Celester321

It also depends on your grades. Until the actual deadline, they don't know how many applicants actually applied. You can also apply for the 16-month program if this one doesn't work out. It is slightly more stretched out to make it slightly less stressful.

I feel it is like a full time job. You aren't in class 8 hours a day, but between studying or days when you have clinicals, it's full time. I think the 60 hours is inflated, but prepare yourselves for weeks that are longer days and weeks that are not. I've still had time with my family, so I cannot complain. Our last semester is starting on Thursday so right now things are going great (hello netflix...how I have missed you). They say it's going to be the worst semester, so we'll let you know. :)

Many of us applied for this externship, HOWEVER, we have no idea who will be chosen or what exactly they are looking for. We assume that experience will help bump you up the list and if you volunteer with a hospital, it will probably help you. Grades are in play as well as you need a minimum of a 3.0 at dignity or 3.2 at Banner (I think). That sounds low now, but add some brutal nursing classes in and your goals may switch from: "Get all A's" to "Holy crap, I just want to pass and graduate!" :) We will post how many post-baccs got the externships since we are also competing with traditionals (regular 2 year program) for Fall placement.

@mnewell09 We had a full week for spring break. Look at ASU's 2018 calendar for those dates. Our breaks for holidays and such lined up with this calendar. Summer is a different story but that's down the road.

If you are chosen for the externship with Mayo, you do your 6-7 clinical immersion shifts with them in the fall and then work for them for free (that's what I'm told by my teacher who also works at Mayo) until you pass your NCLEX. The Mayo residency program, however, is similar to your new-grad programs elsewhere. They are all 1 year programs. If you passed your NCLEX, then you're an RN and will be paid accordingly. With Banner, honor, and dignity, (limited spots) you will do your 6-7 clinical immersion shifts in the fall, and once you graduate, you can make a little over minimum wage in the "transition to practice" or "externship" positions throughout the time between December-February when you pass your NCLEX. We applied for this by June 30th and have not heard back yet because hospitals still need to know if they will have openings in that department and enough preceptors. If you do not get chosen from your application to these locations (including PCH), then you will still be placed somewhere for the 6-7 shifts a clinical immersion. However, upon graduation, you will not have a job until you pass your NCLEX. This is not a bad thing. This can mean a much needed break and study time for the NCLEX. Many people go this route. Bottom line: don't worry about it yet. 1st: get into school. 2nd: survive school. 3rd: worry about the details!

My advice on preparation is practice, practice, practice NCLEX style questions. Download an app that helps you or buy the Saunders NCLEX book. These are they type of questions that all of your tests will have. Everything is right...but what is the most correct?

I thought someone asked about residency. Now I don't see the comment. Awkward.

As for residency, many of us did apply. This is the externship at Banner/Dignity/PCH/Mayo. Some call it a "transition to practice." If selected for one of these, we are able to do our immersion clinicals there during the last 2 months and start working with them as soon as we graduate until we pass the NCLEX. However, they only accept a certain number of people. Mayo does not pay for their residency/externship and it is still difficult to get in (but if that's what you want...go for it). Banner pays $15 an hour once you graduate until you pass. Dignity pays $12/hour. It's a fantastic program, I hear. However, if you don't get selected, there are many new grad programs with different hospitals that train you (and pay)! Banner's website said they hired 1000 nurses last year in their new grad program. We haven't heard back about the residency programs yet and will keep you posted.

Your questions are probably better answered by an advisor. I finished patho fall 2016 but had everything else done by the end of summer. There was no essay for our application. It was 50% teas and 50% grades=no mercy! Ha! I don't know where you read that we were enjoying the program, but please let me clarify...I do not know ANYONE who "enjoys" nursing school. It is hard. It is stressful. You will laugh and cry. You will think about quitting more than once! Sometimes I look at the countdown until graduation 3 times in one day hoping it changed! However.....it is worth it. I love clinicals and all the cool things we get to see and do. This is such a dynamic career, and we can go in so many directions with this degree. School is crazy, awful some days, but you will have people in your class that become your family and help you pull through. Be prepared but be excited!

About half of us have kids (my baby is 10). This program draws "older" people and the average age seems to be high 20's to low 30's. 2 mamas had kids younger than yours. You need a lot of family support or a really great babysitter. You can do it! Nursing school will be crazy no matter what...you might as well hurry up and get it done with.

Nursing school is crazy and stressful, but summer is even crazier and busier than I imagined. We go 5 days a week. MWF is scheduled for labs or clinicals (could be 4 hours to 12 hours). Tue and Thur are lectures from 8:30 until 1:20. Somewhere in-between we are supposed to study and do a thousand assignments. It really depends on your family situation, but we're all feeling overwhelmed right now. However, 27 more weeks until our last final. Wahoo! Not that I'm counting. :)

We do. It's called "ASU 2018 Post-Bacc BSN (aka: Sleep is optional, right?)" We can add all hopefuls, and then fix it to those who are admitted (you'll find out in November).

If you don't apply, you for sure won't get in! :) Just make yourself competitive with a kick butt TEAS. Also, make an appointment with the nursing/health sciences counseling office to review your courses. Lots of people didn't have a 4.0, so don't worry.

48 is actually high. They were theorizing it there would be between 44-48 slots and ended up having the full 48 seats. I think it was the same last year. Every year is different so don't quote me at all! School is crazy and stressful, but that's nursing school, right? We have our final Theory test tomorrow (yuck) and then a whole 2 week break! I'm so excited. Several of us were recently discussing that though it is stressful, we are so glad that this is only 1 year (one crazy year). I would much rather just get it done than drag it out for 2-2.5 years.

So this year was super, duper crazy. We only had 48 applicants and there were 48 spots. There are currently 43 of us. It has NEVER been like that (at least not in the last 3 years that I have been checking). In years past, the average advancing score was around 1.8-ish (which is like a having a 4.0 GPA and 80 on the TEAS or so on and so forth). However, almost everyone accepted this year still had very high scores due to history of this program being very competitive.

I agree with taking the TEAS at the end of summer. I made sure I had as many pre-reqs under my belt and enough study time to do well on the test.

@K8hurley...I really don't think I spend 60-80 hours a week. I feel this is a wee bit exaggerated, and it freaked me out last year just thinking I'd never see my family! @Rmmccarthy..what do you think?

I added a new topic: ASU Post-Baccalaureate BSN 2018 - Welcome Search for this, and let's get the questions rolling!

Hello! I am a current post-bacc student at ASU. I am starting a thread for those applying to the 2018 program. Last year we had fantastic support from the 2016 class (and still have support from them today), so we are extending this help to the 2018 hopefuls as well! The feed for our class last year was an invaluable resource, so use this one to ask for advice or get answers to your"burning" questions (nursing school reference…you will see)! Good luck to you all!

Kayceehi, I bought the "Study Manual for the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) version V" from the ATI website along with 2 study tests you can take 2 times. It was more expensive, (over 100 because of the stupid tests) but I found that they were super helpful in preparing me. I felt the actual TEAS was very similar. I really only did the tests inside the book and went back through the book to review stuff I was not familiar with. I got a 90 on the test and another friend who bought the same package got in the high 90's. It depends on if you do well on standardized tests without a lot of work or not.

I think it was more like June, but I don't actually remember. Apply as early as you can. The acceptance into the Community Health Program is super fast (less than 4 weeks) but it's the whole BSN acceptance part that will try your patience.

You guys are earlier birds! I didn't find this feed until summer of last year. The 2016 class started this feed for our 2017 class and it was very helpful. Feel free to ask questions here because several of us still follow it. The 2017 class is marching on. We just did our first hospital clinicals (already completed long-term care) and it was amazing and so much fun! We have a test on Monday in Theory, so I'll answer later "how it is going"...because right now I have angst! Ha! Also, your advancement score calculation is correct. That darn TEAS counts for half your score even though it is only 2-ish hours of your life vs the many, many hours you have already spend slaving over pre-reqs! Do well on both and you shouldn't have to worry....no promises though. :) Good luck!

I would get the TEAS prep booklet and practice tests from the ATI website. Total is about 140ish but it's worth it. It's set up pretty much how the real test is set up. I understand that HESI is easier and not as evil....er...hard as the TEAS. I knew several people who didn't really study for HESI and did well. I studied a lot for the TEAS and got 90.7%. Many other classmates did better. Average was probably high 80's. Thanks for the good luck. We have a test tomorrow in Theory. Ugh.

Hey Camel1881, I'm in the current class of 2017. I believe you take your GPA (of only 8 of the ten pre-requisite classes) and divide by 4. If you have a 4.0, then your GPA score is 1. Your TEAS is simply your %. If you got a 90%, then it's .9. Total would be 1.9. Usually this program has a high # applicants, but for some crazy reason, we did not. The median advancing score in the past was somewhere around 1.86 or so. I can't even tell you what this years # was since pretty much all the applicants got in if they were qualified. 48 applicants for 48 spots (this was never officially confirmed). There are only 44 of us. We just completed our 6th week! It's stressful, but I'm so glad I decided to do this program vs the traditional program. Only 41 weeks to go. :) Good luck!

I already submitted my flu shot because I had to have one for work. Also, let us all try and find inner peace and catch up on Netflix while we have more free time! I'm sure our advisers are feeling the pressure.