airforceguy

I wanted to share the good news with everyone...at 1630 MST my SQ/CC called my cell phone and informed me that I was selected for the NECP! I guess the list went out a little earlier than expected. Good luck to everyone, you should be finding out very soon! Just something for everyone to compare to, here's what I applied with: Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ Full acceptance letter (health/immunization requirements already completed) AFROTC Form 48: 50 credits, 12 A's, 3 B's (ENG 101/102 and math) Cum GPA: 2.96 Science GPA: 4.0 Credits: 83 semester hours TIS: 7.5 years (SSgt) AFSC: 2W0 (Ammo) PME: ALS (No CCAF degree) EPRs: Three firewall (2009, 2007, 2006) and two 5's with one markdown each (2008, 2005) Decs: 12 ribbons +4 devices Security clearance: Secret PT Test: 87.50 I feel my letter of recommendation was very strong. I "helped" write it myself, so it should be I tried to incorporate the "whole person" concept into it, highlighting aspects from military duties (including two technical order changes), recent academic success, management ability, and even my role on the flight softball team and the base golf team. I never got to read my CN interview summary, but I was assured that I did very well. It was actually with a Col and a Lt Col (who was TDY here and sat in). What a lot of brass! We actually talked for an hour, and the interview felt very informal after about 15 minutes. I cracked the ice with my response to the first question: Why did you want to become a nurse? A: I thought it would be a great way to meet women. Haha! I had a real answer waiting to follow that up, as I had a feeling it would be asked at some point. There were more questions, but the most of it was a very frank discussion of what AF nursing is all about. I was actually the one asking the questions for last 30 mins or so. I also asked that my low cumulative GPA be addressed in the summary, and how my pre-AF grades dragged my GPA down, and I was promised it would be. My personal essay was very honest and thought-out. I won't go into details here, everyone has their own reasons. All in all this has been the most stressful experience EVER. I didn't mind so much when I was still in school, as I was still in control of things. After my package was in the mail the real stress set in because I realized there was nothing more I could do. I'm sure a lot of people reading this felt the same way. Finally, I can start enjoying summer... I'm looking forward to reading everyone else's acceptance posts!

The only thing I would be concerned with is if the board perceives this as a traditional nursing program (which is usually two years). I don't know the specifics these boards consider, so I can only speculate, but I would say that if your board is as competitive as it was this year, you would need to have all the traditional nursing prereqs completed (A&P I/II, chemistry, micro, patho, stats, nutrition, ethics). If any of those classes are integrated into the program you will attend, and the program is longer than the traditional two years, there might be a chance the board turns you down in favor of a student who has already completed those classes and has been accepted into a two year program. My reasoning is simple - why send someone through a three-year program when they can get the same return in two years (and for less tuition). Plan to apply to both AECP AND NECP. You can double your chances for only a little more effort. NECP is actually an easier process. Also, I wouldn't worry about the CCAF too much, especially if earning it would delay you for another year. You won't need it if you're accepted, and if you're not you have many more years to earn it. Take only the classes you need to apply for AECP/NECP, and if you're not selected that's the time to go back to your CCAF. Your CCAF is useless unless you stay in your enlisted AFSC, unless you feel having an extra bullet in your resume is really worth delaying your future. While I'm on the subject, I would recommend against taking any extra classes. You mention taking biology before micro. I'm not sure if you mean A&P, but if you're talking about an unnecessary intro to biology that's not a prerequisite, don't bother. I took biology in high school 12 years ago, and really didn't remember anything. You don't really need it for A&P, as you can look up what you need to (which won't be much). And I had a 99.7% average in micro, so I'm speaking from experience... One thing to make sure of is that tuition will not exceed the $15k cap. Often schools advertise tuition based only on the traditional Fall and Spring semesters. Since you have to attend Summer classes, it's in your best interest to figure out what tuition is now so there are no surprises later. Finally, and I definitely don't want to be negative or discourage you at all, but A&P is hard. Really hard. 1/3 of my class received either a D or an F. It will consume your life for two semesters. I hadn't taken a class in 8 years, and I took A&P I my first semester back. I earned an A, so I know it's possible, but it really took over my life. I wanted to know if I had "what it takes" to be competitive, before I started planning out my future. It might be worth taking the class with this attitude, just so you don't have all the extra pressure. You seem to have everything planned out, which is a good thing, but just remember you're still at first base. Good luck!

You need a letter of acceptance into a nursing school to qualify for AECP. Every BSN program is going to require micro in the prereqs. The AECP guidelines are a bit vague as to what qualifies as a letter of admission, but I don't think you will get accepted into AECP for nursing unless it's for the upper-division nursing classes (typically the class code is NUR xxx). Most 4-year programs admit many students into the lower-division prerequisite classes, but you still have to compete to get into the upper-divison program. They might admit 300 students/semester into the lower-division program knowing they only have room for 80 students/semester in the upper-division program. I'm pretty sure the people sitting on the AECP boards know this and wouldn't accept anyone who only has an acceptance letter to take prereq courses. So, having the minimum 30 credits required by AECP isn't good enough. If you don't mind sharing, what classes have you taken, and what grades did you receive? What classes do you have left to take?

i would definitely say that not having the prereqs completed held you back. in fact, i emailed mr. b in may of last year asking about that very topic. i was projecting that i would still be completing prereqs specific to the school and wouldn't be finished until after the board met (i think philosophy and communication classes). my question was whether or not that would hold me back. the school ended up dropping those prereqs from the curriculum so i was able to finish everything before the board, but you might find his response interesting. any prerequisites (other than those listed in the necp guidelines) that [school name removed] requires you to complete prior to being accepted, are between you and the school. i only care about the nursing prerequisites listed in the guidelines and whether they are completed prior to the board. normally the board is held during the first week of may so any nursing prerequisites not completed prior to that time will require you to wait an submit an application the following year. given this response i'm surprised that the academic evaluation letter they sent you stated you met the criteria to apply. i'm still a little hung up on the discussion of quality applicants but hopeful that this year's board focused on current academic success (as opposed to grades i got pre-af that drag my cumuluative gpa down)...i know there's always next year, but it's silly to think that the only way to raise my cumulative gpa to a more competetive level is to take classes i don't need/don't apply to nursing. i could take basketweaving, gym, etc. and make my gpa look better, but how will that make me a better nurse!? i would hope the a's i got in the last 2 years in a&p i/ii, chem, micro, and patho spoke loudly to this year's board...

mg siniscalchi has already told congress the afnc expects to fill all 50 funded slots for necp this year. "quality applicants" is a very subjective term, and since they have already stated their goal I don't think they will disapprove qualified applicants. if the intel that was posted earlier in this thread is correct, just over 50 applications went to the board, so I would expect all 50 spots to be filled, with both selects and alternates. last year's board was very competitive, partly because they only had 40 spots, but I also think the timeframe it took people to complete prereqs from the initial announcement of necp in 2007 placed the best packages in last year's board. I appreciate you sharing your story with us, but I don't think it's very relevant to this year's board. for those of us still waiting, don't sweat it, they want to fill the funded spots, and if the intel is right then 95% of us are in...

Hi all, I've been following this thread from the beginning. I also applied this year and am anxiously awaiting the results. My cumulative gpa was a bit low (~3.0) but I feel my 4.0 science gpa makes up for it. Actually, all the grades that dragged me down were from 10 years ago, well before I joined the AF, and weren't even used as part of my nursing prereqs. I hope the board actually looks at the dates on the transcripts, as the past 2 years have been straight A's.I was just wondering how credible some of the numbers tossed around here is. Faye27's post cited a CN from 4/22 saying 41 applicants, but that was before the deadline. Another post referenced the average GPA was a 3.4, but that was supposedly from back in Jan/Feb? Transcripts weren't even in then. The 50-55 applicants posted more recently seems more like what I thought it would be, but if it's credible "inside info" why is it not an exact number? I talked to Mr. B a couple weeks before the deadline, and he told me there would be a max of 75 applications this year. He also said there were only 3 individuals who applied to both AECP and NECP. I think the 75 max came from either the "intent to apply" deadline or the transcript deadline. Either way, I was pretty certain there would be a handful of people who either wouldn't get an acceptance letter, wouldn't pass their PT test, etc. preventing them from submitting a complete package.Speaking of acceptance letters, how many people have a full acceptance letter? Mine is a full acceptance letter - it's a for-profit university who was willing to accept me early, so they can bend some rules that state universities otherwise can't. I'm just wondering how much weight that carries over a conditional letter. From my standpoint, a conditional letter that is based on the results of their summer selection board isn't really anything - just a confirmation from the school that the student finished their prereqs and is able to compete for a seat.I really want to call Mr. B and ask for these numbers, but part of me doesn't want to know. If the info posted has been wrong and there were 70+ apps that went to board, these next few weeks will be even more stressful...

i'm in phoenix too, and i've been to asu's nursing information session. no, you cannot make an appointment with one of asu's nursing advisors until you've been to an information session. it's about an hour long and will answer just about every question you have. it's a lot more efficient for one advisor to spend an hour with 20 people, than to spend 20 hours individually answering the same questions. before you start your prerequisites, i highly recommend attending an information session. the advisor mentioned that the nursing program is changing, and students who took prerequisites at asu might be given higher priority over mcccd transfers. however, nothing has been changed (yet). for now though, as far as the prerequisites go, http://nursing.asu.edu/students/forms/mcc_prereq_equival.pdf is pretty straight forward. i'd caution you against taking too many classes each semester, as you'll need a's to get in. the class starting this coming fall had an average gpa of 3.94 (out of the 12 prereqs that are counted, and they'll explain that at the info session too). good luck taking a&p i and ii in the same semester, i think you're crazy. i took these classes over the normal two semesters and got a's, but there was a lot of studying involved. i would strongly advise against the compressed format - you need a's in your sciences, don't make it harder to save a minimal amount of time. a few bad grades and asu won't be an option. also, do your english and psych teachers know how many classes you're taking, or did you just ask them to add you to their class? i watched someone try to register for 12 credits during summer i, and they pretty much laughed at him. you'd probably need permission from the dean for that, and without any prior classes they probably wouldn't agree to it. also realize you can't retake asu's prerequisites for a better grade, you can only replace them with higher classes (such as precalc for mat 142). just a bit of advice...i'm pretty sure the pre/corequistes for the mcccd adn program are required for asu's bsn program. you may want to take those first and get your name on the adn waitlist as a backup plan in case asu doesn't work out. i've come to the conclusion that the nursing program at asu is one of the most competitive state schools in the country. one other thing - look into grand canyon university. you can take all but one of the prerequisites through the mcccd schools, and there isn't a waitlist. it's a bit pricier (i think between $15-20k/year) but it would only be 2 years at that cost. good luck.

Hey all, looking for some quick advice from those who have been there/done that. I've taken A&P I and II over the past two semesters (and got A's in both) and I'm considering taking patho in a 1.5 month summer class (8 hours/week, on campus). I haven't taken chem or micro yet. Will this put me at a disadvantage? I only ask because most students I know take chem and micro before patho. The prereq is either A&P II or micro. If I'll be at a disadvantage, please elaborate! A's are super important, so I don't want to mess around and take classes out of sequence. In case anyone's wondering, I'm only considering taking it now because this class would fit perfectly into my schedule, and most patho classes around here seem to be online only (community college, and I really hate e-classes)...Please advise!

I took this class last semester so I can't comment on how difficult it might be in the compressed format. However, I hadn't taken a college class in 8 years, and I've never taken a college-level science class. I took HS biology in 10th grade, which was about 12 years ago. I still managed an A in this class though. Your course will start with a brief review of cellular biology (and "stuff" like diffusion), and the first two or three chapters of your A&P textbook will have the info you need. The rest of the class will be new and really doesn't build upon anything you might learn in 156 that isn't covered in the beginning of this class. I would say to wait until the fall and take the traditional 4-month course because it's a LOT of info. If you're trying for an A, that class will take over your life for a month. As far as I know, the AAS nursing program doesn't have any penalties for withdrawals, and you can apply with a C, and you did say this is your last prerequisite...so why would you waste your time taking 156 if it's not required? Give it a shot, and if it's too much at once retake it in the fall. Good luck.

The year-round program not existing in the future is an interesting opinion. Until I see something official from ASU I'll stick with the MCCCD pathway and operate under the assumption it will be an option...anyone care to weigh in on this?

Greetings! I've been searching for this info for the past few days, but I'm a bit discouraged at what I've found. I'd love it if someone could confirm my findings and offer a bit of insight... I'm active-duty Air Force pursuing a great USAF nursing program...Basically, once I get my pre-req's done and accepted into a BSN program the USAF will pay tuition ($15k cap annually, not able to add personal funds to this), they'll pay my full salary/benefits, and my "job" will be to go to school...a really good deal! However, for a nursing program to qualify it needs to be a year-round program, to include summer sessions. Graduating with a BSN and passing the NCLEX must be done within 24 months. This part is mandatory. It seems like ASU is the only university in AZ with a year-round BSN program I've described. I didn't see anything on NAU or UA's websites. Am I wrong, or are there other universities here that have such a program? Also, could someone give me a true idea of the competetiveness of getting into ASU's year-round program? I understand recent state budget cuts have driven GPAs up above 3.8, but I won't be applying for at least 1.5 years. Hopefully enrollment will drop back to traditional levels and provide a bit more breathing room. I've got A's in the 3 classes I'm taking now (A&P I being the only one worth mentioning) and anticipate keeping this going in future semesters. I do have B's in ENG 101/102 that transferred from a previous school, should I perhaps plan on retaking these? An ASN is not an option for me, this program is limited to BSN-granting programs as commissions are only awarded for a BSN. I do believe I have what it takes to succeed academically, as I'm willing to sacrifice any semblance of a social life for the next couple years to work nights and go to school during the day. However, I'm a realist, and if ASU's year-round program is so competetive that a few B's might disqualify me a couple years from now then I need to abandon ASU's MCCCD critical tracking requirements and explore pre-req's for year-round programs at schools in states close to other AF bases. So, is ASU's year-round program the most sought-after program, typically accepting those with perfect 4.0's and >95% NET scores, or are these individuals going into the traditional program? Is it the other way around? Or is it an equal mix? I'm mostly focused on ASU's program (as opposed to one in another state) for a number of reasons, but let's just say the condo I bought last year now seems more like an anchor than my slice of the American dream... Any and all info/advice/insight is appreciated!!