BlueJune

I'll be coming from Providence/Boston area. I'm debating about whether or not to apply to be an RA - the perks are amazing (the comfort of campus security, free housing, etc); But also, I was an RA during my undergrad, and I reported to a Grad Student RA -- she had a zillion responsibilities. I don't know how that would work out with an accelerated nursing schedule... Speaking of living situation, does anyone know how accessible grocery stores are to campus? Students in the chatroom & at the Open House mentioned that having a car is the biggest hassle in the world-- but it seems very convenient for grocery shopping! Are people also looking for loans to supplement their educational expenses? The financial aid package Penn gave me left me with lots to cover -- how do we get loans (say... from CitiAssist) by the time we need to pay our bills (ie sometime this May for summer students)?

Me! I just sent in my deposit last week, so I'm set on going to Penn! It's nice to see another fellow student out here. The cost is giving me some anxiety as well. Are you a summer start? I'm in the Summer Start BSN/MSN program for Women's Health. Do you know when we'll have to start looking for places to live, etc?

Hi Tanya! I was trying to choose between UPenn & Yale as well, and I ended up choosing UPenn! I know that UPenn offers a Complementary & Alternative Medicine course for the Women's Health speciality, but it might also be available as an elective for other specialties. There was a thread last year re: "Yale or Penn FNP", which you can probably search (there were some good responses). I made my decision to go to Penn for various reasons. Financially, Yale offered me more money than Penn, so it was a difficult choice for me. Ultimately, after visiting the graduate open house last weekend, I definitely felt that Penn's program was the right one for me (the atmosphere, the current students were extremely nice & helpful, the campus is amazing). Frankly, I had an awful time when I was visiting Yale for my interview. My interviewer rushed me and did not give me a chance to ask any questions - I didn't want to be taking my majority of classes with her. Also, I think the BSN that Penn offers will go a long way - if I decide that I want to work in between the programs, I have a chance to make some money & gain some experience (we have up to 5 years to finish our MSN program). I had a chance to explore Philadelphia, and it was pretty fun! Also, we're not required to have cars during the BSN portion of the program (varies with the MSN). The faculty in my specialty (Women's Health) were extremely friendly and seemed very concerned about the students' welfare. I can definitely go on forever rambling, but yeah - good luck on your decision! :nuke:

Hello! I just found out that I got into Vanderbilt's Women's Health/Adult Health NP program! I don't know what they require for grades, but I e-mailed them about the avg GRE/GPA of the entering class last year - it turned out that last year's class had an average GPA of 3.4 and an average GRE of 1140. I also visited the school during Winter break; unfortunately nothing was open because it was New Years. I did get a chance to walk around the nursing school building and the campus; Godchaux Hall is a relatively small building; the campus was beautiful. The area is surrounded by all the teaching hospitals & nursing/medical schools, so everything seemed accessible by foot.

I applied to Women's Health, and I'm pretty sure I received a call from the general "admissions office" - possibly even Theresa? I received my phone call at the end of the day on Thursday (5PM), and she also mentioned that she was "going down the list" calling names... I agree that it's very strange that the admissions committee is telling everyone that they would not be calling people, and yet they still are... Maybe they're still going down the list? Good luck to you all!

I got my phone call today as well! Congrats to everyone!

Hi cheakeemonkee! I also did the $500 deposit, and I got into 2 schools the week afterwards! I was tormented by the deadline date and having no other prospects for schooling. Oh well. Glad to have your opinion on the city.

Me too! Congrats to you! I was so excited to hear about the news - I'm still waiting to hear from Yale, but Penn had been my top choice throughout this whole process! I wonder when we'll hear about the MSN decisions?

Penn decisions are online!!

Hello! I was wondering if anybody can tell me anything about the environment of this school - Western University of Health Sciences - the MSN-entry program. I was recently admitted, and they didn't require that I go on an interview. Did anyone interview there? What was the faculty like? What was the campus like? What is the program like? How well do nursing students there do in terms of getting jobs? I'd like to get a sense of the learning environment and the strength of the program. I wouldn't have time to visit until spring time (I'm still an undergrad), and I would really appreciate anyone's input on this! Thank you!

Just got back from mine too! I had a weird interview... it was not really a conversation, but one in which my interviewer asked me very specific questions, expecting specific answers in a limited time frame. She was transcribing my answers to a worksheet as well. I had so much to say that she had to interrupt me a few times to stop me (limited time). I thought the format was intimidating (I was really nervous) BUT she was positive about it, and she told me that she was to recommend me, but no guarantees. Crossing my fingers. It was a really tiring day.

Hmm I thought the "block interview" process just meant that the interview day is sectioned off into blocks (orientation/welcome, lunch, financial aid sessions, personal interviews), and personal interviews are held in different offices at different times. The letter did not state anything about a group interview. I really hope this is correct (or else, I'd be very scared!)

From what I understand, you can get into Medical School with a bachelor's degree in anything. There is no "pre-med" degree per se, just a pre-med curriculum. All you have to do is fulfill the prerequisites, which usually involves 2 semesters of Chemistry, 2 semesters of Organic Chemistry, 2 semesters of Biology (usually includes Biochemistry), 2 semesters of math (calculus), and 2 semesters of english/composition. You will need to take the MCATs as well. If you did not fulfill all your prerequisite classes during your bachelor's curriculum, there are several post-bacc programs in the U.S. that offer the pre-med curriculum in an accelerated format. Hope this helps!

Hello everybody! Congrats to everyone on getting an interview with Yale! I have a question about the dress code during interviews. I've had several phone interviews, but I haven't had the chance to do a personal interview yet. Would a full pants-suit be too dressy? Would a blouse & nice pants be appropriate? I'd love your input on this. Thanks!!

Hi everybody, I have to complete a phone interview with UPenn for the accelerated BSN program... any tips? I've never had a phone interview before. How formal/flowing is the content? Will it be an informational interview (ie Penn will tell me about its great programs, hospitals, & research...) Any tips for phone interviews in general? I'd appreciate your help!