cereus

No problem. Let me know if you have any more questions. Welcome to an awesome profession!

hello- i was already attending simmons when i applied to the program, so i was an internal transfer into the program. my first bachelor's is a bfa in photography from an art school, and we did not have grades there so i did not have a gpa for that school. i did have one from previous and current classes at simmons, and it was a 3.92. but i also had transcripts from previous colleges as well, and i think my gpa from another college was a 2.86. my grades in the pre-requisites that were examined for my application were all as (biology, inorganic chemistry, anatomy 1 and 2), and my grades for the other prerequisites (but were completed after i received my acceptance letter) ranged from b to a-. i had also just started volunteering in the or at a local hospital. the admissions process is undoubtedly complicated, and just because someone has super high grades that may not have been the sole reason that the admissions committee ultimately chose them. they're looking at the applicant as a whole and who will be the best fit for the nursing program. the only ones who ultimately know what went on during the selections process are the people doing the selecting! i believe that simmons is so competitive because it is a highly regarded school and there are limited spots, so competition naturally ensues. remember, there's more than one solution to every problem. i read once in a book that was giving advice about how to apply to medical school that you could include a letter explaining any circumstances that would help to explain your lower gpa. you also still have control over many important factors, like your future gpa in the pre requisites and your admissions essay (write, print, edit, rewrite, rewrite, rewrite). these are areas you can still shine in. i would place particular emphasis on why you want to come to simmons and why you believe you are a good fit for the program. i talked about what made me want to become a nurse, the plan i made to complete the prerequisites in order to do this, and my personal motivations for my nursing career. your journey through and commitment to the pre-requisites, combined with some volunteer experience and an honest, well-written essay will surely construct a more accurate, present picture of you as a candidate, and it's my opinion that those positives will surely outweigh any negatives that your lower gpa might bring to the table. if you really want to go into nursing and know it is your dream career, keep that at the front of your mind and don't let comments saying you must have perfect grades and lots of experience deter you. i've found that acting on your fears isn't a healthy or good motivator, though it is good to consider the amount of work the prerequisites and especially nursing school is going to be. there are many scholarships available to nursing students. best of luck in your journey to nursing school. feel free to contact me with any more questions. megan

You're not being a pain at all! I'm glad to help. I actually was unable to find the program I'm starting under that link, which I think is for Master's degrees only. Here's a link within the undergraduate nursing school's programs for the BSN program I'm starting. http://www.simmons.edu/academics/undergraduate/nursing/programs/second-degree.html And here're more info from the Dix Scholars program (older students, which this program falls under) http://www.simmons.edu/admission/dix/ http://www.simmons.edu/admission/docs/DixNursingOptions.pdf You can also request an admissions packet from Simmons. Hope this helps! Megan

They have several different programs, the one I'm going into requires that you have a bachelor's degree, but it does not have to be a BS and does not have to be healthcare related. I am starting the 18 month, second bachelor's accelerated program in late June in two weeks. It is 18 months of nursing classes only and I will graduate in Dec. 2009 with a BSN. There is also a master's program which is identical for the first 18 months to the program I am in, but then continues on with graduate work after you successfully pass the NCLEX, acquire a part-time job as an RN, and continue in school for a while longer (I'm not sure how long). More information on the different degrees is available at: http://www.simmons.edu/shs/academics/nursing/degrees/index.shtml

I'm willing to spend about $100 to get good shoes, I'm pretty fussy about what shoes I wear in terms of comfort. Do you have any recommendations?

I go to Simmons now but transferred into the 18 month program which I'm starting in 2 weeks. I'm sure we'll have classes together. Are you going to the orientation in a week, on the 23rd? Megan

Hello nurses- I need to get a pair of comfortable, all-white shoes for nursing school but would like to try them on first in person (as opposed to buying a bunch online and then returning the ones that don't fit). Can anyone recommend a store that would have a variety of pairs of all-white shoes that I can try on in person? I live in Boston but outside of Boston is okay too. Thanks! Megan

There is also an 18 month program which starts every summer at Simmons College, which I'm starting in two weeks, if you're interested.

NF- Thanks for getting back to me. I heard that they only take 30 people to the 18 month program, and I'm not sure how many of those spaces are for internal applicants. Have we met on campus/at orientation? Also, what did you write about in your admission essay, if i can ask? I have As in Bio and Psych, and am taking the A&Ps, Chem, and BioPsych this fall (for I plan to be a neuro nurse). Thanks! Megan

Nursey Face- Are you in the program now? I sent you an email to ask a few questions but figured I'd post here too. Mgan