krissy3

Congratulations to everyone accepted into the evening program!! My advice to you: buy your books early and read ahead!! There is a lot of reading in Level 1 so get a head-start if you can :) Good luck to all of you!

hi mxdp95 , i am taking evening classes so i can answer some of your questions. the evening program takes the same amount of time as the daytime program: four semesters, two years. i'm not sure if it's actually "easier" since you're taking the exact same classes either way and the requirements are identical, but if you're getting all of your prereqs out of the way before beginning the program, it will obviously take a lot off your shoulders and allow you to focus on the nursing classes only. i can't imagine taking classes like microbiology while taking nursing classes! i did hear it's a little less competitive to get into the evening program which is a good thing; however, there are still hundreds of people applying for 80 seats. but, if you work hard and do well on the hesi, you will have no issues getting into the program. someone mentioned studying chem and bio over the summer; i couldnt agree more :) best of luck and let me know if you have any questions!!

Several of us in 601 just registed for section 2 fall classes. We registered for 601 A and 602 B :)

CONGRATS!!!! How were levels 2, 3, and 4??

Hi everyone! I am just wrapping up level 1 and have some advice for those entering the program (you can take it or leave it, but this is advice I wish I'd had before starting the program!): - Invest in a good stethoscope; it's worth the extra $30-$40. You can't hear delicate heart and lung sounds with a cheap one. When you're at the hospital it'll remain with you at all times so there is minimal risk of losing it or having it stolen. Check out the Littman stethoscopes online or at Life Uniforms on Rt 4 in Paramus. - Take the summer to read ahead!!!!! Trust me, keeping up with the reading is by far the toughest part of nursing school(you will be reading your textbooks cover to cover basically) - Do not let yourself get behind in class. If you're a crammer, you'll need to learn new study habits. If you fall behind, it's almost impossible to catch up because every week brings more and more work. If you keep up and read a little bit every day, you won't become overwhelmed. - Review some of your A&P. You will be expected to know a lot of the things you have probably already forgotten. A lot of Physical Assessment is a review of anatomy. -Buy a really good Nursing Care Plan book (they don't list it as a "must have" book when you start the program, but you WILL need one!) - Save your money on the Basic Dosage Calculations book that they want you to buy. It was waste of money since all of the information in the book is listed in your Pharm book. - Buy a pocket-sized clipboard...trust me, you don't want to carry a full-sized clipboard with you all day at the hospital. We all ended up buying this one: Anodized Clipboards . You can choose whatever color you want and the best part is that it fits perfectly into Bergen's uniform pockets. It will make walking into/out of patients' rooms way easier! -Buy Fundamentals for Success (not on your list of required readings, although it should be) and begin reviewing it this summer. You will need to learn HOW to answer questions on the exams because they're way different than questions you're used to answering which is why A students become C students in the program. They require critical thinking which is a learned skill. My advice: learn how to answer NCLEX style questions while you have the summer off! - When you walk into orientation, know that whoever you're sitting next to will most likely be the people you team up with in the program so choose wisely :) hehe. It's shocking how fast you'll make new friends; this whole process is a bonding experience for sure.. - Don't listen to the negative chatter from those in upper levels (you'll hear a lot of talk about the dropout rates, failure rates, etc)... just do the best you can do and you will get through it! - The program is really tough, just know that going into it. Be prepared to spend many, many hours outside of classroom time. Prepare your famillies, your jobs, etc in advance by letting them know that you will need their understanding and support.. - Record class lectures or take really good notes because the tests usually include exactly what is discussed in class CONGRATS AGAIN AND BEST OF LUCK!!!

Congrats everyone!!!!! Get ready for fun and a lot of hard work!

Elfie2012, they base their decision on your HESI score and residency only; GPA isn't considered. When I was accepted, I asked Elsa in the Admissions office if they considered GPA at all and she said "no". I actually looked at the list of accepted students; we were all ranked according to our test score only. She said that Bergen Co. students also received priority consideration.

For us, it took about 1-2 weeks after the final testing day, BUT we had the disadvantage of waiting during thanksgiving break which I think delayed things somewhat. I'm sure you will all know something by next week!

Once you're accepted, your status will change. If I remember correctly, it'll change to "accepted", or "nurse-day"... or someting like that. It will be clear once you're accepted though because it will no longer say "ready for HESI". I think for us, it took about 1-2 weeks after the final test was taken before they made status updates. You won't get an email or anything like that, so checking the status is the only way you'll know, unless you wait for the letter in the mail (which takes a lot longer). The waiting is torture! Hang in there :)

Hi everyone! I'm reading all of your posts and want to again let you all know that you do NOT need a 90+ score to get into the program. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you're already off the list because you didn't get a 90! I am a level 1 student in the program and a lot of my classmates had low 80 scores last fall and were still accepted. Our final class average was a 76 after everyone had taken their HESI. I was where you are (at the edge of my seat waiting for acceptance), so I just want to reassure you all to take a deep breath and remain positive!!! Do not listen to everything you read on here; I did and nearly got an ulcer.. lol. Best of luck to all of you!! It's worth all the stress and hard work :)

The program is harder than I thought it would be in some ways and easier in other ways. Some of the material is a little more common sense which is refreshing after dealing with all of the microbiology, chemistry, and math courses! But, some of the exams are tough because they're not as black and white so memorizing a textbook and class notes doesnt always help you prepare. It's shocking when you're used to getting all A's and all of the sudden you are praying for a C. lol. The hardest part for me so far is the time investment. You will spend many hours a week in class, in lab, at the hospital, at home studying, etc. It's totally doable, but be prepared to work hard. It's a lot of fun though and you will actually WANT to come to class most days :) For the chemistry portion of the test, I believe there are some questions related to periodic trends (e.g., is Oxygen more electronegative than carbon?"). And, there may be a couple of questions where you'll need to identify one of the elements, such as "what does Fe represent on the periodic table"? You will want to be somewhat familiar with the periodic table, but just review the basics (mostly the trends). I had no questions on limiting reagents, enthalpy, acid base titrations, or thermodynamics; in other words, they left a lot of the hard stuff off of the test.. thank God! If I remember correctly, you will want to know: scientific notation, all about molecules, atoms, electrons, neutrons, protons, the different types of compounds, the differences between solids, liquids, and gases, unit conversions, heterogenous vs. homogenous,the different types of energy (kinetic, chemical, electrical), the different types of bonds...so basically, know the basics of chemisty. It's mostly what you learned in Intro to Chemistry. Do you still have a chemistry book? I would review the first several chapters in your Intro book. That is what I used to review and I scored high on that section. I think what I did for both the chem and bio was looked at what was in the Hesi book and went back to my textbooks and read those sections for more information. I also went onto Youtube and would listen to online instructions and easy tutorials. That is a good way to refresh your memory of some of this stuff. For the most part, I remember being surprised at how relatively easy the chemistry section was, but felt that the bio was a little tough. Just do the best you can and I am sure you will do great!!! Good luck!!!

Hi Rory92, I am a Level 1 student and trust me...a lot of my classmates got into the program with scores in the mid (and lower) 80s. Don't panick! The most important thing I have learned in this entire process is to not listen to what everyone around you is saying. There is so much negative chatter that goes on on these websites and at school. Last fall, other applicants were all saying that you "had" to get a 90+ score to get into the program and so I went into freakout mode. The reality is that only a few people who entered the program had scores into the 90s (when I asked to see my placement compared to others, I quickly glanzed down the page at other scores and didn't see many 90s). However, that doesnt mean that you shouldnt study your butt off :). Study your hardest and do your best!! I scored a 91.75 on the Hesi and immediately posted study recommendations. Go back several pages and you'll see the post that I made with a list of what to focus on. The Hesi book was a great source for the vocab (make sure you know most of the words in the book!), and it was great for the math as well. I would pull out some of your old science books though and refresh yourself on biology, chemisty, and maybe a little anatomy as well. The test isn't too difficult, but make sure you're well-rested the night before. Best of luck!! Kristy

Does anyone know where I can go to get a Hep B shot that doesn't cost $$$ ? I have my first Hep B which I got in Florida, but my second shot is past due. Did anybody get a Hep B at the Bergen Co. Health Dept? I am on their website, but I can't seem to figure out if they offer the vaccine or if they simply offer referrals for the vaccine (the site is confusing). Any advice would be great. Thanks :)

Hi Sunny, I believe the required gpa is 2.5 (correct me if I am wrong someone!). So, if your GPA is at or above a 2.5, you'll receive further information from the school which will give you instructions and deadline information for submitting your background check. Once the school has a clear background check, they will then send you a letter and/or email with instructions for taking the HESI exam. I'm not sure exactly how much time you'll have, but I based on my experience, I had at least six weeks to study for the HESI. My application was due in September and I sat for the HESI in mid-November. If you go back several pages, you'll find a post that I wrote immediately after taking the exam with some of the topics to cover. This may come in handy :)! Also, the school is more concerned about your HESI score, so although your GPA isn't as high as you'd like, do not get discouraged. Start studying for the HESI as soon as you're able to and ask us for help if you need it. GOOD LUCK! Kristy

Happy 2012!! I hope you're all enjoying the long winter break. Only a couple more weeks left til orientation! Woo hoo!