Roll call: Hillsborough Community College Spring 2011

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I'm sure that it's probably waaaay to early for this thread, but I figured what the heck. I have all of my application documents just about ready for submission. Just need to add the self addressed postcard and my check.

My main concern though is my Eng I credit. I already have a BS in Biology. The school I attended rewarded me with the Eng I credit based solely on my ACT score. I was originally going to apply for the Spring 2009 class and as I was reviewing my transcripts, I notice that HCC had not given me credit for Eng I. I contacted the Dean of Student Services at the DM campus about it and he referred me to the Asst Dean. From there it pretty much got ugly. My transcript originally had it listed as CLEP credit but I didn't have any CLEP scores of course. I had transferred several times and was given credit every where I went with no questions asked. Not to mention that I actually already have a BS so you would think that I wouldn't have to worry about any of the general education courses. I told all of this to the Asst Dean and the reply that I got was that the original "college awarded the credit in an unorthodox manner and that it wasn't her fault that HCC had higher standards than the other institutions that I had transferred to." Her email pretty much told me to f off in a not so nice way. It didn't help that I gave her a piece of my mind after receiving such a response. *sigh*

I managed to get my original transcript updated so that it no longer says CLEP. It says "ACT score 28" instead. I had an updated copy sent to HCC along with a letter explaining the change, however HCC has yet to update anything. That was last August. Sooooooo, I will be trotting my happy butt in to see an advisor on Friday and praying like heck that they make the change and accept the credit. Because I already have my BS, I absolutely refuse to go back and take Eng I. I'm not happy at all with HCC's administrative staff, but because I can't find another true evening nursing program that doesn't cost an arm and a leg....I'm pretty much stuck with them. I can't afford to quit my job and go to school full time...if I could I would be doing USF's accelerated program instead. :)

Wish me luck!!!

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I seriously can't be the only early bird?? :p

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Specializes in Bone Marrow Transplant.

Good luck :). And is there any chance you could take this course over the fall or the summer? I waited for two years before starting on the pre-nursing/HCC journey because of administrative b.s. from the school where I got my Bachelor's from and finally realized that the battle I was fighting wasn't worth delaying my true goals (they wanted to hold my transcript for $500 that they claimed I owed, which I didn't truly owe). I sucked it up and will hopefully be starting the program this fall. But instead of graduating in 2010, I'll be graduating in 2012 b/c I chose to fight the battle based off of principle instead of realizing that I was really losing out by continuing to fight. If they don't budge perhaps you should consider taking the course. The longer the fight, the further away you are from getting that RN behind your name. Also, I'm sure you'd be able to pull an A in it which would be beneficial as well since, according to the ladies on the Fall 2010 thread, it is not advantageous to have tested out of ENC I since they don't give you a full three credits for the course when calculating your GPA for entry into the program. Now if you have a 4.0 then the last statement is irrelevant, lol.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

The prob is that the deadline for the evening program is June. it's too late to take the class unless I want to wait an extra year. I'm going up there this Friday & hopefully they will change it. But you're right about the admin bs that goes on there. They haven't given me that english credit but have allowed me to take classes for which it was a pre-req. Go figure lol

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Specializes in Bone Marrow Transplant.

Oh no :(. You're hands seem tied. Hopefully they'll give in!!

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If they don't accept it, then take the CLEP exam for the course, if it is offered. That sould satisfy them. :)

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I took it on short notice 2 years ago & just missed the passing score. *sigh* Not bad I suppose for not studying a single bit & not taking an English class in the past oh 13 years. I just utterly despise English but retaking the clep is going to be my only option if I want to make this year's deadline.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Bad news...HCC is will not accept ACT scores for college credit regardless of the fact that I already have a degree. My choices are to either take the CLEP exam or to get my debt paid off and do USF's accelerated program next year. I'm seriously considering option #2. I'll have to quit my job and live off of student loans for about a year but I'm thinking that's a small price to pay to end up with a BSN.

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I am an alternative for fall 2010 currently. I will be reapplying if no one declines. I am a current student at USF also. The minimum is a 3.2 to apply, they look at your cumulative gpa, there is 9 students applying for every seat (they said around 50 seats available every sem), and the minimum usually excepted is a 3.8. Nursing has gotten extremely competitive! Hope that little tidbit of info helps.

I didn't receive any credit for my english since I took the AP exam and they don't count your eng 2, just drop it down to 18 credit hours. That really screwed me over, and Im so angry that being a smart student in high school hurt my chances. :(

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

3.8 cumulative huh? I don't quite have that & even tho I still need to take nutrition, that's still not going to raise my gpa that much. I'll still apply but are there any other accelerated programs in the area?

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Specializes in Critical Care - Adults, Peds & Neonates.

Hi Kristykat....I attended an online information session for the USF nursing programs a month or so ago and received some detailed information there. Although I believe a 3.8 is the norm floor for the upper division program, the 2nd degree program tends to accept students w/ slightly lower GPAs. I put the following in the recent USF thread (https://allnurses.com/fl-nursing-programs/university-south-florida-445573.html), which I hope helps you a bit.

"I attended one of the orientation sessions that the CON offers folks who are interested in the 2nd Degree Program and the Upper Division Program. The person doing the session indicated that this year is even more competitive (since they are receiving a greater no. of applications due to the economy).

She shared that the CON accepts 24 - 36 students for the ABSN out of about 500 applications....Umm...yeah. :lol2:The only comfort is, only 200 of the 500 typically meet the requirements. She said that they now base acceptance on a point system (not just GPA like before). FIVE Points are based on the following:

(1) Cumulative GPA (determined by USF, not the CON) (accepted students typically have - 3.4 - 3.6)

(2) Work Experience

(3) Volunteer/Healthcare Experience

(4) Writing Sample

(5) Grades in Individual Classes that Predict Success (A&PI, A&PII, Microbiology, Chemistry and Stats) - determined by the CON (she indicated that if you have mostly As and one or two Bs, you should be pretty competitive).

Although I'm not sure how, she said that more weight is given to #5 (individual classes that predict success).

The session was pretty informative. She was really open to answering questions...If you haven't had a chance to do so, I'd highly recommend attending one of the sessions (either on campus or online)."

:)

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kristykat....as another female attorney looking to change fields (also with a BS in Biology)...have you decided between the USF BSN or the HCC RN? I am in the process of just beginning that investigation now. What about salary differences?? Would you the USF BSN program take us...even without an RN degree?

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