I was wondering if there are any Summer 2009 Rush GEM applicants out there and if you have heard anything back from RUSH at this point? I applied for early decision and don't really know how competitive I am as an applicant... My undergrad gpa is a 3.6 with the last 60 hours being a 3.8. I have research experience at Northwestern at the medical school, have been published once in a peer-reviewed journal, have been a vp and pres of BBB national honor society. I have a year of full time EMT experience and about 1,000 hours in volunteering at a nursing home. I am just really worried because I keep reading that people are like 3.9 GPA's with tons of clinical experience and what not.
If anyone is out there who is applying let me know how your process is going.
Have you been accepted to Rush yet for June? Or are you still waiting?
This quarter's schedule is a JOKE! We had class on Monday from 9-12, then Lab from 1-4; Tuesday we had one class 9-12, and only three times during the quarter we had another class from 1-3 (it is primarily online). We had another online class. And then clinical for 6 hours either Wed or Thurs, once a week.
Next quarter though is going to be tougher -
M: 9-12
Tu: 10-12, 1-3
W: 10-12, 1-3
Th: class all day? not sure yet
F: Clinical 6 hrs
It's not as bad as they said it would be. They kind of exaggerate in the College of Nursing and make it sound way more intense than it is. I remember thinking I'd have class everyday from 9-5. This quarter has been a good balance. Online classes are a pain but lots of places are doing them now. They aren't hard - just annoying.
I only applied to Rush actually (which was risky!). I forget why I didn't go with DePaul -- though it was on my list. Is there program one in which you have to choose your nurse practitioner specialty? I know that's why I didn't apply to UIC - they didn't have neonatal as a specialty for their master's entry program where you go longer and specialize.
No, DePaul doesn't make you pick your specialty up front which, I agree, is pretty dumb. I am having a very hard time deciding between schools. I am nervous about Rush simnply because of the newness of the program.
I am not sure myself what the differences are between Rush and DePaul. With Rush you can become certified to be a clinical nurse leader upon graduation and with DePaul they have an optional clinical nurse leader internship at the end of the program, but I do not know too much about the internship. Both programs are for people with bachelor's degrees in another field that want to enter nursing.
Yes, by the end of Rush's program, you can take the new exam to be a certified Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL). I'm assuming you could do the same after DePaul's Program.
It looks like they have a lot of non-grad classes, mainly those "intro to the art and science of nursing I, II and III" -- those kind of sound lame to me!! All of Rush's classes are now graduate level - like 500 level, no 300 level like DePaul. I also think Rush has a bigger variety of classes that you take. DePaul's program doesn't list a lot of specific things you take.
The good thing about Rush is that the 7th quarter is a full time residency in a unit (someone of your choice) at the hospital. So instead of classes, you are in the unit "working" (ie - paying for it, instead of being paid!) full time while working on a final capstone project. That's one thing that was really appealing to me. Plus you have 200 more clinical hours at Rush.
Keep in mind, some classes might be switched around for the June 2009 cohort, but those are likely to be GOOD changes after hearing input from us!
I don't think DePaul's program has been around much longer -- maybe since 2007. The Generalist Master programs are very new nationwide and only recently (ie, the past couple years) have nursing schools started developing. I believe only a couple programs have had their first graduating classes in the past year - Vanderbuilt and UVA? A handful of schools have had their first generalist groups graduate because it's very new.
You sound like you are happy with your choice?? Have you worked at all while in the program? I know the school tells you not to, but only a student of the program would really know if it's feasible.
I've been babysitting on Fridays and every other Thursday this quarter. Next quarter I probably won't be able to because we are in class 5 days, though we have a half-day on Monday.
Most people are not working. next quarter it really wouldn't be too feasible to work. I'm sure it's the same with DePaul. But again, they will likely be swapping a class from 2nd quarter to first quarter for the June group to ease the load.
chicagochicklett
19 Posts
Prachi - I would not worry about your GPA. Mine wasn't that great either (i went to northwestern and the sciences KILLED me!).
My prereq GPA was right around yours. I had Cs in inorganic and organic chem, but As in most of the other pre-reqs. And I got in fine!
I don't think they are as intense about GPAs and stuff as they make themselves out to be.
GOod luck!