maddybee

Hi Cathering, Congrats on getting accepted! I have not regretted my decision about choosing Saddleback since I started the program. I'm now in 3rd semester and love it! And yes, I'm pretty sure every school allows recordings and smartphones these days. I record all of my lectures and they help me a lot when studying. And I also use my iPhone several times a day during clinicals to look up different diagnoses and what not. Most people don't bring a lot of their large nursing books to clinicals anyway so a smartphone is nice to have if you need to look something up real quick. Some other students have downloaded apps to use in place of their books, but most of them say they've hardly used the apps. I think you'll use a few of your books/apps in first semester during clinical until you get familiar with different diagnoses, but for the most part now I just bring my drug dosage book with me to clinical and use my phone to look stuff up if needed. But as far as being allowed to, yes you're allowed to use electronics as long as you're not using them in front of patients or anything. I just haven't seen very many people use those in place of their books unless they just need to look something up quickly. Everyone is different and you might find it works for you, but the people who were all excited in first semester because they could use their phones or other electronics instead of books ended up just using their books anyway. Everyone I know in the program loves Saddleback and would definitely recommend it to future RN applicants. Hope this helps!

Hi Sherry, As far as I know each school started with 10 students (maybe a little more/less) doing the CSUF dual enrollment program this semester. I think this was a sort of trial semester and they may decide to accept more/less in following semesters. And as far as Concordia, I'm not sure if you can dually enroll with both schools. I would assume it's the same criteria as GWC, so if GWC students can than I'll bet Saddleback students can. That's something you can find out from Concordia. And for skills lab, we only had to have 12 hours a semester. My first semester at Saddleback was this: Nursing Process Class, Wednesday lecture 730-2ish with an hour and half lunch, and Th/F hospital shifts from 630-330 or so (other hospitals had M/T shifts). That was for about half the semester, and the first 2 weeks your doing skills training at school 3 days a week instead of the hospital. The second half of the semester we had mental health, which apparently all other schools do during 3rd semester. I really liked having it 1st semester and getting it done. During that section, we had lecture on Wednesdays from like 1-330, then 1) 8 hour shift a week at the hospital. After so many weeks of the regular nursing process section, mental health was sort of a break, which in first semester you kind of need. Then just add 12 hours of skills lab on your own time during each semester. They're not specific on how many you need a week, it's all by semester. Hope this helps a little. I also went to GWC's orientation last year before deciding on Saddleback. I would suggest making your decision after you go to the orientations at Saddleback. After I went to both last year, I just got a much better impression from Saddleback, but like I said, you can't go wrong with either school! :) Maddy

Sackemper, Congrats on getting accepted. I LOVE Saddleback! All the professors want you to succeed and really help you learn. I've never felt uncomfortable, or like I was being pushed too hard. Plus, Saddleback gets way more hands on experience early on which is great. They teach you to start IV's in 2nd semester, and our instructors told us that all the other schools don't do IV's till 4th semester. In first semester, you have skills training for 2 weeks, and then you're off to a regular hospital picking patients and taking care of them on your own. It might sound intimidating but it is amazing what you learn and how quickly. I have friends that just graduated from GWC this semester and both of them really liked the program there too. So I'm sure you can't go wrong, but if I had to choose again I would gladly choose Saddleback. Good luck with your choices! Maddy

Hello! Did you find out if you got in to CSULB? I was in the same boat as you 6 months ago. You may have already made your decision, but I'll give my input just in case. I got accepted to Saddleback for this Fall, and CSULB was my other choice, but it would've been for this upcoming Spring. I decided to go with Saddleback because it was quicker and cheaper. I just finished first semester and I loved it!! The program is really good and the instructors all want you to do well, at least from what I've seen. If anyone is struggling, the instructors are very approachable if you need help. They'll also go out of their way to make sure you're doing well. The program is tough, but not more than you can handle. I came up with a routine and followed that every week which made it easier for studying and homework. I would definitely recommend Saddleback to anyone! On the other hand, if you did get in to CSULB, you are at an advantage for getting a BSN. I'm hearing rumors that a lot of hospitals are going to eventually hire only BSN grads. I've been hearing that for a while so I'm not sure when that will take place, but if you are able to pay the additional tuition, and go to school an extra year, it might be worth it in the long run. I plan on getting my BSN after I finish my ADN, especially if I have a hard time getting a job right away. Either way, you can't go wrong with these schools! Good luck on your decision if you haven't already made it! =)

Hi snowprincess, It took me 3 tries to get in and I have straight A's in my prereqs (although I did drop physio once so that might've made a difference). But when I first applied, there were twice as many applicants as there were on my 3rd round of applying. Most of my classmates got in on their first try and a lot of them don't have straight A's. Just hope that when you apply there won't be a crazy amount of applicants applying with you. Also try to get straight A's in your prereqs and you'll have a better chance of getting in right away. Good luck! Maddy

Thank you! I'll be doing clinicals at Hoag this semester, and I'm really excited about it. I volunteered there and loved it. I applied to Cypress too because that's where I live for right now, but I didn't get in. Are you actually in the RN program? I've heard mixed things about it.

I have decided to go to Saddleback and am very excited about it! Thanks again for all the input!

I'm really excited about Hoag too, especially because I volunteered there and am familiar with it. Although, I've been talking to my hubby and it would almost be better for me to go to someplace like Orange Coast instead since it's a lot closer to me and it would be more convenient right now. So I was maybe considering switching clinicals with you, only if you'd be interested of course. I was told that we are welcome to switch as long as the administration didn't have to do it for us. And I haven't decided for sure yet either. I don't want to get any hopes up or anything, but wanted to see if you would be interested at all. If you are interested, I still want to wait till orientation to make sure that's what I'd rather do. I am scheduled to be at Hoag Th/F, and I would need to go there on Wed. after lecture to get my patient info. What day do you have to get your patient info if you're at the hospital on M/T? Let me know what you think, and again I'm not totally set on changing yet. =)

Thanks whybrat! I feel really lucky! I just got home from meeting with ---- at Saddleback, and I got my schedule and everything. I'll be going to Hoag Th/F. I'm so excited, and I totally agree that I would be crazy to turn this down. I just have to return the stuff I ordered for GWC. Did you already order your uniforms? I can't decide which top to order. They have so many options! I might wait until orientation to see if CNSA will be selling old ones, but I need to return my GWC uniform, and it's the same company so I want to do it soon. I like the TLC top for the fit, but the collar seems a little weird. And do you know if the orientation on Aug 5th is for all the students starting this fall? Or only for the ones that got in recently? Sorry for all the questions! Just super excited! =)

livealittle- good luck getting into a program! I just got a call from saddleback today saying I'm officially in! So if I decide to go there, maybe that'll open up a spot for you! =) I'm going to saddleback tomorrow to get the info I need, and if I get my schedule I'll be able to make a decision about which school to go to. And yes, most of the stuff I've done for GWC should also work for saddleback, but I did buy uniforms and a couple books, so I'll have to try and return those if I do choose saddleback. And thanks whybrat for the info. Maybe I'll be seeing you at saddleback!

Thanks for the info! I really appreciate it!

Thanks whybrat! That's great you got in to Saddleback. I have heard so many great things about saddleback too, which is why it would be hard to give up a spot if I am offered one. Plus, just knowing that they only accept the best students is a definite bonus. GWC is mostly lottery so I might end up working with students who aren't as hard of workers as I am. I'll just have to wait till orientation to make my decision. Do you know your schedule for your first semester? What days are you going to be at school? And what hospital are you doing clinicals? And brbowen9, I'm not sure how many applicants are actually "qualified" but my guess is a good chunk of the applicants. Most people know what they're getting in to and have worked pretty hard to get to the point of applying. I know a lot of schools have been accepting 60 students per semester, and maybe getting anywhere from 500-800 applicants, at least that's my guess.

dread090, how many days a week were you at school during your first semester at Saddleback? I'm going to the orientation in 2 weeks so I'll find out more then, but I want to get any idea of how many days I'll have to make the drive to campus since it's not super close to my house. I went to GWC's orientation and the schedule is great for me, but again I'm still leaning towards Saddleback, even though it's further away.

I was accepted to GWC for fall 2011, and on the alternate list for Saddleback. I've gone through everything I need for GWC, and Saddleback just sent me a letter saying I'm now #2 on the alternate list. If I am still interested in going to Saddleback I need to attend the orientation on Aug. 5th. Not sure what to do now that I've gotten a lot of stuff done for GWC, and I live closer to GWC, but my heart is still leaning towards Saddleback. I'll check out their orientation and see what I think. Any suggestions?

Thanks for the tips! I know nursing school isn't going to be cake, and I'm willing to put the effort in. But it's nice to know that it won't make a difference what school you graduated from. I'm still leaning towards GWC because right now I live in Cypress, and the commute to Saddleback won't be fun. But I'm still totally open for more suggestions. And dread090, I don't think that was me that you shadowed. I was a CCE at Hoag but I finished that last year. Must've been someone else. Thanks again!