you how long before they send out offers? I forgot to ask during my interview..

I'm external. Interviewed at lamc 7/15 but haven't heard back yet.

Tuition was a big factor for me. I'm choosing an ABSN program that's a fraction of the price of Western. As far as I can tell looking at current RN job postings, there's usually no pay difference between a BSN and MSN and if there is, it's pretty marginal. It would still take years of working for the difference in tuition to be worth it. I'm also considering becoming a nurse practitioner and the idea of taking on the debt that comes with two masters degrees is overwhelming. I also did consider Western's clinical rotation sites. I talked to a lot of RNs who made connections and ended up working at one of their rotation sites. Most of Western's rotations seem to be at relatively small regional hospitals, and I don't see myself staying and working in the Pomona area after graduating.

I just declined my admission so I hope someone on the waitlist gets an update soon! Good luck everyone!

Mine says "Resident of California"

Congrats to you too! I talked to a Western grad and a current student in Fullerton's traditional BSN program and both were enthusiastic about their programs. The Western grad graduated about ten years ago and she said her cohort was about 40. She really liked how much one-on-one time she had with her professors and expressed reservations about the new cohort size of 100. She did say that she felt that having a Masters degree gave her a little bit of an edge but said some students in her cohort still had trouble finding work after graduating and had to look for jobs further away like in Lancaster. (This was ten years ago when I think the nursing market was more saturated.) She said ultimately the goal is to pass your NCLEX and it doesn't really matter which school gets you to that point. The Fullerton student is going to graduate this year and said during her last semester, the school is helping with her resume, job applications and interview prep so it sounds like the program is really invested in your success post-graduation. She's also really enjoyed all of her clinical experiences and her professors. After interviewing at Western, I really liked the feel of the school. It felt like they had a really positive culture, but I'm honestly leaning toward Fullerton now just because it's so much cheaper. I think there's such a shortage of nurses now that we'll all be pretty employable after graduating and having a bachelors instead of an entry level masters won't make or break you. If I were certain that I'd want to pursue an NP certification, I might lean more toward Western, but even with the MSN-E, I'd still have to pay for an additional two years for an FNP program. I read somewhere that some classes from the MSN-E program might count for credits for other masters programs for nursing administration or mental health certification, but I don't know if it's worth paying double the price for Western when I'm not sure if I'll be pursuing further education after my RN. The Western grad also said that she got a job at her last clinical rotation, and the Fullerton grad is hoping to do the same -- networking at clinical sites to secure employment. I've seen some of the hospitals for Western's rotations, and I don't think I want to work at any of them. I live in LA and grew up in OC so I'd prefer to make connections and work at Fullerton's rotation sites, like Kaiser, UCI Medical Center, St. Joseph or St. Jude. I don't mean to sway you either way. Just wanted to pass on what I've heard and what I'm thinking.

Thanks! Yes, Western is an entry level masters program. Still undecided. Trying to figure out if Western is worth the extra tuition.

If people choose not to do their background check or don't pass it, they might accept more people from the waitlist and then add more people to the waitlist. I'd still be hopeful. Someone mentioned that they think rejection letters might be sent out via regular mail but I doubt it. I've already received a few rejections and they were all via email.

Debating between Fullerton and Western. I'm doing the background check for Fullerton to keep my spot, and I'll decide by Western's deadline (in two-ish weeks).

Two weeks

Oh you're right. Mine does too. It was squeezed in between older items I submitted. But still no email.

The portal? Is that the same one where we submitted our applications? Mine doesn't have anything new -- just that they received my application and documents. No email either.

I just finished mine and don't feel great about it ? The questions were pretty run of the mill but I just felt so rushed for time. Good luck to everyone that's waiting to do theirs!