ceecoxy

Exactly!

@charming_kitty Around 500 applied last year and 70 were accepted. I think around 30 from waitlist.

@Get2theChoppa Even though I'm currently in the CE program, I think overall you are correct. It's better to get CNA or EMT experience as you can get your hands dirty AND get paid a little. But is not run by high school kids - they are all either in college or recent grads so very young and they really don't know what they're doing but act VERY serious about it. That said, if you get in the ED you can do more - I have done 12-lead EKGs and chest compressions as well as gotten poop and pee & puke (the 3 P's) on me at various times. I have done more there than any other dept as a Care Extender. But I am also always where the action is and I always let the Techs know where I am in case they need me. Still - it gets a little old working for free and I think Get2theChoppa has a great point.

@melodyraz last year I ran into the same problem and called -------------- who advised me to keep it to 2-3 pages double spaced. He said they had so many to read that it might work against me to make it longer.

@lagirl_1989 - I thought my SOP was really good actually! I am a decent writer and had plenty of qualified people (PhD in Avian Ecology, Princeton admissions counselor and a scientific magazine editor!) read it and make comments. My undergrad GPA is not great - 3.2 but they didn't mention that as a factor. My pre-reqs were all A's and 2 B's. I am also a Care Extender (free labor for UCLA). I was a new CE at the time of the application - now I am into my second year. So that might have been a reason but they didn't mention that. I think the weakness of my SOP might have been that I didn't know enough about what a Clinical Nurse Leader was. Also, I thought we were not supposed to write a sob story about getting into nursing after watching our mom die of cancer etc etc. So I didn't add any personal stories despite the fact that my mom DID die of cancer over 3 short months AND at the time of the application my father in law was dying slowly at various hospitals all over LA. In other words, I was having TONS of firsthand exposure to nursing but I was advised not to write, "I want to be a nurse b/c I was moved by the hard work and caring of the nurses observed during my mother's illness and death." Sorry I am rambling! I am so much better in real interviews that I am in written SOPs b/c I like to entertain in person!

Re: the info session. I can't help but wonder if UCLA uses the info session to promote Care Extenders. After all thru it UCLA gets hundreds of hours of free labor. No wonder they're so profitable!

@missliliposh - what is a CCV? I don't think I'll attend the info session. I went last year and everything they talked about there was available on the MECN website. The ONLY new info. I heard was their suggestion to do the Care Extender Internship if possible. When they opened it up for questions someone asked about the temporary nursing glut in CA and it was dismissed - they didn't seem to know how to address the question. Good luck to you though!! The A's in A&P are great and will help you a lot. If you are applying to 7 other programs you'll be fine!

When I applied in Nov. I still had 3 pre-reqs incomplete. One was done by Dec. One was done in Feb. and one in March. We were supposed to hear from UCLA mid-March regarding our applications but through being understaffed and some kind of computer (or human?) error, we didn't hear till late March that we'd been rejected. It was kind of brutal. I think a few years ago they were more forgiving about pre-reqs being in progress than they are now as the competition is more intense. You'll need everything you can get to get in: all pre-reqs complete, POS, Cum. GPA, Pre-req GPA, Volunteer or work experience and hopefully an interesting back-story. I had a strong but not amazing application. I also have an MEd from UCLA with a 3.98 GPA!! 12% acceptance rate. You do the numbers!

@missliliposh - I think they got over 500 applications last year. Accepted 70. I think the wait list went through about 30 or so. I asked the admissions office for feedback on my application and they said the SOP was "just OK." It is funny b/c I had my brother who has a PhD in Avian Ecology, a friend who was an admissions counselor at Princeton and my sister in law who is an editor all give me feedback on it and they thought it was great. But I interview better in person so this is def. a handicap for me. Also, I didn't have all my pre-reqs complete but they didn't mention that.

What are your thoughts about entry level in the ER? Or does it not matter at this point. Prob. better to just focus on nursing and then hopefully work towards a job in an ER?

Thanks for responding! I think it also transfers between states better probably.

Hi All- I've been volunteering with Care Extenders at UCLA for a year now but I need to be paid. What's the quickest entry level hospital job that is best for my situation: MY SITUATION: - In my 40's with a 6 yo and 4 yo (think OLD and TIRED but actually I work out and am in pretty good shape.) - Want to move from a large city (LA) to a small town in NC. - Have exactly a year to get set up so that I can work when I get to NC. - Will prob apply to nursing school (to get on NP track) in NC after I get there (so I have residency.) DESIRE: - I don't really want to be a CNA b/c it is hard physical work (at my age) and the pay is pretty low in NC. I am thinking ahead a bit. - I love volunteering in the ER. Started thinking EMT Tech would be better for me b/c it's kind of fast-paced etc. (I realize this can be pretty physical too!) - Something that will help me get into nursing school, pay decent, has plentiful jobs (versus physical therapy or pharmacy which might only have a few jobs per hospital etc.) and is fast-paced. What do you all think? CMA sounds nice b/c it's on a weekly 9-5 schedule and doesn't involve bathing/bathroom help and cleaning people. Also prob. no weekends/holidays. CNA is great b/c you work closely with nurses and they have flexible schedules (can work per diem or as much or little as desired.), EMT is great b/c it's exciting and gets you into the hospital room but is that true in all states or just in California? B/c when I do jobs searches for EMTs in NC it comes up as a certain class of EMT/Paramedic so I am wondering if the structure is different there? Any advice is welcome! Thanks!

Hi! Is anyone applying to UCLA's MECN program? Last year I applied and wasn't accepted. I believe they accepted around 12%. They had 70 spaces down from 90 the previous year.

the MECN program? 70 spots this year. 515 applications.

Congrats to all who are starting in the fall & best of luck to everyone no matter how you (we) get there!!!