OpheliasWings

Hi, Thanks for your replies. Sorry for the long delay in replying. I've been extremely busy this semester. I appreciate your input into nursing. I have been taking some non nursing courses this Fall semester at Sam Houston. I've been seriously thinking about medical school. However, I am also still leaning back towards the idea of just going ahead and applying to the nursing program at Sam. The economy is horrifying right now and my husband just got laid off from a great job due to a slow down in the market, so I'm not totally sure I can bring myself to follow the path of medical school. Not when I can go into a masters or doctorate level nursing program in a few years and still make awesome money. I know that SHSU has changed up their nursing website a little bit to include an extended deadline for Spring, and then one for next Fall that is due by the first week or so of January. I had planned on applying for the Spring semester, but I didn't get my ducks in a row quick enough and missed being able to take the last couple courses that I needed for SHSU's program. I went to LoneStar as well and unfortunately SHSU doesn't want to take the lower division developmental psych and I'm missing Stats. But I have everything else. So I could still apply for the Fall deadline if I take those courses during the Spring semester. I think their websites lists the minimum for the TEAS at a 64. I heard it's a pretty tough exam, but I haven't taken it yet, so I don't know what an average score should be. Their website says their giving preferential treatment to second degree students and those that have completed a min. of 36 hours of pre reqs at SHSU. But I don't think it will be that hard to get in. I took A&P II at LoneStar last Fall I think it was and one of the girls in my class had applied twice and got in both times, but got disqualified because she didn't complete a course in time for the program start, so she was going back a third time to reapply. I would prefer UT or TWU, but SHSU is much closer to where we live and much more convenient. Best of luck to you both! Take Care, Sonseria

Hi Everyone, I wanted to post and see if anyone out there was planning to apply to Sam Houston's BSN program this Fall? Or if any of you are already students there. It's a very new program, so I'm just curious about the quality of the program. Unfortunately it's the closest program to where we live by a long shot. So rather than having to drive 2+ hours each way to the medical center I've decided it's probably the best shot. I would prefer to apply to UT or TWU, but I may not have the choice. I've debated seriously over the last year about whether nursing is the best career choice with the economy being in a stand still and so many new nurses out there not being able to find work. What I really want to do is to go on to a Pediatric Nurse practitioner program. I had seriously put some thought into going to medical school, but I just don't know if I can bring myself to pay well over $200,000 for the education and spend the next 10 years in school. Do any of you regret your decision to go to nursing school? Do you feel that there are better career paths out there right now? Or do you think the economy will eventually right itself and the job situation will get better? I would appreciate your input! Take Care, Sonseria

Thanks so much for the post. This semester has been really difficult. I've been taking 14 hours with two science classes, on top of college algebra, and retaking an ethics course. So that's on top of being home full time with a 3 year old and just trying to juggle life. I was really not expecting the chem to be as difficult as it has. I think it's really the math that's gotten me stuck. I've spent tons of time studying and do great on the labs and class work, but I guess I'm just clamming up on the tests and just haven't done well on the exam scores. I've got finals next week so I'm hoping that I can manage to still pull a B. But if not I think I may have to retake it even though I really don't want to. I appreciate the input! Take Care, Sonseria

Hi Everyone, I just wanted to post here to see if anyone has any advice on the chemistry requirement for the bachelors programs. I am finishing out A&P II (honors) and Intro to Chem this semester and plan to take Micro and Statistics in the Spring, so my ultimate plan is to start applying next year. However, I've hit a bit of a bump in the road. It looks like I'll most likely be getting an A in the A&P II, however the Chem has kicked my tail this semester and I thought I was going to pull a B, but I messed up on my last chapter exam and I don't think I'll be able to pull it out for a B. So I wanted to find out if I should even consider applying in the Spring with a C in the chem course or if in your experience I should just go ahead and retake it. I'm just worried that even if I make an A in the Micro in the Spring, which would give me 3 A's and 1 C for the science portion of the GPA, but I just don't know if that is competative enough. Have any of you gotten into any of the programs here in Houston with a C in any of your science pre reqs? So far I have all A's and 1 B for the pre reqs, other than the Chem of course. I plan to retake my History 2 to bring it up to an A from the B, so if I buckle down and get the A in micro and the A in stats, that will just leave the C in Chem. I just want to make sure that my GPA is as high as I can get it. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks so much! Sonseria

Hi Erin, Thanks so much for the great reply. It's nice to hear of someone thats in Sam Houston's program. I had gone in before they started the program and spoken with them about the pre reqs because they're so much closer to where we live. It's just hard to know if a program will be worth your time when they're so new. I had just spoken with a girl that is in my A&P II corse that said she's been accepted in to their program twice, but due to a failure on her part to pass her Anatomy course with a C or better she couldn't start the program. So that gives me some hope with my high grades that I won't have trouble getting in. We only live about 30-45 mins away from Sam Houston so it's actually a little closer than my drive into Kingwood to go to Lonestar. So the drive would be much better than trying to go to the medical center. My only erk is having to retake the developmental psych at Sam even though I've already taken it at Lone Star and passed it with an A. So I'll have to take it at Sam next summer after I finish my last two pre reqs in the Spring. In regards to the associates program that was my initial plan when I started, but I decided I wanted to get a masters degree so it would be easier to go straight to the bachelors degree. But I have looked at UT Arlingtons bridge program in the case that I may have to apply to the associates program as well. But you are right that an rn is an rn just depends on if you want to move u the ladder later on. But I think most people will go wherever they can get in.

Hi Erin, Thanks so much for your reply back about the program. I can understand about the Chemistry. I am currently taking Intro to Chem this semester on top of college algebra, honors A&P II, and an ethics course. It consumes all of my study time. I find it very hard to find any time to study for anything but Chemistry and even then I've currently only got a C average so it's very frustrating. I'm hoping to bring it up to a B by the end of the semester. I have been putting a lot of thought into where to apply now that I am only a semester away from finishing my pre reqs. I really wanted to be able to apply to UT Houston and TWU and Texas A & M, but the more I do the calculations it just seems ridiculous to pay soo much and have to travel that far to get to a school. And I agree that 4 hours a day of just driving does take away from your study time as well as from your family. At this rate the only options I have are Sam Houston State University, which is about 30-45 mins away, or the associates program at Lone Star where I am currently attending. I really don't want to have to take the associates option since I've spent so much time working towards the bachelors pre reqs, but I feel like I'm sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place. After calculating that it would cost several thousands of dollars just to park in the medical center for the length of the program I pretty much gave up on the idea of going to school downtown. But I figure if I can get through the bachelors program and get on somewhere I can go to one of the bigger universities for my masters degree once we have the ability to move closer to one of the other schools. Best of luck with your program! Take Care, Sonseria

If you don't mind me asking a few questions for those of you that applied to A&M, are you all accelerated students? Also did you have volunteer experience or prior healthcare experience? I have been very interested in applying to A&M. I am currently finishing out my A&P II (Honors) this semester, and I'm also taking Intro to Chem. So that would leave me needing to take Micro, Stats and Chem 1 in the Spring in order to apply. I'm just curious to find out what they are looking for in applicants. I live about 2 hours away from College Station, but it's been one of my top choices. I would really like to apply to either UT or TWU but I don't want to battle the drive and outrageous cost to park down in the medical center. I currently have a 3.7+ overall GPA, but that doesn't include the courses that I am taking this semester or in the Spring. How did you do in your chem courses? My intro to chem course this semester is eating me alive! All I do is study for Chem. Thanks in advance! Take Care, Sonseria

Hi Penny, thanks so much for your reply back in July. So sorry for the long delay, I've been incredibly busy with school this semester. I'm taking 14 hours this semester trying to finish out some of my pre reqs to start applying next year. If I can manage to get through my Chemistry course I'm just going to have to apply everywhere I can to try to get in. I'm interested in applying to A & M, UT Houston, and TWU. Sam Houston also has a bachelors program which is the closest but they won't be fully accredited till next year. I would prefer the much shorter drive, I'm just concerned with the current limited accreditation. I'm really preferring to get into the bachelors program that way I have a better shot at getting into an internship program. I'm praying I'll be able to get directly into pediatrics from the get go. So my Plan is to start voluteering at the children's hospital then take your advice and try to get a pediatric externship while I am in nursing school. That's great to hear that some of you have been able to transition into pediatrics. i It's my dream job so I hope I'm as lucky as some of you. Best of luck with the interview! Take care, Sonseria

Thanks so much for the reply. I am still very interested in the internship program. I am finishing up my last two semesters and plan to start applying to UT-Houston and Texas A & M in the Spring. We used to live in Weatherford outside of Ft. Worth and have considered moving back to the area. But with the economy being the way it is I'm just going to have to try to get into a program here in the Houston area then try to get into the internship program once I graduate. There are so many great pediatric hospitals here in Texas it's hard to choose where to go, however we definitely like the Ft. Worth/Dallas area much more than the Houston area. But at this rate I'll just be happy to get into a pediatric program once I graduate. Thanks again for your reply. Take Care, Sonseria

Hi Penny, Thank you very much for your reply. I got an auto response today saying you had replied to this post. Actually I never recieved much information from anyone other than doing research on my own. Over 2 years later I'm still trudging away, though I'm almost done with my pre reqs. Since then my family and I have moved towards the Lake Livingston area north of Houston, so it's really put a damper on trying to choose a university to attend. I currently have an hour drive each way just to get to Lone Star, so I've been a bit turned off about trying to apply to the schools downtown. I have looked into several of the nursing internships offered at the pediatric hospitals here in Texas and I've also seen that MD Anderson offers a nursing summer externship program for students nurses which would be really nice especially since I'm interested in pediatrics. What area of nursing do you work in? Thanks again for your post! Take Care, Sonseria

Hi there, Thanks for sharing the extra information. I'm retaking a couple courses this summer myself trying to boost my GPA a little. I had a couple classes that didn't go so well when I first started taking online courses. We had internet issues and the whole nine yards so that semester was a bust. I was hoping to apply early next year, but I'm down to 3 more science classes, college algebra, and my stats after what I finish out this summer. I'm just debating on whether I should double up two science courses together or spread them out one per semester in order to get better grades. Only downfall to that is that it will push me back another year with the way the application dates are balanced. So it's a little up in the air right now. Best of luck with your classes! Hopefully they'll help your GPA. Take Care, Sonseria

Well that's a bummer. She had made it out like they go over everything in huge detail, the pre reqs, requirements, etc. Good for you! When do you plan on applying? Take Care, Sonseria

Hi Mochachild, Thanks so much for the great information. I'm surprised that they didn't have more of a turnout, but I'm wondering if either people don't know about the program or if the high cost and and requirements steer people away. It sounds as though they have pretty high standards for their applicants. I know when I had spoken to the dean's assistant she said that your application is only based upon your GPA and HESI scores. I wonder why their program is so much longer? I know with UT theirs is around 18 months I believe because they attend during the summer as well. I'm not sure why this program would be longer if they include the summers. As far as the financial aid I was able to find on their website that if you transfer in with a high GPA they have a $10,000 scholarship and if you are a member of Phi Theta Kappa I think it's like a $3,500 or $5,000 scholarship, can't remember right off hand. But even with that assistance it is very expensive. Even though they take less applicants it also looks as though they have less people applying, so I think that would actually work in your favor. As with UT Houston they have 1000+ applicants every application period, so even though they can afford to take more students, you also have way more competition. Well that's encouraging information. I was going to try to take Micro this summer, but I got in the class on the first night and realized that with the other courses that I'm taking this semester that there wouldn't be any way I could keep up with everything and come out with an awesome grade. So I'm having to push it back to the fall possibly. I'm trying to weigh out my science courses over the next few semesters, which I know is going to take me longer, but I'm down to so few courses I really want to make sure that my science GPA is pretty high. Did they say much about the pre requisites? I know she had said that they go over all of that at the information session. Thanks again for the information! Take Care, Sonseria

Hi Mochachild, No I wasn't able to attend. I've started my summer classes and our schedule is a little hectic right now. Were you able to go? If so did you get any valuable information? Take Care, Sonseria

Hi Mocha, Wow, yes you definitely seem to have a bit of a longer list than I do! I am a bit limited on where I can apply due a lot to distance. We live in the Lake Livingston area about an hour and a half north of Houston. So if I do get accepted to one of the programs downtown it will easily be a 2 hour trip each way. But, the way I look at it the short term sacrafice is going to be worth the long term gain. I had considered UT Arlington, but since moving really isn't an option for us right now I'm having to resort to the universities here in the area. Good for you! I know it must be a difficult choice, but if it truly is your calling then God will make it happen. Faith the size of mustard seed is enough to move mountains. You just have to believe. Amen to that! My hope and prayers are with you. Just keep the faith and I know you'll be successful. Thanks for the supportive post! Take Care, Sonseria