k&k'z mom

I am a new grad and am having so much trouble finding a job....here's the story: I graduated amongst the top of my class with a 3.5 GPA, have recommendation letters, and hospital experience. BUT my hospital experience is working as a Pharmacy Tech, and Anesthesia Tech, and with Materials Distribution....all prior to nursing school. I feel that I have a great foundation for hospital work, but CHOSE not to work during school. I had the opportunity to go to school full time and spend 2 summers with my kids while not working or going to school. I had a good career and decided to chase my dream of becoming a nurse and was grateful to be able to spend time with my kids in the summer before they started school.......knowing this may be my only opportunity to be a "stay at home mom" EVER. I got loans to pay for school and to help us survive, but now am having the hardest time finding a job with no experience as a PCA or PCT. What do I do now?? People in my class that barely made it by with school work have jobs and I am still struggling to find one, despite great grades and great clinical experineces. My instructors have such high hopes for me based on my clinical perfomance and dedication, but job offers just aren't happening. Can anyone offer any advice??

This same thing happened to me....last semester I was supposed to start nursing classes and applied for financial aid. I already have a Bachelor's so I was over on my hours. I filed an appeal and was granted aid for 16 of the 31 hours that I would need. I decided to wait for a semester because I was still on the waiting list for another community college that I really wanted to go to. So I reapplied for aid this semester and got denied again, wrote an appeal, and was approved for the duration of the entire program (31 credit hours). So I would encourage you to apply to a different school if your appeal was denied at the first school because different schools handle appeals differently. The schools that I dealt with are actually just different campuses of the same college too. So you never know. Just be persistent and make sure to go into the financial aid office and talk to whoever you need to. Go to the supervisor if you have to and explain your situation.

Just to follow-up with everyone....I decided to hold out for Forest Park and am starting in January!! I am very, very glad that I made the decision to wait. The only thing that I am having trouble with is securing part-time or prn employment. I have applied to so many places and just keep hearing that they are overwhelmed with applicants for the few positions that they have....or that they are "taking applications" but not actively hiring. Any suggestions?? I have great work history and great references.

To get financial aid, we must have a 66.6% completion rate of all classes. Due to some stupid decisions 15 years ago, I dropped several classes and now have a 65.3% completion rate so now am being denied a Stafford Loan and therefore will not be able to start nursing school. Has anyone else experienced this? I have a 3.6 GPA and have never had any financial assistance. I was looking at my transcript and noticed something that I thought was odd....I took A & P 1 and Chemistry years ago and got B's in both, but had to retake them for nursing because they were over 5 years old. When I took them again I got A's in both. On my transcript they count the hours attempted but not the hours passed when calculating completion rate (and GPA). So for all practical purposes, those classes count the same as one that I had dropped or as if I had failed the class. Does that make sense? If those classes were counted as hours passed or dropped from hours attempted, my completion rate would be like 71.5% and I would qualify for loan. Has anyone else experienced this or do you have any advice for a remedy to the situation?

I was wondering if anyone could tell me about how much a PCA or PCT should expect to make at a St. Louis hospital? I know the wage could vary, but I would just like to get a ballpark idea because I am considering pursing a position while I am in school. I would really appreciate any insight you could give.

I started out at 70-something before they sent out any letters. Then I got a letter saying it was probable that I would get in for fall (I was like #8 on the waiting list at that point). Then, a few weeks later, I got one saying that I am in for sure. That was just the end of March. There is a good chance that you may still get in. Did they send you a letter telling you to sign up for orientation anyway since you might get in? Will you be at orientation on the 20th?

Just wondering if anyone else has accepted for Fall semester at Flo. I am excited and can't wait to finally get started!

STLCC offers some of their science classes as "hybrid" classes where you are responsible for learning lecture material (via handouts, "lecture notes" that are provided, and textbook) and come in on Satuday morning for labs and tests. I took a 6-week Fundamentals of Chemistry that way and loved it. I had to do quite a bit of studying over those weeks, but it was well worth it and very manageable because it was over before I knew it. I ended up with an A. They usually give you "lecture notes" to study so you generally know what is going to be covered on the test. I recommend Dr. Saum at Flo Valley. I am taking Micro right now the same way at Flo, but full semester instead of 6-week class and really like it. I heard that they are offering A & P that way now too.

I know that I am not eligible for grants or some scholarships since I have a degree already. And I have never had a loan/grant or any type of federal financial aid before. They said that financial aid is only available up to 150% of the hours required for a degree. Therefore, since I already have a bachelors degree I am well past the maximum hours for assistance to receive an associates degree. They do not take into consideration that you are changing careers completely, only how many total hours that you have accumulated. Does that make sense?

Does anyone who attended STLCC have experience with being denied financial aid? I was denied because I have "too many hours" since I completed a bachelors back in 1997. I am kinda freaking out because I was unaware of this rule and was depending upon loans to help me through school. If you have any insight, please share it with me because I really don't know what to do. Can I appeal their decision? If so, how do I go about it and what information would be appropriate to provide in the appeal? I definitely have the financial need....my EFC on my FAFSA is zero. It is soooooo disappointing to think that I may not be able to attend because of my financial situation. I have worked so hard to get straight A's on all of my prereqs and am finishing my last prereq this semester. I never have applied for financial aid before so just am not sure what to do from here.

I am in the same boat as you are...just a little older, but with 2 kids as well. I decided to go the STLCC route for several reasons. First of all, you can complete all of your non-nursing classes while you are on the wait list...only have to do Bio & Chem before getting on the list. That will allow you a little less hectic schedule while you are taking your nursing classes. Also, when you compare the cost savings it is quite significant. I have the 8 nursing classes left to take, which should run about $2500, compared to $30,000 for the BSN route. I think taking things a little slower and with substantial cost savings is a good route, especially when you have a family. I just got on the wait list for all 3 STLCC schools the first week of November (2008) and am in for Flo this fall, but kinda am holding out for Forest Park...there is a slight chance I will get in this Fall as a backup, but in Spring for sure. There are a lot of people declining when their turn comes up...or at least that is what I have heard. Just my opinion.

Thanks for the response. I really had not thought about that point, but that makes sense. Did you get your PCA job before or after you started nursing school. I have applied, but haven't had much luck due to lack of experience.

I am on the waiting list at Flo and at Forest Park....looks like I may be able to get into Flo for the fall semester but Forest Park still not sure about (either Fall 09 or Spring 2010 for Forest Park). For all of you who went to STLCC, would you recommend Forest Park or Flo? I have heard that Forest Park is a better program and am wondering if I should hold out for them even though I may be able to start at Flo a semester earlier. Would really appreciate any feedback that you can give me!

If you only take the 2 nursing classes each semester, what is a typical week like....class time, lab, clinicals, etc?

I am actually taking a "hybrid" course is where info (syllabus, notes, etc) are on the internet and we go to class on Saturday for labs and tests. No lecture...basically learn on your own. It is a semester condensed into 6 weeks with 5 Saturday labs and tests every Saturday except the first week. This is the third week...have had 2 labs and one test so far. Got a 97% on the first test, but it was HARD! Haven't gotten the labs back yet but think I did well on them. 3 tests and 3 labs left. 3-4 chapters of material on test each week! Very condensed but I can't stand Chemistry and would rather be miserable taking a condensed class for 6 weeks than to have to take a whole 19 week semester. I have some great A & P websites that were really helpful when I took it last semester. If anyone hasn't taken it and wants the sites, let me know!