icegambit

I think you're doing great in preparing for the program. You have everything that I can think of right now. You didn't mention anything about uniforms in your post, but you gave me information on getting uniforms so I'm assuming you have that done also. As for me, I'm still having alot of problems with Drexel. I'm still not registered for any classes because they said they never received my Course Request Form. I mailed this form in the envelop they sent me a month and a half ago. Ms. Breslin asked me two weeks ago if I'm attending Drexel because she never received this form! She sent me another one two weeks ago which I mailed immediately. I just emailed her and again she said that she never received it. Either the mailman is lost or Drexel is just really unorganized. I pick the latter. Did you also have problems with Drexel? I was warned by a couple of past students that Drexel is very unorganized, especially because the ACE program has about 170 students class. I guess I didn't expect to have so many problems. I want to do the program but I'm so nervous that I will have so many problems when I start as far as clinical sites, schedule, financial aid, etc. If I were to give you some advice, I would say that you need to make sure that Drexel is doing their part on this process. Contact everyone that you ever sent forms/documentation to and make sure that you file is correct so there will be no suprises later on. Also, contact the financial aid and make sure that they have received your loan paperwork and they are in the process of certifying your loan (since you are already registered). This is important because if they don't certify the loan, then the bank cannot disburse your loans. I hope everything gets better for me with Drexel, because right now its looking like 11 months of administrative problems. Maybe the past few months have been super busy for them and this is why things get lost. I'm glad you're having a better time with this process. I'll see you at orientation!!!

is it really impossible to work???? i was thinking of keeping my current job and work at least 1 day a week. i don't have any kids so i don't really have a lot of responsibilities at home.

thanx for the info!

cathy, do you know how long it would take to receive the uniforms once they are ordered? i didn't order the uniforms yet because i haven't had time to go to philly. i guess i should go to philly and order so i can get them soon. around how much should i expect to pay? also, did you receive the math book you ordered? if you did, how is the math that we need to know? from what i read in that letter, the math is basic college algebra. i'm thinking of not getting the book because i do fairly good in math and i don't know if its necessary to get this book. i want to save as much money as i can, so if i can review the same material from a college algebra or another math book, then i would rather do that. thanx for your help!!

I'm scheduled to start the ACE program next month also. However, I feeling a little discouraged because it seems like Drexel is a bit disorganized. There were times when I need some info and I had to send out several emails and wait at least 2 to 3 weeks for a reply. For example, there was an issue with one of the required classes I needed to take. It took me 4 months to resolve this issue with Drexel. My first few emails were not answered and the phone calls were never returned. It wasn't until I sent out many emails that they started to look at my problem. Once I got their attention, it only took two days for them to resolve the issue. It was discouraging that it took 4 months of pestering them to see any results. I read most of the ACE-related posts here and I remember reading that Ms. Breslin called a few people to make sure they are on schedule with their requirements. I never got a such a phone call or anything that would let me know that I was on schedule with everything. After reading the posts here, I decided to email them to ask if I needed to submit anything. A few emails later, they replied saying that they don't have the transcripts I sent a month before. I got this email 2 days before the deadline for the transcripts. Right now, I'm behind on the requirements. For the last couple of months, I have been having second doubts about entering this program. I wasn't sure if I should still try submit everything or just forget about the ACE program. It just became hard to justify spending so much money for a school that gave me nothing but headaches in the last 8 months. I still want to do the program. I'm looking forward to meeting my classmates. Hopefully, Drexel gets a little better when the program starts.

thanks. I'll give them a call to see approximately how much this would cost me.

cathy, thanks for the info. i wonder why ms. breslin didn't call me. anyways, i'm glad to hear from other students that are starting this fall. i'm also looking for loans to pay for school. in the meantime, i'm trying not to think about how expensive this whole program is going to end up being!! do you know of anyone that was in the ACE program who received any loan forgiveness from hospitals? I've been looking for loan forgiveness programs, but I really didn't find any (except for the PHEEA thing).

I'm also going to Drexel (ACE) this fall. Does anyone know when the orientation is?? I thought they were going to send us a letter about orientation. I finished my prereqs and sent my transcripts. I'm just trying find out what my next step should be. Oh, btw, where did you go to get your immunization form filled out? I don't have a family doctor and I don't have insurance. I was just wondering where to get the shots/tests that Drexel requires. My old college only needed my immunization card so I don't know how to go about completing Drexel's Immunization form (especially without insurance). Thanx!

I found this thread very helpful. I have been deciding whether I should go into nursing or pursue being a dentist for almost two years now. I graduated with a BA in another field of study last year. I have been taking some science classes since graduation. Last year, I applied to an accelerated BSN program. A couple of months later, I found out that I have been accepted and the program starts in September 2007. If I choose to do the program, I will graduate with a BSN a year later. What I have been so confused about is whether I should be a dentist instead. I would really like to become a dentist but the time and money I need to invest in this career seem to hold me back. I figured that I will rack up about $200k in student loans by the time I graduate dental school. Also, I still need to take a few science classes so I won't be able to apply until the 2008 cycle (for the class entering in 2009). I know I'm still young (23 yrs. old), but I just want to start a career. I have nothing right now, no job, and no family to help me out. I figured that if I decide to do the nursing program, I could start working as a nurse by next year and then go for an advance degree (crna, msn or etc.). People have been telling me that I should do nursing and forget about dentistry. Dental school is just not practical and I would be drowning in loans by the time I graduate. If I do nursing, I could soon buy a house and do things I wanted to do but could not afford to do. I know that I should not look at the money, but its hard not to look at that aspect when you have nothing else. I have been debating with myself since I got the acceptance letter to the acc. BSN program last year. Now, I have two weeks to decide and, once again, I am completely lost. I have been looking at this website and trying to decide if I could make it as a nurse or if I will just be miserable if I choose this route. I thought about becoming a nurse and if I truly do not like it, pursue dentistry later on. However, the BSN program will cost me about $35,000 plus living expenses. I don't want to take on that much debt and then go for dentistry later, which will add more debt. I just feel so lost and confused.

When I was in high school I thought that I wanted to be a doctor. Being a doctor seemed great when I was young looking from the outside. I thought about how proud my parents would be, the people I could help, and the money and prestige the profession has to offer. However, as I went through undergrad, I realized that being a doctor is not for me. I realized that there's that thing called med school and residency. And then I thought about life after school as a doctor. I realized that for a majority of doctors, the practice of medicine is their life. I am the type of person that like to enjoy life. I couldn't see myself practicing medicine while letting life pass me by. For me, nursing offers a balance that will let me live a full life.