PrayToTheUnicorn

All you can do is your best, put in your application and state your passion in your persoanl statement. Many people are parents and work. That is the purpose of the evening weekend, to slightly lighten the load and put classes at night and clinicals on weekends.

Clinicals are on the city and suburbs, so you could need a car depending on the clinical site. You can state your preferences for sites and state your special circumstances, but there is never a guarantee of first choice of placements.

The only requirement is that the shoes are white. Many girls like nursing shoes like nursemates or dansko clogs but many people wear sneakers of all brands. It's really up to you!

Renting saves so much money. It's the way to go. The only books I thought were keepers for all of school were a good care plan book, a good drug book, and an NCLEX book. Everything else I can use as reference from the library. Some people even use one edition older just to save money, but then you will have to hunt to match up content a little more. But even that is doable.

The science gpa is based on the science prerequisites that haven't expired or become to old. An old class from a long time ago does not factor in to science gpa, but it still affects your cumulative gpa.

Yes, it's called deferring your enrollment. It's allowed I believe.

The academic calendar is on the web site under Academics... and is here: http://resu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/2013-2014-Academic-Calendar1.pdf

RENT RENT RENT, as I said in your other thread. It's the best cost savings. Chegg.com is great. When it's time to send them back, put them in a box and print out the label from the site, tape it on, and drop it at a UPS drop. To buy outright, perhaps an APA style guide, drug guide, care plan book, med-surg, and pathophys. But really, when you want to use a text for reference later on, just go use the library's version for a few minutes. An online drug guide like micromedex or epocrates on your phone eliminates the need for a drug book, but it depends on the hospital policy if you can use that during clinical. The single best purchase for nursing school is the yellow Saunders NCLEX book. The study questions work during school and teachers like to use NCLEX style questions on exams. Sometimes very similar ones, depending on the teacher. It helps you quiz your mastery of a topic, and gets you used to the format before you graduate.

I rent all of my books. The few things I did buy because it had a CD with it, we never used it and it wasn't required. Some classes I never even crack the book open. RENT RENT RENT. It's the best option. The changes from one edition to the next is likely minimal and you'll get the 'need to know' stuff from your professor.

Yes it is for a BSN. You will have completed your pre-reqs elsewhere then come here to do your 16 months of nursing courses. It is full-time day or night/weekend, going year round with small breaks every 16 weeks or so. The terms are 8 weeks.

I never got an alert saying someone had posted. Sorry! Financial aid varies for everyone, so I don't know. Loans cover a lot, but most people do have out of pocket costs. That is where scholarships, grants or private loans come in. Loan amounts vary depending on if you have a bachelor's already. You will be told what loans you are getting and the amounts, and then even though the loans may not come in yet, you are not responsible for that amount, only the remainder. Many many students rent their books. Amazon has rental, so does Chegg.com and some other textbook sites. It's cheaper and you send them back when you're done. If there is a book you use later on in another class, the library has copies of all textbooks too. 1 bedrooms and studios can be pretty expensive around the school area. It's kindof a "hip" area. You can always expand your search to be along a bus or train route. Many people drive. Congrats on getting in! Enjoy your summer while you can.

Aha. Well if the way the program is run will impede your ability to become a nurse, then considering transfer may be a good option. As many of my previous posts state, Res uses the ATI as its standardized benchmarking and it's pretty clear what is expected. There will always be a few teachers I don't care for but I've done my best and moved on. I wouldn't say any of the teachers or tests have been impossible though. There is an open house at ResU in April. You should go check it out!

Won't the class be over soon? Transferring isn't an instant process. I don't see the point of transferring programs because of one class and teacher because by the time you transfer and get accepted in another program, that class will likely be behind you at your current school. Or am I wrong? Some teachers use nclex style questions and others don't at Res. Some test on a mix of material from book, lecture, ATI material, or even handouts such as a journal article or supplemental reading. If anything about a topic is fair game, use nclex books and reviews and rationales books to study from if you aren't already. If you have an issue with a teacher, can you go to your dean?

This doesn't bode well for any of us. People like to say the job market is getting better but sounds like it's not. This makes me worried.

May I ask you, where are you applying? How many apps have you sent out? Do you follow up by phone? How far are you willing to travel? Did you have any health care experience before entering nursing school? Did you get a BSN or Associates? I need more information from you to get a clear picture. How long did you wait to take the NCLEX after graduation? I just saw a graduate nurse program in the suburbs that is taking 20 students and applications are available now. I believe it was the Adventist system.

Not really. I assume that you would attend Concordia for your first two years of prerequisite/general coursework and then transfer to Res for the nursing portion to finish the BSN. Depending on your financial situation however, it may be more cost effective to do all the bachelor's coursework and prerequisites through a community college. But then you would be in the general candidate pool of applicants.

This is the link on the Res web site: Accredited Nursing Schools | Top Nursing Schools | Nursing Schools In Chicago I attend the day program but from what I know in general, for the evening program the classes usually start anywhere from 4-5:30pm a few days per week, and then clinicals are on weekends. You have a slightly lighter courseload than the day students, so it takes a semester longer, but the courses are identical in content to the day students. Maybe an evening student will see this and give you more.

Hi Thesis Major, As you can see I recently addressed the classes/staff/peers/difficulty in a post two weeks ago. Nursing school is more difficult for those who have a hard time applying what they learn or using critical thinking. It is also more difficult for students who are holding on to the notion that they can go party on weekends or have an active social life. The program requires commitment, and if you put in the time, the coursework is completely manageable. I don't have a problem at all, but you don't know me, so that really means nothing. Some people find this program to be super hard and are barely scraping by. Overall, I am happy with my choice to attend ResU and looking back, it's amazing how much I've learned since starting in August 2012. I dont know what the placement rate is. As I stated in my earlier post, it depends on the person and their mindset. I think it is hard to know if graduates get jobs easily without knowing what kind of work that person is putting in to a job search, what their search parameters are, how flexible they are, etc. If a person is only willing to work in a certain specialty at a certain hospital, their job serach may turn out to be very long with possibly no interviews or eventual hiring. There are definitely facilities outside of Chicago (some commuting required) that love to hire new graduates. Res grads do pretty well with getting jobs. Some get hired on by Res/Presence health facilities. Having the BSN definitely helps for jobs at magnet hospitals too.

Pop in again when you have questions (and you will)!

I know that the admission criteria is starting to become more competitive... In my opinion, I wouldn't be surprised to see the criteria get more stringent over time. ResU is a relatively new school, born from a diploma RN college (WestSub)and transitioned to a bachelor's level only in the past few years, with a name change, new 'ownership,' has overcome some accreditation issues in the past, and has had to iron out many kinks, and now has a new location. I think that from that perspective, ResU really is still in its infancy. So perhaps some of the lower GPA admission criteria is a reflection of trying to build from the ground up? Build its numbers of graduates and let its repuation speak for itself? Who knows. It's one theory. I think that it won't be long before it's more competitive to get in than it is now. Don't confuse the lower admission criteria with the school being shoddy. You still have to pass the same NCLEX, and Res grads apparently do. In the end, I'd rather get my BSN in 16 months than to fart around trying to impress aschool with why my 4.0 is better than someone else's 4.0.

I think it's a good program overall. A BSN in 16 months has its benefits. The pace is fast but doable. Some of the instructors are fabulous, some are just OK. But that is the same no matter where you go. The program definitely weeds out the weak and non-committed. It can be quite vigorous at times, and ATI testing is mandatory throughout the core curriculum, but the standardized testing, while hard and stressful at times, will no doubt prepare you for taking the NCLEX. The pass rate indeed is 100% and you can verify that with the state. At least that is an honest stat, not a lie like some other schools in Chicago. Role transition in your final 2-month term will allow you to network and make relationships with people at the facility you're placed in, and many people are offered jobs for after passing their boards. Placement in jobs for a BSN RN are favorable, moreso if you apply at places that like hiring new grads, are realistic about your "dream job," and are willing to be flexible about where your first job is. There are no guarantees after graduating from any program, but you know that. I like that ResU is very small, and because it is only a nursing school, you aren't lost among the shuffle of a large university system. It is intimate and you can form strong relationships. I know it's hard to make the right choice for you, but only you know what that will be. You can get a real sense of a place by the people that are there, the campus, the curriculum, the cost, how accessible you find the faculty and staff, the feeling the school elicits in you when you are visiting or leaving from your visit. Know what I mean? The only way to get a sense of the school is to visit it though. I'm sure you have the smarts to discard what you perceive as "talk" and keep what you find genuine. Am I right? I don't feel I was ever "sold" on Res. I just liked it, liked how it felt to me, liked what I saw, who I met, etc. If you have more detailed and specific questions, fire away.

The most recent NCLEX pass rate was 100% for ResU BSN. I would suggest making an appointment to tour the school and talk to the admissions counselors. They have a lot of that info.

you'll have to ask with more specifics in order for us to give you input.

You'd have to ask Admissions about retakes. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to answer that if you call them.

There are people who apply with a science outstanding as well as another one or two courses. It's best if everything is done but if you're finishing it all up, it's ok. However, they will not evaluate and consider your application until ALL items are completed. You might want to take all your transcripts you have now, as well as the classes you plan on taking and go meet an admissions person to make sure you'll have everything you need and if it transfers equally. They will help you come up with a game plan.