dande

Thank you soo much! I think the min. GPA is 2.75/3.0 but the average was a bit higher. I got the feeling from the info sessions/interviews that it was pretty competitive as there were SO MANY VERY qualified people there. I had a 3.6 in my undergrad with a 4.0 in my pre-reqs (and there were a lot) and I was still quite worried after meeting the other candidates. There were 109 interviewed out of a few hundred applicants and 64 were accepted. So, those are the stats and you can take what you'd like from those, but i'd say any direct-entry type program is pretty competitive but where there's a will there's ALWAYS a way and grandma and everyone else has always assured me. GOOD LUCK to you!

Hey congrats to you too, Yeah, I haven't been able to get this smile off of my face ever since opening that letter, that's for sure. Just got back from a celebratory dinner and i'm still beaming. Gosh, doesn't it feel good. Yeah, it's always good to hear good things about Carondolet, that's why I picked it I guess, keep those good things coming! Thanks for your input, and thank you to anyone else ahead of time. ~Danielle

Hello all, I just found out that I was admitted to the UofA accelerated BSN program:balloons: and with that comes a 2 year work committement at Carondolet. Just wanted to know if anyone had any tidbits, experiences or ANY information that they'd care to share with me. I am very excited about all of this and just wanted to share and be shared with. Thanks everyone!:wink2:

Thanks for all the great info everybody. I am looking forward to my interviews this coming Saturday for the UofA Accelerated BSN program for second degree baccelors students. I didn't see that anyone else had posted so I just saw the replies now, thanks again. The program is 14 months long and there is a list of pre-reqs needed like microbiology, anat/physio/, child develop., nutrition and so forth that can be obtained on their website. The three hospitals are definitely TMC, UMC, or Carondolet and unfortunately we have to pretty much choose (the top 2 at least- even though I'm pretty sure that we do list our #1 also) the hospital that we will be working by next week and state them during our interview on Saturday. That is why we are trying to make this decision with as much input as possible. My main feeling is that I can't really go wrong in that I will be very happy to be accepted into such a convenient program and be nursing in about a year or so:) I am a little torn there b/n UMC and TMC in that it seems most ppl had bad things to say about TMC in general but that their L & D unit is actually quite good and I am pretty sure that that will be the area that I end up in... I am also kind of leaning towards Carondolet though since I seem to keep hearing good things about their philosophies. Anyhow, thanks for the input so far and please, I still very much welcome any further input on UMC vs TMC vs Carondolet, anything we can get as soon as possible would be greatly appreciated. Also, any interviewing tips that anyone would like to pass along would be really great too. Thanks for your time everyone and good luck to all!

Thanks for trying to refine my question CardiacRN, but that's part of the problem you see. I am not completely sure of what specialty/area that I would eventually like to go into. I will learn this in Nursing School no doubt (hopefully will be accepted and then done with UofA program at the end of Summer 2007), but I will need to pick which hospital before those things happen. I am currently a surgical assistant for a plastic/reconstructive surgeon, I don't think that surgery is the place for me in the long run, unless it's OB surgery, I do have a soft spot for babies and am very comfortable around women. This is the reason that I will probably stay away from general surgery (I'm not terribly fond of the 'old boys' club' male surgeon type) but am considering some facet of Labor and Delivery/Neonatal. That is where I'm leaning at the moment, but I'm pretty open. I am fascinated by all types of medicine pretty much but would like to stay toward the early development in life (babies and children). My BA was in Psychology and I am VERY interested in the developmental process in general. Okay, now that you know EVERYTHING about me:) PLEASE, let the advice flow forth!!! Thanks a bunch again to all!

Hello my future colleagues/AZ Nurses, Hi there, my name is Danielle. I am in the process of a move to Tucson from Southern California to become an RN. I received my BA from UCSB (not in nursing unfortunately, will be doing that in AZ). I was just wonderding if anyone here can give me some honest opinions as to which hospital (UMC, TMC, or Carondolet) would be the best to work for. I mean I am no stranger to hard work (I am voluntarily choosing to become a nurse afterall, lol), but I would just really like to be in a good work envoronment where hard work is appreciated and noticed and where co-workers get along for the most part, just as pleasant of an environment as possible I guess (somewhat vague I know, but it's YOUR opinions that I'm looking for anyway). Which hospital would YOU rather be a nurse in? Thanks a bunch for any of your opinions, I would just like to know which hospital you think would be kindest to its employees/new nurses (which will be me). Please feel free to post of PM me, I will take your feedback ANY way I can get it. I have been SO busy looking for a house to buy that this hospital info hasn't really been at the top of my list but IS however VERY important info to me nonetheless:)

Hi there bsn hopeful. Thanks for the info. I was also able to graze a lot of info out of Adele, the admissions counselor, when I went to the July info session. I had a great 9 hour drive with my boyfriend, from santa barbara, CA to U of A for that meeting. I really liked Tucson and am really looking forward to hearing back about apps later this school year, and hope that my bf will get into grad school there, we just love it:) Good luck to you, we will have to check back in towards the end of the year to see how apps went.

Hello all, First off, congradulations to all who will be starting their nursing school journey very soon, I am so happy for you all I was just wondering if anyone aplied to, is going to apply to, or attended/knew someone who attended UofA. I will be applying to their accelerated bachelor's program (for 2nd degree students) for fall '06 and since it is my first choice I would really love any additional info I might be able to find. I would just love to know anyone's stats, how competitive it might be to get in and anything about the program there is to know. Thank you in advance to ANY info.

Wow, that's great to hear about SHU, any additional info on your program would be greatly appreciated. So how much did the program end up costing you in the end? Did you have to take out a lot of loans or are you participating in any loan/payback programs? Any Pro Con list about your school would be great, what did you think of the school/clinicals/area? Are you from around there, I'm from Southern California and am wondering what NJ is like (though my family is from NY so I am somewhat familiar with back east, but not jersey). Thanks again for replying:)

Hi all, I am new to the forums and had just a quick question for those applying to or attending BSN programs in the US. I am looking to apply to an accelerated BSN program for second degree students but I am not really interested in attending any programs here in my home state of Californai. I read on a different thread that Maryland state does not charge out of state tuition at their state schools due to the nursing shortage and was wondering if anyone knew about any other states doing this or how I might find more information on this topic. Thank you for your time and I truly look forward to hearing from anyone.