PeaceWalker

I was thinking the same thing! Good on you gatewood! I didn't apply to UCSF because I didn't want to move up north, but wow - imagine if you would've gotten into both! You must be very qualified, congrats!

Indeed, I was! UCLA is much more convenient for me as an LA county resident, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Although it would've been easier to plan for school for UCLA, I'm still happy with Western. :)

That's great news! Good luck with it. I didn't apply to CSULA because I was missing one of their courses, but it would've been a great alternative school for me as well - cost wise and location. Either way, I'm becoming happier each day with the knowledge that I'll be attending Western in a few months. Right now, I'm just trying to get over the laziness of getting all my student forms in. There's so much coming at me in all directions, and I don't know where to start! All I know is how excited I am! :)

Hi all, unfortunately, I was not accepted into UCLA either. I had a gut feeling I wouldn't be accepted due to an outstanding requirement (automatic rejection - hahaha!), but there was always that string of hope. Anyways, congrats to all those who were accepted! Please pat yourselves on the back for making it through as it was a long and tough journey. :) For those who were not accepted, if your ultimate goal is to become a nurse, then you will make it happen one way or the other. We'll all get to that final destination, but we may just need to take different routes to get there. The key is to not give up and believe that things happen for a reason. I was rejected from two schools already, but I was also accepted into another reputable Master's program. Although it would have been convenient to get into UCLA, the reality is I'll need to sail forward on another ship. I'm sure the adventure will be just as grand! Hang in there, and good luck! :)

From what I can tell, the deposit goes into your tuition for the program. Schools essentially do this to encourage (or bait) students into committing into their school. Just the mere fact that you're feeling uneasy about it pretty much serves its purpose. I don't think there would be any consequence for changing your mind after making the deposit; however, from my experience as an admissions officer, if a student suddenly decides to back out of an offer, they're essentially placed in limbo if they decide to reapply later. That doesn't mean Western does this to their applicants, but this what I've seen before. Either way, you'll lose $500 to the program whether you go or not. There is no binding contract, and they're not going to hunt you down if you don't go to the school. You'll just lose your money. I know $500 is a lot of money, but you need to decide if you are willing to take a risk. If you know for sure you can get into other programs (btw, what program is it?), then take the risk. For me, I would definitely do the deposit as a safeguard. $500 is a lot of money, but losing my seat from a decent school, and then risking the chance of not having a seat anywhere else seems to outweigh the financial hit. On top of that, if I didn't get into another program, I wouldn't like to compete against other highly qualified students the next go around. That's just me though. My guess is that if the cohort is for 60, and they get about 200 - 500 applications, they're most likely going to fill about 75% with top students (EAOD), and fill in the rest as alternates. The best students are still going to be the best students - that doesn't change. By the way, for those who already accepted the offer, did you already complete your health assessment and financial aid application? How are you guys preparing for August?

I received my acceptance the following 2 weeks of my EAOD. For those who are going to EAOD, I don't know about others, but I treated the entire day like it was an interview and came in with a mission. Essentially, they just want to see if you're as good in person as you are on paper, so be on your best behavior, dress professionally, and ask questions that are thought through. The only challenge I found was when we broke out into small groups for lunch. In that group, you'll be talking to students and faculty, so it's really your best chance to shine. I had to balance between being considerate and being assertive during conversations - so it was a great learning experience for me. In the end, you'll be spending a lot of time learning about the program and the people around you i.e. other EAOD candidates, faculty, and current (and recent grad) MSN-E students. Also, you'll get a nice breakfast and lunch - so make sure you eat! Keep calm, smile a lot, and show them you're interested in the school and why you want to become a nurse! Good luck - and you'll do fine! :)

No worries - I totally share your sentiments about these decisions. If nursing is your ultimate goal, you'll achieve it one way or the other. It's just that you may have to take a different route, but you'll get there eventually. What might help you is to think about your long term goals. I mentioned in my SOP that I have a timeline I wanted to follow, which included getting my MSN-CNL first and eventually a DNP. Essentially, I already have a career plan laid out, which include all I need to do in order to get to my goal. For me, getting into a Accelerated BSN would put me out on the field quicker, but I would have to go back and get my MSN, which costs more or just about the same time and money. It just makes more sense for me to go for my MSN in the end. That's just me so I can't speak for all. I will also lose a very good job pursuing nursing, but I know it myself that it will be worth it in the end. Nursing has such a strong force in healthcare, and the field is also very broad. And considering where I work, which is a Magnet hospital, there are a lot more opportunities to grow as a nurse than there is for any other field. Frankly, all these things played into my decision making. From what I've heard, the residency program seems to have worked very well. My friend, who is an RN, mentioned that her friend was a Western student, and had to go through the residency program. It did help her get a job. Although we won't be compensated for our hours, I think the idea is really to get us to build relationships with our clinical sites, and to get us to refine our nursing knowledge/skills. Of course, it'll also help us get the job in the end. It would be nice to get paid for being a student, but 5 semesters will roll by quickly since we're so busy. :)

At EAOD, Professor Tuason mentioned several clinical sites that hired Western MSN-E students before they get their MSN. For me, some of these sites are closer to my home (CHOC and St. Joseph's Hospital), which is great news because I don't like to commute too far for work. I can't speak for everyone, but I think it's comforting to know that there are options and possibilities. As I mentioned, you build your career while you're going through the program, not by the end of it. While in clinical, you need to network and exhibit your great nursing knowledge and skills. Ultimately, you need to show these preceptors and clinical sites that you're an excellent nurse, and that they can't go wrong hiring you. But really, that's with any sort of career. You can't go in expecting that these programs will hand over a job to you. You need to earn it. I totally agree that finding a nursing job will be another challenge, but it's not like finding one is impossible. My friends who are RNs now told me honestly that they did encounter roadblocks, but they eventually bypassed them. And it is surprising to see that a hospital would undervalue an MSN degree. I think the issue may stem from the fact that the BSN takes 4 years to complete while the MSN takes about 2-3. If the concern is regarding the amount of clinical hours, I don't see how that is a problem when the MSN-E program puts students directly into clinicals in their first semester. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but if you look at the program's curriculum, MSN-E students are spending ample time in clinicals throughout the year, with their final year being almost all in clinical (you're only coming to lectures twice/semester). The only reason why I think hospitals would be hesitant to take an MSN nurse is because they have to pay those nurses more, which I think is understandable. However, for someone like me who's seeking for a DNP in the future, having an MSN degree is the only logical step. I don't need a second bachelor's degree. In the end, you'll need to trust your own judgement and consider your circumstances. Whatever you do from here on out will require your full commitment. Lastly, for anyone interested, please read the following webpage for some valuable insight: BSN vs. MSN Degree Which is Best? | 2015 NurseJournal.org

Ultimately, you're going to have to make a tough decision one way or the other. There are definitely other routes you can take to get to your destination, but that depends on your circumstances and future plans. Of course, you also have to consider what the job market will be like for nurses in the future, and how much sacrifices you may need to make. Personally, the cons I see about the school is the tuition, distance, and number of years for completion. Yes, I'm sure we can all agree that the tuition here is pretty expensive, but in the end it's all going towards education. A friend of mine took about 5 years to pay off her school debt, and she went to school in the bay area where new nurses get paid about $50/hour (starting). She mentioned that while she was in school, she had to live frugally and made a lot of personal sacrifices. Is this unsettling? Yes. But should we be surprised? I don't think so. With careful financial planning, I think it's possible to overcome debt. It just takes time. However, I can understand the hesitancy of those coming into this program who already have student loan debt. If you're able to work and go through this program, that is great. For me, losing my job was part of the deal when I decided to pursue nursing. The ends justify the means. I'm actually not too worried about not being able to get a job without a BSN. By the time we finish the program, we're already deeply immersed in the field of nursing and would have already left our footprints in many clinical sites. Technically, there is no degree out there that will guarantee you a job - you have to build your own career. The way I see it, job hunting for nurses doesn't begin after you complete the program - it begins when you start the program.

The living and commuting plan for me is still up in the air right now. The school is about an hour away from my home, so I'm leaning more towards commuting at the moment. What about you?

Congrats, SilverNP! I guess we'll be seeing each other a lot this Fall. Good luck to everyone else. It's still pretty early in the game, so don't lose hope. Not everyone who received early acceptances take the offer, and I recall there were students in the program who were part of regular interviews. Furthermore, they also have an alternate list and based on the past cohort, they did accept a lot of alternates.

Yes, I did get all my prerequisites completed before I applied. I don't think it makes that much of a difference because I'm sure they'll have a finalized list of candidates once everyone has submitted their remaining documents. I think that would be the most fair way they could make their selections. You just never know.

Aw! Thanks for your encouragement. I hope you hear back soon too - and possibly a EAOD offer! I applied around October 29th, which I know was cutting way too close to the initial September 1st deadline - made it though. I think historically, the early EAOD people get their notices first, and then from there the notices for the normal interview cycle occurs. I'm not on dry land yet, but I'll do my best to show them who I am and what I've got. Western is one of my top schools, so I'm still letting things sink in right now. I went to Preview Day in November and fell instantly in love with the school. The faculty seemed really warm and encouraging, and the student panel were so friendly and helpful. The only cons I can see about this school is the distance and the cost, but other than that it seems to be a really great school and program. :)

Thank you all for the warm encouragement. I received an e-mail stating that my physiology class was outstanding, which most likely meant I need to retake it. It's just awful because it's another hoop to jump through, but I guess you have to do what you have to do. Since I already passed it, I can't retake it at the community college I went to, so I'll have to find another community college. Then there's the extra struggle to work with administration to get enrolled, and then petition for the class if it gets full. Nursing school, or at least getting into one, is definitely a marathon - LOL! If anything, I hope they'll let me take it UCLA - provided that they find the rest of my student profile exceptional, of course. I don't know about you, but I find it very hard to stick out when you're competing with all very qualified candidates (I'm sure you all are). I certainly hope that this program looks at more than just grades (it seems to advertise itself to be), so that it gives everyone a chance. Good luck to everyone as well. I hope we all get in - keep those fingers crossed. :)

Hi all, I just received my Early Acceptance Opportunity Day message via e-mail. Based on the past application cycle, I heard that those received this e-mail have a very high chance of getting into the program - not guaranteed, but close. Anyone else got this same e-mail? I am completely stoked, but also very nervous.