8packmurse

I say that because a classmate of mine was accepted (failed out 2nd term) and did not have the 3.0gpa minimum. The qualifications mostly depend on the pool of applicants they get for the term. If they aren't filling the census as far as class size they can and have dipped below their "minimum standards".

If you meet their minimum expectation of a 3.0 gpa you should get in.

If you have above a 3.0 you'll get into UMDNJ....

Last May I graduated from my Bachelors degree while concurrently taking classes at UMDNJ. Just make sure you send them the planned graduation date and send in your diploma when you get it.

In my opinion, stick with what you have and be grateful. The economy is too fragile and there are not enough jobs to be taking that kind of risk. Not only will you be forking out 35-40k for school, there is a good chance you will be unemployed for a substantial time once you get your license. I'm a current student at UMDNJ's acc. BSN and for the record it really takes everything out of you. Half of my class has failed out and most of us barely make it by day to day. If you have a family life and enjoy where your at right now, don't sign up for this torture unless you have no other choice.

I was still taking final exams for my BS degree when I started the program last May. Apply now and send a copy of your degree in later.

I'm sure you do, there are plenty of students in my class with B.As that are also doing well. I did not say they can't do well, I was simply implying that students with these degrees may have more difficulty in the program. And if you would like specific statistics please refer to your CAS department (Center for Academic Success), since that is where I was given this information. I would drop names, however that's not allowed here on the forums.

Yes students with B.A's or any other degree can and certainly do well in the program. With this said however, if you look up attrition statistics from your cohort you will find that the majority of students that fail or have to retake classes do not come from a degree deeply immersed in science. And in the OP's case or any other pre-med science degree, the organic chemistry/upper level biology classes do help....

UMDNJ ABSN student here and recent grad from Rowan University with BS in Bio. Not sure about the other schools but I know my school has a gpa requirement of 3.0 for the program. If you have above that you should get in, but there are no exceptions for gpa's lower than 3.0. It is good that you come from a Bio background. The attrition rate here is 30-40% and the communication studies/art degree people don't have much of a shot.

I haven't seen Drexel's or Jeff's labs, but I've heard really good things. I believe Drexel has a brand new SIM lab and that they hire actors to work on your skills etc. I'm sure our lab is far inferior. We only really used the lab for the first 6 week of semester 1 and then were thrown into clinicals. They teach you the basics, the rest you pretty much learn on site during clinical. The professors all want you to deal well and pass since its a pretty close knit group. You definately can get individual attention and extra help if you need it. There are study groups, exam blue prints, etc to help us. A fall cohort is offered at Newark, if you are within commute range. Your best bet would be to get in contact with some Drexel students who graduated from their program. After reading the horror stories about ACE and the 30% attrition rate, I opted to keep my sanity.

Level II UMDNJ student here....I was interested and accepted into all of those schools as well. The first reason why I chose UMDNJ over the others was the cost of tuition compared to the other schools. It is a bargain compared to the other schools, probably the best deal in state and you don't have to deal with the hassle of city life (I'm at Stratford). Secondly, the class size at UMDNJ is significantly smaller, which does allow for a better learning experience. My cohort started with 30, but were at about 25 now due to drop outs/failure. Thirdly, the length of the program (15mos) does allow me to have a life outside of school. I can still go out on the weekends, hit the gym and work 15 hours a week, all of which are important to me. As far as cons, the program is stressful and extremely exhausting at times. Expect an exam every week of the semester calendar in addition to several group projects and individual assignments. The constant studying and volume of everything definately wears you down and when you think the bottom is going to drop out, things do get better. If you have any other questions feel free to ask, I may need some probing to get into the other cons.

We have the same syllabi, curriculum and projects on both campuses. The only thing that is different are the professors and NCLEX rates (Stratford's is significantly higher). As far as textbooks I suppose it is all up to preference, but I assure you many of my classmates and myself do very well without reading the text. In my opinion its a waste of time to read 10 chapters of information for a test, when the notes which are a 1/3 of the size break down all the important information you need to know. You will however, need the work books for the textbook since those are turned in every once in awhile.

For level I, the only book I read was Patho all the rest remained in the shrink wrap and were sold back new. Almost all of the information that shows up on the tests are from the slides. If you have difficulty understanding the theory and need extra clarity, then I would use the textbook. Otherwise, you're wasting your time learning 10 chapters of very detailed material, when the information on the slides that is broken down for you, is what they want you to know. If you insist on getting the books, go with the older editions for about 1/10th of the price of newest edition. It'll be the same exact material with the exception of a few pictures.

shoot me a personal message through here and I'll answer your questions.

Level III Stratford student here. Any questions or concerns PM me, I'd love to help ya out.

To those attending UMDNJ in the spring: enjoy your last month of freedom, the program is hell. Our motto here as students to future students, "you must hate yourself"

The problem with "just getting by" in an ABSN program is that you narrow your opportunity for a future career in advanced practice. Regardless if you do the traditional 4yr route or 1 yr ABSN, most CRNA or NP schools require a competitive gpa with a minimum of 3.5. The board reviewing applications isn't going to compromise gpa requirements just because you went through a 1yr program. If you don't meet the criteria tough luck. This is an entirely different issue itself. I just feel the need to emphasize that continued education is critical to expand the scope of nurses and a low nsg school gpa may impede your ability to pursue AP.

@Balista...Which cohort are you in and at what campus? FYI, NYU's teaching hospital likes to hire UMDNJ grads, which is a statement of the difficulty of the program compared to their own.

UMDNJ will not accept anything less than 3.0 as a cumulative gpa. They do this for good reason. If you cannot manage a 3.0 in your first degree, you're likely to fail out. I say this as a UMDNJ ABSN student and we've lost a lot of students already and started with a small select class. The program is beyond exhausting mentally and physically, make sure this is really what you want to do before you take the plunge....

I'm a level one student at Stratford I started this May. Not sure about the class time at Newark, but we start everyday at 8:30am. Our schedule is pretty much Tuesday, Weds, 8:30-5:00, and for me clinical Thursday 6:45am-12p. Its the luck of the draw as far as clinical instructors go. All of our instructors are pretty good and they all have different teaching styles. Some instructors may be difficult or a pain in the butt, get used to it or learn to adapt to it. Its expected that you will have to deal with BS from attendings, interns, residents and all other staff occasionally through out your career. The program is definately very difficult and a bit overwhelming, so make sure you have only school on your plate at the moment. Expect as far as level 1 is concerned, an exam every week, multiple group projects in all your classes, a few papers and presentations, and a lot of studying. As far as Seton Hall, don't really know anything about it. Most accelerated programs are the same as far as difficultly goes, the shorter the program (Drexel 9 months) the more difficult it is, as opposed to UMDNJ which is 15mos. If Seton Hall is 2yrs however, it may be a bit easier.

I'm currently in the Summer cohort at UMDNJ Stratford. Just graduated from Rowan University this spring with a BS in Biological Sciences, 3.15 gpa. The program is very intense, however I've enjoyed the experience thus far.

TEAS went well, it wasn't bad at all. Our orientation for Stratford is this Tuesday and Wednesday, I'll let you know how it goes.

Shnerpi---Make sure you call Stratford as well and confirm your test date, that is where you will be taking the exam.

A friend of mine is in the last quarter, he said he barely used any of the books from the 1st quarter and that it was a big waste of money. After that quarter he just bought the books that he absolutely needed. Regarding all the talk about the TEAS, don't stress out over it, its a basic skills assessment. I don't know the repercussions of doing poorly, but I can assure you its not designed in anyway that one should fail. After all, we all are second degree students.

I've been recently accepted and will be attending the UMDNJ summer term '10 so I may be of some help.The personal statement is a way to sell yourself in the application process, it can make or break your chance of getting in. Theme I: Why do you want to become a nurse Theme II: Why I am an exceptional person Theme III: Why I am a qualified person to become a nurse The admissions staff also wants to know that you can write at a competent college level, so proofread by all means.