purplepixie

Hi melisamct, I did not end up applying to or enrolling at DSN. I pursued some different options. If I recall correctly, I think I was put off by DSN's website. The information provided about the program and application process was limited and it seemed outdated. BUT, unless I'm confusing them with another CO program, it looks like they've totally revamped their website and even posted the curriculum. After a quick review, DSN's BSN program looks solid to me. Definitely structured different than mine. That's really neat that they actually have a Mental Health class and that it includes clinical hours. I can't speak to the quality of the program or the education, but it seems well worth of applying to! If I was applying to programs at this point in time, they'd be on my list. Their pre-reqs are pretty minimal, which is a huge plus. Best of luck to you!

@azknur - Thank you! Congrats on securing an interview!

Yup! Here ya go: Preparing for an Interview - Jobs - Mayo Clinic It also wouldn't hurt to read through the Mayo Clinic Staff RN interview reviews and questions that people posted on Glassdoor. You can find those here: Mayo Clinic Staff RN Interview Questions | Glassdoor

My application for the Mayo AZ program was rejected, but I just got a job offer from Mayo MN! For those w/ interviews, make sure to prepare behavioral question answers. The website link they send you on interviewing w/ Mayo does a pretty good job of telling you what to expect. Or at least it did in my case. Best of luck to you all :)

Congrats! When/what day did you apply?

Azknur - What was your experience w/ the extern program like?

Yup, MN offered me an interview on 11/6! I applied for a few jobs with them because their application process is different - you apply for the individual positions and if hired are enrolled in the New Grad program. I left a message for the AZ job recruiter last week but haven't heard back (and realistically knew I might not because she probably gets tons of calls from us), so I called HR again today to get a better idea of the application timeline. I spoke w/ someone else in HR and she said it can take 4-6 weeks for them to even finish reviewing all the applications. My plan is to interview w/ MN and if I'm lucky enough to get an offer, ask them how long I have to decide and reach out to AZ again if I haven't heard back. I'd be thrilled to work at either location - I've read great things about both, but geographically speaking AZ is my preference.

I applied for the Med/Surg only but my application status only says "received" still. I know they get lots of applicants and I applied late on the last day the posting was open, so I'm hoping maybe that means they haven't fully processed my application yet. A few days later I applied for Mayo Clinic MN positions, too, and they changed to "in review" right away. Strangely enough I got a call from them right as I was typing this post! I sounds like the review process varies a lot depending on location and job posting. I live on the East coast so I haven't done any clinicals w/ Mayo Clinic.

How do we figure out our Duke email...? I just recently submitted my deposit. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. Edit: Nvm, gotta wait for the Net ID.

Oh, weird. For some reason it didn't pop up the first time I searched. Thanks!

I'm 25 with a BA in another field. I took a few years off to figure out what I truly wanted to do before continuing my education. Incredibly glad that I did. Also, I'd love to start a FB group. But it's telling me I need one other friend or email to create the group. Can you PM me your email? Or better yet, find me on FB. Name is "Cassandra Nell" with an Om next to it.

Unemployed for a year?? I hope that is atypical.

I'm sorry, Pmilian :/ Did they specifically tell you that your personal statement was the reason for rejection? If not, I strongly recommend asking admissions if they can give you some specific feedback so that you can focus your efforts appropriately. And when you say "personal statement," do you mean the 4 essay questions or did you send in an actual personal statement? I made the mistake of writing a personal statement according to the MSN/DNP instructions. Spent many hours on it before noticing the print that said it was for all programs except ABSN. Admissions told me not to submit it. If you did the same and submitted a 1-2 page personal statement, that may have counted against you. I'd be willing to take a look at yours and give you some feedback. But again, I would ask admissions what the scoop is so that you're not taking shots in the dark. And if nursing is what you really want to do, don't give up. The disappointment of being rejected on the first try would be much less than the disappointment of looking back 10+ years from now, while working a job that doesn't fulfill you, and wondering where you could be if only you had tried again. My mom was an RN that always wanted to go to back to school to be a PA. Never really had the confidence to try and she still voices that regret. Maybe consider applying to a wider range of programs next time. Maybe even some traditional programs? Figure out what your applicant strengths are and look for programs that seek them. E.g. grades, clinical experience, volunteer work. They are weighted differently for different programs. If you happen to be a single, childless individual and are willing to move for education, that really will broaden your options, too.

Congrats to everyone! I got in, too, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to accept MUSC. I'm feeling a little torn. I know I'd enjoy living at the beach much more (and what could help more with the stress of an ABSN program??), and MUSC also has a stellar program, but...I mean...it's Duke. Didn't think I'd actually get in.

You can go ahead and call, Lemonsas. I'm an out-of-state, applied for regular admission, and the letter is dated the 1st. I didn't know they were sending out decisions this early. Super nice surprise.

I got mine today! I wonder why they told us they weren't making decisions until the 15th. You have 3 weeks from the date of the letter to mail in your deposit. Mine is dated March 1st. There's a $485 fee for all students and another $1k for out-of-state. All non-refundable.

Solid suggestion. That's the course of action I was leaning towards. Thank you for your response. Where else did you get in? Congrats to you, too!

Well, it's UF and I live in NC, so it's a pretty big move. I work full-time and can't really take time off to visit. I'll need to find a place to live, gather school materials, and what not. I also have to figure out how exactly to pay for it. I submitted my FAFSA, but I'm sure I'll need to take out more loans since I'm out-of-state. I also have a certified background check to do (finger prints, drug test, vaccinations, PE, etc.), but it's not due til late May. What's weird is that they haven't released the orientation schedule or asked for a deposit. I believe classes start the first week of May. From the few interactions I've had with the university as a whole, it seems like things are a little discombobulated. I haven't told admissions about my situation yet. I've been a bit afraid to. I'm hoping I'll hear back from Duke and MUSC before UF asks for monies. What you've said eases my anxiety though. And thanks for the congratulations :) I am very grateful to have gotten into a program. Regardless, I'll be on my way to a BSN. Are you currently at Duke or did you apply for this fall, too? If so, did you apply anywhere else?

Goodness. I guess I'll stop compulsively checking my email for the next few weeks. Did anyone else get into another program? I got into my 3rd choice but those classes start in May. I'm not sure if I should start planning as if I'm going to that school just in case, or if I should hold out for a few more weeks. Still haven't heard back from the 2 fall programs I applied to. Anyone have advice?

How do you know whether it is for Gainesville or Jacksonville? My acceptance email didn't specify. I see the Gainesville address in the letterhead, but I thought that's because it's the main campus.

Thank you for pointing this out. I'm learning a lot in this forum...

I've also accepted that I'm just going to have to live off of loans and be in debt for a while. I don't think it will take more than a few years to pay it off given my personal circumstances.

To PHhopeful: Thank you for the feedback. I'm also going to apply to Duke, MUSC, and University of Florida, all of which seem to be reputable schools with good NCLEX pass rates. I'll continue to do additional research. You've made some great points. Yes, I have considered UNC Chapel Hill, but I'd prefer to do the ABSN program. I'd need to wait longer to apply to schools in that case. Or put all my eggs in one basket and hope I get into UNC Chapel Hill and potentially begin school in Jan. 2017.

Sorry, I should have clarified that I'm looking at the completion option. $100K would definitely be too much for me.

Oh yeah, I have no doubt that they push you hard. I didn't mean to imply that they accept less competent students. Standardized testing doesn't effectively measure everyone's "intelligence" or knowledge. Some people test better than others, but that doesn't mean they are smarter or necessarily retaining more information. I'm not at all put off by their NCLEX pass rate.