kaseyroo

@L6870- I like the program! Like all programs, it has had its ups-and-downs. Overall, I loved how short it was and how AWESOME my clinical experience was. I had a fantastic coach and I learned SO much. Students in this program graduate with exceptional clinical skills and are exceeding expectations of new graduates in Texas nursing programs. The program is very fast-paced and it is impossible to learn all of the information. There were times where I felt like I was on my own/didn't have enough help/didn't have enough resources. In this program, you need to be assertive and be able to advocate for yourself when you feel like you need something. It is definitely not a perfect program. I really did enjoy it and I can tell you.. I am SO glad that I am almost done! :)

@lele8907- Sorry for the delay. Fall semester is busy with job applications and what not. Honestly, I don't think I'm the best person to ask about paying for the program as I received total support from my parents (I'm 23 and fresh out of undergrad!). Most of my classmates took out loans, however. You can apply for financial aid through FAFSA as you would any other program. There are also scholarship opportunities through TTUHSC that you can apply for as well. I rented (most) of my textbooks through Chegg.com which averaged about $200 per semester. There were some textbooks I bought because you need them for the duration of the program. I bought three scrub tops (about $75-80 including sewing on your patches), but didn't buy scrub bottoms because I had some from my work as a PCT. You have to buy a decent stethoscope ($50-80), a pen light ($5-20), scissors ($5-20), and a cheap-o watch ($15). I bought that trendy clipboard with the nursing information on the back ($35) and would not recommend it at all. Total waste of money. There are some software programs ($200) you have to buy throughout the semester too. You will also have to buy parking ($10 per month) to get access to the CEC/Brackenridge Hospital for simulation days/testing. At the end of the year, you will have to pay for your NCLEX application/registration ($325). If you choose to take an NCLEX prep course ($300), you'll have to fork out for that too. You may also have to purchase a business professional/casual clothing, a portfolio, resume paper, etc. ($100+) for job interviews and networking, if you don't have it already. I think that's the majority of it. This obviously does not include your tuition. In case you haven't noticed, this program is very expensive. :)

@nurseandmomtobe, I brought a professional-looking notepad thing and a couple copies of my resume, but never used either. They have your resume on-hand during the interview and there is really nothing you need to write down. I wouldn't recommend bringing either; it's just more stuff to hold.

Hey ya'll! Sorry, I've been MIA (NCLEX review session and start of FINAL semester!) Congratulations to those who got interviews! I just thought I'd give my two cents about interviews since... Well, I interviewed and was accepted. :) First of all, RELAX. The interviews are very informal, but you should come prepared and dressed the part! For all the ladies out there who might be interested, I wore a skirt suit with modest heels. There were other interviewees were dressed more casually, but I believe in the power of the first impression. You will enter a small room and seated in front of a panel of three to four people. These people are the clinical faculty for the Austin area. The interview is actually quite informal. They will ask you a series of questions to gauge who you are and if you are a good fit for this program. They asked me about 6-7 questions and my interview was about 40 minutes. They're supposed to be 30, but they tend to go over. They tailor the questions to your application, so you may have different questions than the person down the hall. Here are a couple of things that I think you can expect: Be prepared to talk about what made you pursue nursing, why you want to do it now, and why you want to do it in this program! Expect to discuss your prior educational and professional experiences. Be prepared to talk about any history of poor academic performance. Get ready to talk about your personal life. Seriously. They will ask you about your support system, your spouse, your boyfriend (they asked me about mine!), etc., and whether or not they will be able to help you get through this program. They might ask you about your family or if you have children. There has been a bit of contention about whether or not you should mention if you have children. If you do choose to mention this, be prepared to answer questions about childcare or other support you have available. Be prepared to talk about what area of nursing you are interested in and whether or not you plan to stay in Austin after graduating (obvious answer: say YES!). They will likely ask you about your experience with online classes, if you think you're an independent learner, and why you think you are. The bottom line is this: They wanted to see if you can handle this program. Do you have positively trending academic performance, clinical experience, a good support system, and signs/symptoms of the ability to navigate through this program by yourself (essentially)? Again, the process is very informal and they are very nice. They want to get to know you! Be yourself. Be honest. Good luck!

@cinders_gr You don't have a choice in your clinical site. Your primary faculty will place you based on your level of prior experience (i.e., our former paramedic is in the ICU and I am in Cardiopulmonary/IMC), your geographic location, and your personality. There are a variety of different sites, like ICU, IMC, telemetry, medical-surgical, rehabilitation, etc. The majority of the students in the program are on a medical-surgical unit because that is the way the program is designed. The foundation of this program is medical-surgical because that's the foundation of this profession, FYI. You do get to do a short psych rotation during the summer, but that's it. Honestly, I would be a lot more worried about getting a coach that fits your personality and will create a conducive learning environment. Your coach can make or break your whole experience. Just my two cents.

@lele8907, I can agree with @flyonn that your TEAS V may be a bit low, but it won't necessarily keep you out of the race. I would definitely highlight all of your experience if you get an interview. I got my interview offer about two weeks before I actually interviewed.

I doubt I am supposed to say this, but I was told to keep my schedule open on Aug. 27, 29, and 29 for interviews. Typically, admission offers/denials are sent out 5-7 days after interviews. As current students, we are required to attend at least one of those days so prospective students can chat with us after their interview. Hope to see ya'll. :)

@hopefulprayers1, I didn't have physiology done before the application deadline. I mean, physiology! That's a super important class in the list of pre-requisites. I still got in! Having your courses completed will given you an advantage, but it will not make or break you.

@duffel0521- This is my own personal sneaking suspicion that hasn't been backed up yet, but I have reasons to believe that they barely even look at your first degree's overall GPA as long as it is over the minimum requirement of a 3.0. They are more concerned with your pre-requisite GPA, which includes all of your science courses. My cohort's average pre-requisite GPA was a 3.5 and TEAS V score was an 80%. I would say that those are good numbers to shoot for. In terms of your clinical experience, if you have it, it will greatly increase your chances of getting into the program and being successful in the program. There are a handful of people like @Flyonn who don't have any clinical experience and are doing well, but they are just not as common. Usually, those individuals either had really good grades, went to Texas Tech for their first degree, or saved a village in Africa. Ha, kidding. But you catch my drift. @Flyonn, it's good to see you on here. I remember you from our last thread! And yes, all of our faculty here love people who have been in the restaurant biz too. Hope all is well. :) Please don't hesitate to ask questions. We remember what the admissions process was like. I just finished three 12's in a row, so I'm enjoying a day off. :)

@cinders_gr, Community activities are clinical activities in which you interact with a population of individuals that pertains to your coursework for that semester. For example, our OB course last semester required us to attend a breastfeeding and newborn care class. This semester, for pediatrics, we developed a pediatric simulation scenario for high school students in the Austin area to participate in. For mental health, we have to attend an AA meeting and go on a ride-out with a Crisis Intervention Team. There are just a lot of activities that required you to participate in your community. I think studying 4-5 hours per day is doable. It really depends on your schedule that week. Last semester, we were at the Clinical Education Center for eight hours a day for about 10-11 days straight. You've just got to be prepared for those crazy weeks. I think having clinical experience will put you light years ahead when you start your clinical rotations at the hospital. You'll actually have trouble getting into this program without it. As a student in this program, you do everything in clinical. The only skills we absolutely cannot perform are hanging blood, administering chemotherapy, administering rescue drugs in a code, and defibrillating. You should expect to be performing every skill under the sun that is required of you in your clinical setting. In theory, you are with the same clinical coach for the duration of the program. There is always the possibility of having a serious personal conflict with your coach or even your coach deciding to quit his/her job. This is rare, but it has happened. It really depends on your coach, honestly. Everyone has a different teaching style and there is no way to know what your coach will be like. They had us fill out an extensive questionnaire and attempted to pair us with a coach that is best suited for us. They are all very qualified and experienced nurses, but I cannot guarantee that your coach will be a total sweetheart. You don't have a choice in your coach or their schedule either. The faculty takes into account your preferences, but if you get a coach that works nights, you'll be working nights. You've got to be flexible! I'm telling you. This program will own you for one year!

Hi @cinders_gr! Yes, there are many students in my cohort that have children. One of my closest friends in the program is a mother of four! I am truly amazed by the people who have children in this program because it definitely is a challenge. The time commitment is just so intense. We did lose a mom early in the semester who had a newborn baby. It was just too much for her. The beauty of this program is that the lecture material is all online. That offers a lot of flexibility if you're caring for little ones at home. However, you will be out of the house a minimum of two days a week for the entire day. During the summer session (Holy crap, by the way!), I am not at home at least 3-4 days during the week doing something for school. Group projects. Community activities. Simulation days. Clinicals. You name it! I don't have children myself, but if I did, I can't imagine doing this program without some kind of childcare. I don't want to discourage you, but I want to prepare you. You cannot do this without help! Hope that helps!

@Nurseandmomtobe- It's hard to keep track of 37 other people, so I really can't speak for everyone. Based on the people that I have gotten close with, it seems that their clinical experience got them in. Grades don't hurt either. The average GPA, science and pre-requisite, is about a 3.5. However, clinical experience can make up for any discrepancy in your grades. I just really can't stress enough how valuable experience is to those handing out the golden tickets. I feel like I am among the more experienced in my cohort. There are more experienced like our paramedics, respiratory therapist, and long-time CNAs. There are a few with minimal to no experience as well. I only know of one who attended Texas Tech previously and she had minimal to no experience, but stellar grades. Like I said previously, I am one of the four youngest in the program (23 y/o). I believe the average age is late 20's, but we have many in their 30's and our oldest is 43.

@hopefulprayers1- Yes, all of the coursework is online. The first semester is 21 credit hours that are staggered throughout and end/start on various dates. The classes are anywhere from a full 16 weeks to a mere 2 weeks. On a good week, I usually spend about 40-50 hours dedicated to this program. This includes 25 hours in clinical, 3 hours taking proctored exams/being in post-clinical/doing a required community activity, and 15-20 hours studying. Some weeks are even crazier with two 12-hour shifts at the hospital, 3 exams to study for, two quizzes due, and an 8-hour simulation day. Those weeks are more like 50-60 hours. It really just varies, but my average commitment is the equivalent of a full-time job. :)

@hopefulprayers1- It seems like the deadline is July 1 now, but I can't be sure. TTHSCU doesn't use nursingCAS. You'll submit everything through an independent system on the TTUHSC website. I like the program! It's very hard, but manageable. I feel lucky to have a supportive boyfriend, no children, and no job. Some of my classmates are married, have kids, and are still working. We have lost two people already because they had too much going on. Bottom line: Your time management has to be impeccable and you have to be proactive and independent with your learning. If you feel like you need a lot of help and support from your faculty, this program will be challenging for you.

@hopefulprayers1- Thank you! Appreciate it. There are a few different campuses; Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Dallas, Lubbock, and Odessa. Make sure you look into the application process for the second-degree programs through the HSC. It is not the same as TTU in Lubbock. As for being located in SA, it will be a challenge if you are not willing to relocate. You will have to commute to central Austin from 1-3 times per week for proctored exams, post-clinical conferences, simulation lab days, etc. We had a classmate (no longer in the program) who lived in SA and his clinicals were in Kerrville, but he had to make the commute to Austin a few times a week. Hope that helps!