I would say the same as aspiring nurse 2008. Since UNC doesn't take recommendations your essays have to be really strong and let the reader get a good sense of who you are and what you have to offer the profession of nursing. Having your prereqs done before the start is a great thing to have done as well, especially if you have gotten good grades there. UNC was always my top choice but I also applied to University of Southern Maine, UPENN and Drexel as well as the mass college of pharmacy and health services as a back up. I too am moving from out of state and it is hard to get everything together in the time they give you between being accepted and starting the program but it certainly can be done. Best of Luck