NoleMercy

Hey y'all...I am currently an ABSN student. So if y'all have any questions, let me know! I'll keep checking back. I know the wait is hard (it was torture for me) however just from skimming this thread, if you're on the wait list and VCU is your dream, get on that wait list! I know of 3 people in my current class that got in within the week before classes started. Also I can confirm letters were mailed out last Friday. So you should hear any day now. Good luck and fingers crossed!NoleMercy

Good luck y'all. I remember waiting, but loving seeing that big envelope in the mail!

Ok to answer the best I can all the questions I saw... Don't worry about being an "old dog" and what you did in the past DOES matter I think... the program likes to create a diverse group. While yes, a lot of the group is in their 20s, there are quite a few people 30 and older (I'd say maybe 15?) one of the women in our program gave birth I think 6 weeks before the program starts? So it is manageable! But lots of time management. I work as a care partner at MCV, I work another job in Charlottesville, I volunteer with a rescue squad 40 hours a month, go full time and managed to get everything done last semester, so it's doable. I think maybe about 25% of our program has kids and they make it work. I think 40 hours is a good time allotment as we're in classes for 20-25 hours a week, with 20 hours of studying time. Summer I is intense because its 8 credits in 8 weeks... Fall I is intense because of the pathopharm classes you take, but it IS manageable. A sample of my day so I can stay on track with everything I want to accomplish/be healthy/lose weight: 6 a.m. wake up 7 a.m. gym 815 a.m. library for studying 1-8 p.m. clinical 8-10 p.m. dinner/shower/relax at home, bed. But you can choose morning or night clinicals which is great in the flexibility of your schedule/what works for you. :) Most people have classes 4 days a week this semester, I have 5 days, but 2 of those days are only 3 hours each. Depends all when your clinicals are. It's nice because not only can you pick the time, but also on for example the "Adults" rotation, you can pick which unit in the hospital that is available, that you want to do it in. Cardio, Onco, Trauma, etc. I have no clue yet on how I feel about the job search (ask me again next year :)) depends on what you want. Not EVERYONE can be a hospital nurse (but some of us don't want to be -- I'd eventually like to be a flight nurse with some experience). But I do know getting a care partner position either after your first summer, or Fall I is a good way to get in the door as you are considered an "internal" applicant, plus on the MCV application they even have a "did you go to VCU, prior MCV experience from what I hear. I feel like I'm pretty prepared for the exams/checkoffs... I'm in pathophys this semester which scares the **** out of me just because I do not come from a science background whatsoever and in the past, science has always been sore for me. However, when it comes to everything else so far I've been okay with it. There is some trepidation when it comes to actually doing skills on units, however, professors and clinical faculty are there with you every step of the way as you're learning. But you do have to learn to have a voice -- I have no problem speaking up to ask for help or have someone watch me do something first. But you do have to make it your own experience and jump at opportunities when you can get them. With the tests, each class is different really on what I would recommend to do... but you DO have to put the time into studying. I have problems paying attention in class (some days are 7 - 8 hours long with classes as you have clinicals the next couple of days) and I have the attention span of a gerbil... so I make sure I go back the next couple of days and look over the presentations myself and read to clarify whatever I need to. Laptop is pretty beneficial (bring them to class for notes), the clinical tracker is a software program we purchase which is pretty neat which for example when we graduate we can use with future employers to show them the myriad of pts and skills we've had. Scrubs we only wear on clinical days, but some people like wearing them whenever (which is not weird) just because you don't have to think when you get out of bed in the morning/it's easy. I would recommend getting at least 2 sets though because you will have semesters with 2 sets of clinicals, and it's nice to not have to do laundry at night if your days are back to back. I also took out loans --- and NEVER took them out before so I was lost. It wasn't until April or so that I realized that the federal loans wouldn't cover everything (as I needed living expenses etc.) so that I needed a private loan as well - but once I got the first semester out of the way/kinks from that it's been smooth sailing. The SON financial aid lady is great! Hope this helps...

Keep asking any questions you have :) I'll keep checking back to answer (hence why I looked for this thread in the first place). I don't think the GPA is the hugest of factors, because lets be real, my degree(s) from before were kind of.... easy degrees. Having medical experience will surely help in clinicals, and having the mindset to learn skills -- but are CERTAINLY not required. I think they more look of what you can bring to the table. Which I think a lot of that comes from the essay, and your whole application package. I was worried because the only other school I got into was my last choice -- I didn't get into a lot of the schools I considered to be far less "up there" compared to VCU, because again, learning at MCV is NO JOKE and is an amazing experience. Again, from what I listed before, TONS of people all around the map. Lots of people with families, some that had sick family members that made them want to pursue nursing, some that realized what they were doing wasn't for them (me, hence why I switched, plus I run rescue and love it), etc. We are quite the diverse group! I would recommend not waiting to February -- keep talking on here, keep up with each other, especially if you all end up in the same program. My class created a facebook group with the people on last years' thread since we all kept in touch on that thread to check on the status of everyone getting in, so we already had 20 ish people in there before the program even started. Helped to meet some familiar faces before day one, helped us bond before school even started. Now we have I think 95% of the AMS/BS class on there. I really like having classes with the same people too.... you do get to pick different tracks, which divides the program for 2 semesters (women/peds, adults/psych) but AMSN students don't (they have to do women's first followed by adults). It allows you to really bond with quite a few family. It's funny, us accelerated students are kind of our own little (big) group even though we're mixed in with the juniors. I think part of it is because we all feel like we have tons of "life experience" compared to those in college for the first time... even though about 60% of the accelerated students graduated in the past 2 years from college. But I would definitely, definitely recommend going to a visit day. They brought in students from last years' cohort, and getting to talk to them and drill them about everything under the sun about school work load, classes, clinicals, getting a care partner position in the hospital was invaluable. Good luck to you all! I'm sure you all will get in and do famously!

Thanks! I'd love to be a resource for you guys, as I know how STARVED I was for information when I was applying. I commuted from Northern Virginia almost an hour and a half to my job every day in another state just to get in state tuition, because I know VCU is where I wanted to be (and I wanted in state tuition). So feel free to ask away, and I'll keep checking back here to provide information when I can, as I know how helpful it was for me. So what I did to make myself a strong candidate? I have NO clue. I came from a degree that wasn't even science related in my undergrad, I do have my masters in another field though which again, not science or anything remotely hardcore oriented at all.... ha. But I did spend a lot of time (approx. 3 years) prior running volunteer rescue squad so that maybe helped? I applied with a 3.6 undergrad/3.9 grad degree, and actually panicked major the day after the deadline as my GRE scores were never sent. So they got added on my application late... but I did get in. I believe I found out the 1st/2nd week of February. And there is no point in calling to check up, because they will NOT give you any new information (as I learned.... :)) The admission process is pretty straight forward, application and then notification. A lot of the people that got accepted had "science" oriented degrees --- psychology, biology, etc. but not all of us (case in point). So I would say a strong essay would be important. Prereqs all have to be done obviously, and I got a fair amount of A's/B's in my prereqs, as I was working FT as I took some of them... so I wouldn't stress if you get a B or two. Organization: The program is quite disorganized at the start of each semester, BUT by week 2 each semester it seems to settle in a bit so it's not too bad. I remember last summer, I felt like it was completely unorganized until month one or so, but looking back it wasn't too bad. But if you ask the questions, they do get answered if that makes sense. I know that a large part of the unorganization is the fact it's a large nursing school, and accelerated students are the only ones in the summer... makes for a confusing time I'd reckon. After your first summer, you get put in with juniors and follow their coursework, but by the second summer you pull ahead of them, as you're there again in the summer and they're not. For last year, I believe there was about 80 ABSN students and 15 AMSN students. The AMSN students take the first year and a half with the ABSN students with the exception of some of their classes are different/graduate level from ours but are the same classes (just the higher level). We have clinicals together, major classes together, etc. There are 10 guys out of the 95 of us -- and they're all great. You are outnumbered obviously, but I love our group of guys in our accelerated program, because they were the most diverse and their reasons for going into nursing were all unique, plus their backgrounds! We have a farmer, an ex-football player, a Peace Corps member, etc. Every single one of them have this great wealth of knowledge and perspective -- I find them to be way more fearless than some of the women actually. Any other questions feel free to ask. I love this place, the hospital is GREAT for clinicals -- and I'm so glad I made this choice. I feel like I get a lot being at a Level I trauma center, while in a big city since you get a giant diversity. The faculty is very knowledgeable, and there is always a lot going on. I would definitely recommend coming to a visit day -- I did, and learned a lot about the school. They actually had current students come and talk, which was also great as I learned a lot from them as well. :)

Hey y'all --- I'm currently in the ABSN program (and am semi-familiar I suppose) with the AMSN program at VCU and I was in the same position you were in last year. Any questions, feel free to ask! Good luck, NoleMercy

Hi everyone, I am starting an accelerated BSN program this summer, and just registered and got my first choice clinical for this summer, which will place me in the Oncology unit! I am super excited for it... and wanted to try this particular section first because I think I would like to work oncology after graduating. I'd like to "give back" to all those doctors and nurses that helped out my family/family members when they've been sick with cancer, and I think quite honestly it's fascinating. That being said -- what is some advice you'd give a first clinical nursing student that will be on the oncology floor? Tips? What to expect? Any information would be helpful/much appreciated. Thanks you all so much!

My friend said when he called the nursing school they were mailing them out today :) good luck y'all!

MM, They have the size chart on the website, so if you could get someone to measure you, that should work. I had my roommate measure me, then I ordered one set based on that. I can let you know on the visit day if the sizes actually correlate if you want? Regardless, congrats on your acceptance too!

sbl -- I called the bookstore, and they said if you ordered it when the website said Navy, they would be "fixing" it -- and not to pick them up until you receive the second email. :)

i already got the navy blue ones!!!!

Well worst case scenario... you accept, hear from Cal State and go there and you're just out of the deposit money.... but VCU is great (their program anyways) from what I hear. MCV is a great hospital system also as far as I know. Plus so far all the ladies I've "met" on facebook that are in the program seem super :) Hopefully you'll stick with us, and love it. Welcome aboard!

Christina, What schools are you waiting on? any way you could call them and explain your situation and see if they can give you any more information? Where does VCU fall on your "want to go" list? Nole

just PM-ed you Burns7 :)

Just messaged you both with my name, so hopefully I can send it through there. It wouldn't let me send a link via PM for some reason.... weird. Also I don't know why the group isn't showing up since it's an open group.