Trigirl

RN83, I just emailed you. Sorry I don't check this site that often. runaround21, I have been taking classes since last fall, so my course load is a little different if you are just starting to take classes. I have 6 classes left, and then will strictly only be taking Anesthesia courses once we start next summer. nursiepooh...you are correct in what you read. I was accepted into a different masters program at Rush, so I was able to take quite a few classes prior to CRNA. However, they are getting very frustrated with people doing this, so I'm not sure if they are going to try and change things. How they would..I have no idea. You can take up to 12 credits as an "at large" student, without being in a program.

RN83, I live in Chicago and have also been accepted to the 2012 program. I'd be happy to help.

Also, it takes a while to hear back from Rush.

Rush's Neuro ICU is hiring. They just hired 3 new nurses that started last week. It seems like every month new people are starting. Its not that people are leaving, but the unit keeps growing. I would definitely check with HR, and leave them a message if you can't get through.

The City Colleges are your best bet. You should check out Truman college. They have open spots for A&P I for summer 07. They start on June 6.

They are similar programs, both being 12.5 months in length. I would reccommend going to info meetings on both. I applied to Rush last year, and was wait listed, so I applied to Loyola after not getting into Rush and was accepted and start at Loyola in a few weeks. Prior to acceptance at Rush, you take the Teas. You take the same exact test at Loyola, but only after you have been accepted. At Loyola you also need to take a Critical Thinking test. I have a friend who started at Rush, and dropped because it was just too intense. At Rush, it is straight through...not much time for a break. At Loyola, their program follows the schedule with the regular university, so you follow their break schedule, meaning two weeks off in August, Christmas...etc. I feel very stronly that Loyola is the better choice for me. Courses are pretty much the same (Pharama, Patho, Clinical Nutrition..and then onto Clinicals). Loyola's nursing program, as a whole, is the oldest in the state, so that has to say something. (And I did hear that Rush's program is chaning). Hope this helps.

Loyola is expensive, but it is a great school, and we'll be done in 12.5 months. I will also need to take out loans to cover my living expenses, as I will continue to live on my own, not on campus. So, I am looking at being in a good deal of debt, but hopefully will get some sort of tuition reimbursement once I am finally out in the workforce, which will hopefully help out quite a bit.

One and a half pages is not long. That is how long mine was, and I have applied for jobs that way, as well applying for two ABSN programs, of which I got into. I don't think they are looking at the length of the resume; more about your experience. They want to see what you have been doing. I would not worry about it.

I just got my letter tonight, and am very excited! First day of class is May 21. Has anyone else gotten accepted?

Ok, that makes more sense. I have heard variations of what the schools are looking for. Some say the higher GPA gets in, some say they look at "volunteer work" in hospitals, or if you have gone out and shadowed a nurse before. I knew a few people with higher GPA's and TEAS scores than others, but the lowers scores got into the program because thet had "experience" in the medical field, which could have meant as little as answering phones for a medical practice. I think my GPA is pretty close to a 4.0 on my pre-req classes, but my overall GPA for my current B.S. degree is only a 3.5; I think they primarily look at your pre-req GPA, right?

Can I ask what schools or type of schools you are talking about that are requiring such high GPA's? Rush University in Chicago is ranked in the top 3 in the U.S. and has an ABSN and a traditional program, and only requires a 2.75 min GPA. I am gasping at the 3.8's to 4.0's GPA requirements of the schools you are talking about. That is crazy.

Seriously, you cannot give up. Someone needs to sing you a song or something. The theme song from Annie always seems to cheer people up when I sing it, though I think they would just really rather me stop. ha ha. You have made it this far. Think about all the hard work you put into get here, and how all that hard work will soon pay off. We all get to points in our lives when we feel like giving up, but if we did that, we wouldn't get anywhere. I have been there a few times myself, but manage to get back up again, and things are always better once you forge through and conquer. So, buck-up buckaroo, it's game-time. Put your game face on!!!

Call me crazy, but I am taking A&P I and II together this semester. I took them separately 9 years ago for my undergrad, but need to have taken them in the past 5yrs for a school that I am applying to that starts in May. I just finished taking gen chem along with organic chem; now that was fun. Any suggestions as to what I should start reading up on? I don't start until next week, so I have some time to do a little reading.

I haven't heard of any nursing programs requiring calculus as a pre-req. Seems kinda odd. Usually only algebra and always statistics.

I had the same question when I was ordering my Organic chem book. It ended up being a softcover book, and didn't have a periodic table on the inside cover, but all else was the same. The instructor actually told me to buy the international version.