VanHalenFan

It is variable. I say that because there were some who had stellar grades, pre-reqs and undergrad cumulative, who did not get in. By stellar I mean 3.8 and above average baccaleureate, 4.0 pre-reqs. They will look at your experience in healthcare, the personal statement is VERY important, and your reccomenders. At orientation one professor said our group demonstrated a level of maturity, even if not all of us are old per se, but I think it's key to relate your life experiences, especially professional ones, to really making an impact in a spectiality area of care. Think of tangible skills that you can offer and articulate them well in your statement, and if possible have your reccomenders endorse those skills and validate them. Do not concentrate on bs stories and try to pull heart strings, remove the emotion and have an air of professionalism and seriousness. Of course it is best to have awesome grades, but that is automatically assumed and is a mandatory BASELINE to compete. But bear in mind someone who can offer some awesome, proven skills to the field, with a stellar statement and a real understanding of advanced practice, who has two B's, maybe one C in a fluffy non-science pre-req -- will get in over the straight A bookworm with a generic application, and fluffy healthcare experience. That is why I say it is variable. I had excellent grades, but a C in psych, but i more than compensated for that because I have a professional background and directly tied that experience from the corporate world to what i know i can offer the nursing field. Granted, the C was probably marginal considering rest of my transcripts. But i could not have competed without reccomendations from nurses (cleaned a hell of a lot of gurneys for that one), an effective personal statement and a cirricululum vitae that shows i have done something with my life. I am not an expert, i am sure you will find all types of scenarios, people and backgrounds, from recent graduates who spent and an inordinate amount of time volunteering at hospitals or getting involved in philanthropy, and others umemployed the last 10 years -- so all this is a moot point. Just put your best foot forward. There is no point system, and grades are simply a benchmark for them to say "ok lets look at this person a little closer." Once they look closer, better distinguish yourself with rest of your app. I wish everyone well. I am sorry if I can't answer all your questions, as my schedule is too work-ladden for me to follow this blog, and before I know it spring semester will be here. But I hope my baseline reccomendations and insights will help someone. Take care, folks.

Booger, it is fine if your results are submitted post the application deadline. Last year the writing requirement was not used as criteria for admission, and less things have changed i dont think the committee will be conisdering that at all. There are some in the program now who still have yet to fulfill this requirement, and as long as it gets done at some point before the graduate portion (but post licensure), it is fine. Sfsu only considers the analytical writing portion of the test. It will be on your permanent academic record if you bomb the rest, so if you plan to go on to np school, maybe something to think about. I checked and you must take the entire gre, you cant just take the analytical writing only, because gre administrators dont do it that way. Its all or nothing, but for the sake of this program the answer is yes, you could very well flunk the entire test but get that one score for the analytical writing and be fine like cherry wine.

Has anyone heard anymore good news? I am hoping, and more than that I am nervous, for all those who are still waiting. I hope we hear a string of good news from you guys. It would be more diamonds down this, so far, dusty road. Then Eddie Van Halen is getting married again, so I REALLY need some good news. If there is any out there, please do share.

I only know of 4 who got pulled from the Acute Care waiting list. Not each of them accepted, or if they did, they will recind it in favor of another school. Me, I took my spot. So besides me and Sugar, there have been 2 others called, for a tally of 4. I think one of those subsequent 2 wants to accept badly, but there is someone out there who was among numbers 1-4 who hasn't declared any intent, to this blog -- not the school. However, I bet things will change & I wish everyone the best. We have all heard stories of getting that phone call the night before orientation. Very few people only apply to one school, and demand this program as thier only option. I am the anonmaly there, not due to pride but circumstances. So just hang tight and ride it out until July. More will be called.

who on here in on the nursing adminstrative waitlist? Don't we have one person here would was #1 on that list -- if so, can that person please tell us if she'd been called yet? It makes NO SENSE that they woudn't have drawn any waitister from that major. Tha means everyone accepted would have enrolloed, and that is doubtful. Can anyone shed any light on this list? Is it true no one has bee pulled from the waitlist for nursing admininstration??

I am hoping, wishing and sending good VIBAGE to everyone who is still waiting. Sent a letter on a long summer day Made of silver, not of clay Ooh, I've been runnin' down this dusty road I've been trying to make it home Got to make it before too long Ooh, I can't take this very much longer, no I'm stranded in the sleet and rain Don't think I'm ever gonna make it home again The mornin' sun is risin' It's kissing the day THE WHEEL IN THE SKY KEEPS ON TURNING

You could always take the GET as a practice test. After some thought, I am just going to take the GRE since I know they will accept that. It makes sense, since they no longer post the GET as being an option on thier website. Really, a handwritten test is an unfair determinant of someone's writing skills. One's hand gets tired, and in a real situation, we will be writing research papers on a computer, and a word processor program enables one to play w/ syntax, and make stylistic changes. For that reason alone, I can understand why they have changed over. I know it is daunting to have to take the GRE, but I trust they will just look at the one portion. I am sort of excited at the challenge. Anyway, no worries on the back and forth. I know they have a lot of students at State, so I am grateful they even responded to my inquiry, and *I* will go with what they told *me*, to err on the safe side and not waste and any time or money. Jess, maybe your class is the last to have options. It's possible! Thank you for all the information, I appreciate it. And I too wish everyone the best.

Gosh, I don't know what to think. I called the department, and they said they are no longer accepting the GET and that the email I recieved was correct. How confusing. Maybe I will just take both, because I don't know anymore. Perhaps you are right, the GET is ok for fall folks? Anyway, if anyone wants to get in touch with department, and see what you're told, that would be cool. Jess, thank you.

update: we must take the gre last week, i emailed the son and i asked why the get is no longer posted as an option on the website. i had not heard anything until, literally, three minutes ago. i will go ahead and post the response from the school of nursing for everyone, just to clarify: edit draft re: graduate writing requirement inquiry [color=#336699]nursing admininistration to you - 11 min ago[color=#336699]more details from: nursing admininistration [color=#336699]hide add to: [color=#336699]to do, [color=#336699]calendar to: vanhalenfan (moi) date: wed, jun 2, 2010 10:08 am hello, unfortunately, the get is no longer an option. the written portion of the gre is what we have switched over to. thank you for your interest in our school and have a wonderful day. -candace school of nursing san francisco state university 1600 holloway avenue, burke hall 371 san francisco, ca 94132 tel: 415-338-1802 fax: 415-338-0555

Yeah, every major in the GMSN program has to take the GRE (analytical writing). (I am editing this now, just found out we CAN'T TAKE THE GET - GET IS OUTDATED). It's just one exam, but it is still a nerve wracking thing. To prepare, even though supposedly you can't prepare (whatever), I reccomend reading the Schribner Handbook for Writers, specifically on grammar and components of a good essay. Reading the entire book, or at least a few sections, is an excellent way to study for the GRE. (I promise!!) Another tactic I have is to memorize 5 "far out" vocabulary words, and really know the definetions, and be able to use them, and then get crafty and find a way to interject at least three of them into the essay. By "far out" vocabulary I mean words like "alacrity," "impecunious," "invective" etc etc. After you beat a few words like that into your head and force yourself to use them in sentences, you will find that a natural way to use them will be presented to you during the exam - no matter the topic. I used this tactic once before in high school and I have to say, it really does work. Interjecting words like that can perhaps make up for a wrongly placed comma, you never know. Take pre-emptive strikes! Also, on the bright side: for the GRE we can actually TYPE our essays, the other one was hand-written which stinks. At least we can TYPE AWAY! :-))) I hope the suggestions are helpful. I wish everyone the best.

I didn't hear anything so I contacted the department just to verify they got my response form, and they confirmed they did, and they said it will take until August for most of the Spring admits to get a status change from "dept rev" to "admitted." They are working on stuff for the fall folks first. Other than a response to my follow up, I would have heard didley. Jess, thanks for that information on the GET - I am registered for it hnow. My bad on thinking there were be no price, DANG, sounds like everything has a price these days. Maybe one day I will get over the fact that it's not 1988 anymore? I think I better stop watching VH1 classic.

I don't think it costs anything to take the GET, I could be wrong, but usually schools don't make you pay for taking thier own placement/assessment tests. Those are apart of the fees incurred when tuition is considered.

CelieSF, I am a paranoid freak so I won't divulge my # on the waiting list, since that could compromise my annonymity. Suffice to say, it was pretty high. LN, they only look at the analytical writing portion of the GRE, they won't consider the verbal or math sections. If you want more good information about the analytical writing component of the GRE, go to http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/GRE/pdf/awintro.pdf . I was going to call the department today, because in previous years they gave you a choice between the analytical writing (GRE) or SFSU's own GET exam (Graduate Essay Test). I called the testing center at SFSU, and they said that yes, they still administer the GET exam. I am not sure why the Nursing Department no longer offers a choice (or perhaps they do, but it's not posted?), but I bet they just might accept either. Since the GET was good enough for last's year cohort, and was an option on the website up until about 3 months ago. The GET is better, you don't want to sweat or waste mind power on sections that don't count, or ruin any standardized testing record. For me, if I took the GRE I would study for the whole darn thing. Anyway, I would really prefer to take the GET, although it's a handwritten exam which is the one bummer. I am not sure if the GRE is automated, but it would be nice to able to type things out. You can find out more about the GET at http://www.sfsu.edu/~testing/get.html#info For me, I prefer take the GET. I didn't get the email you got today - probably send them in batches by major, but I was thinking about this today, and would like to lobby to just take the GET! Why is it no longer on the website anymore? Back to your question, don't worry about the other sections of the GRE. But whatever you do score, I think would be on a permanent record since it's all or nothing with that exam.

Since posting earlier, I recieved a correction email from the department that they are indeed splitting Acute Care up, and some will start in the fall, & some in the spring - however the correction is that I am still slated for spring. Okay, whenever, I have waited a long time, so a leisurley 6 months sounds just peachy to me. I think I am going to take Spanish and use the time to attempt to become practically bilingual, and memorize conversational Spanish that one would use in the hospital. Sounds perfect!

Wow, Sunshine! Electing no emphasis was risky! The FNP program is not automatically added, it's not an MSN FNP adjunct program. You will still have to apply to the FNP certification after you have 500 hours of clinical and/or work experience as an MSN, either the 500 hours or a year of consecutive work. You will still need to go through one more application process and wait it out. You will need to submit grades from grad school, and provide three letters of reccomendation, a statement, etc. Nursing administration is very executive, and there isn't much contact with patients - it is the business end, "behind the scenes." Nonetheless, it will not stop you from getting your FNP if that is what you want. It could be an advantage, say you want to join a practice with a few physicians, like a cardiology practice, and you are the sole NP. Your business and administrative experience, on top of your bedside skills (keep those constant somehow, like a job once a week in primary care), will make you a very attractive prospective partner to physicians who are looking for an NP to buy into a practice. Could be very "cush." Then it is common knowledge that you pull a higher salary than your clinical peers. Sky is the limit, Sun. I have wonderful news, I got into the program today. They said they are splitting up the acute care CNS and some students start in the fall (which I didn't know) and others start in the spring. My letter says I will start in the fall (which changed from what I had been originally told). The deepest wishes of my heart have been answered, and I am grateful beyond words. SUGAR YOU ARE NEXT, BABY. Didn't I tell you the score?! ;-) Then for those of you who have yet to apply, anything is possible. Get the best grades you possibly can now (forget about the past), and get a good volunteer position - like in the ER or ICU and have patient interaction. And make a name for yourself among the nurses by how seriously you assist them. Don't just come in for an hour or two twiddling your thumbs and stare at the walls. Starting thinking methodically! It is with great honor that I accept this gift of nursing school, at such a well reputed nursing school. Truly, this was against all odds, and I thank God for His gifts which have been so incredibly forthcoming in my life. My affection to all, especially Sugar, VanHalenFan