lucy001

I am in the UCLA MECN program and I know a lot of students had volunteer hospital experience. I volunteered for a year in the ER at St. John's hospital down the street in Santa Monica and then for another year on a med-surg unit. I highly recommend the hospital for volunteering. Because it is a small community hospital, you do not get lost in the crowd. I felt very welcome there and that most people knew my name and appreciated my help. There was one time a staff member was extremely rude to me and I brought it up and was happy that they made a point to deal with it--they don't undervalue volunteers at all. The volunteer coordinator, Grenda, was very accessible and wrote me a great letter of recommendation for school. I don't think it is very difficult to become a volunteer there -- it might take a little while to get trained and all, but they will definitely try to give you your preferred assignment if you want to go to nursing school. I volunteered 1x a week for 4 hours, and I never had problems moving my schedule around if I needed to. The ER program is kind of separate from other volunteer areas, they screen applicants a bit more and the volunteers are more connected to one another. However, personally I preferred being on a floor because the staff was not on the run so much, allowing them to work with me more and therefore trust me with more responsibilities.

Thanks for the encouragement UCLA_Nursing. It is very sweet of you to keep rooting for us! I was wondering if anyone who accepted their spot could tell me if you had to pay a deposit with your letter of intent? I am thinking that if you didn't, then there is a greater chance that people may still change their minds--that it is understandable that everyone accepted if there is not a huge commitment involved in saying so. If there was a deposit, how much was it?

Oh man, I just read my email for the first time today and saw that there has been NO movement on the waitlist as of today. This is the worst news! I really can't believe it. So every single person who was accepted ended up taking their spot?? Aaaahh the disappointment! Did anyone else on the wl get the same news? Ok, I will work through the emotions a little here. Moving from shock and disbelief, to disappointment, to trying to accept it. Yeah, acceptance is going to take a while. What a tease this waitlist thing has been! I was way too optimistic. I was told that over 20 people got in last year. Goes to show how quickly these programs can take off. GGGaahhhhh. Can I just show up on the first day with you guys anyways? (uh oh, denial is setting in )

fyi, i left shelli a message asking for an update on my status when she gets a moment. that was about an hour ago. still haven't heard back and i'm guessing i won't until next week. please leave a note if anyone hears anything. thanks!

i know it's still a bit early, but has anyone on the waitlist gotten any new info on movement? i'm starting to get that anxious feeling from a month ago all over again!

hey guys, i took epi through ucla extension concurrent enrollment. i paid about $500 to take the general epi course (with lecture aka lab component) in the school of public health. it was taught by prof. malmgren and if you get the chance to take it with her, you absolutely should. she is a really great teacher, one of the best i've had--really funny and gets you excited about the course. in regards to taking it online, just to give something else to consider, i've heard that most of the mecn students ended up taking epi over the summer at the son and it was a great way for them to bond before the grind began in sept.

good luck tomorrow in your interview maybemaybenot! i agree with pretzelpug that it is most productive to think of our status as a sign of what is meant for each of us. before i headed home to check my mail yesterday someone told me "no matter what the letter says, you will still have a happy life." simple, but true and uplifting.

Asherah makes a really good point about how it doesn't seem like a year could have gone by... If we don't make it this year, I guarantee the next year will zip by. I know this past one did. One second it seemed like I had forever to prepare for my app (take gre's -- this never actually happened:smackingf,sign up for more volunteering, take more prereq's, get to know professors for letters of recs) and in no time there was no time left! It is tempting to think of it being a good thing for us to have that extra year and get ahead of next year's pool and (dare i say it) get into an even better program than ucla! I know if I don't get in, I will force myself to make a drastic change in what I'm doing (I'd like to start with quitting my terrible office job -- totally unrelated to healthcare and not doing a darn thing for my application) and spend the year doing something that feels like preparation for nursing, you know? That way I can think of it as training, not as further delay. And to our more mature applicants, time hasn't run out for you!! Another year is not so hard to get through once you know where you're headed. However I will say that Kathliz (I think it was you who was saying you haven't had a really happy day in your job) you need to leave your depressing job too!!! Do something that makes you happy, even if it may mean less money. What is more important, letting another year slip by that adds little to your life or giving up some comforts and doing something you are truly proud of (and that may have the bonus of helping your chances for next year)? Whew, don't know where this urge for optimism came from -- I guess Asherah's post really inspired me to think positive!

congratulations on ucsf!! just want to contribute to the distraction method discussion... last night was spent doing load after load of laundry. it was the perfect way to stay busy since it's been impossible to get any reading done all week.

wow, odamae and kathliz, you both sound like fabulous applicants! my fingers are crossed for both of you. nsfa08, congratulations!!! you've defied the odds and gotten a letter today... now everyone still waiting can be a little more hopeful. i received a call from shelli and she told me that 60 people were offered admission and there are spots available for all of them. i think this means that for every person who declines, the waitlist will be bumped up one. (yay!)

oh my gosh, i got on the waitlist. honestly, this is about as much as i expected. my number is somewhat high, so i am definitely hopeful!! i left a message for shelli asking how many people were actually accepted out of the 55 spots, to get a better feel for where i stand. anyways, the letter came in a tiny envelope so my heart had already sank...at least this is SOMETHING. (i don't know whether to put a sad or smiley face, so i'll stick with :stone)

nothing here either. i wish i could just power down and hibernate until the answer arrives...this daily anticipation is too maddening!

by the way, i'm guessing that the only people whose online application profiles have been updated are those who received fellowships. i have been told that very few people received the email notice (that directs you to the graduate site) last year as well.

I did not receive anything in the mail today. My letter must not have gone out yesterday, b/c I live so close it only takes a day. All that anxiety for naught. And to be repeated tomorrow!

isn't there anyone in LA who has gotten their mail yet?? i am expecting mine in about an hour (i work close to home, so will check it at lunch) and will let you all know if the letters did go out in yesterday's mail....i have to admit--i'm getting very nervous at this point!