Rush GEM summer 2010 - how are my specs?

[chicurious]

Hello,

I've read through about every Rush and/or GEM posting. I've applied for the June 2010 quarter and I am seeing a mixture of experiences and backgrounds for applicants from previous quarters. When I first was learning about Rush and met with an admissions counselor for the GEM program I was told in so many words that I am pretty much a shoe-in because of my background (lived and worked in another country, bilingual in Spanish, have 5 years of community service related work, plan on going into public health and global nursing, etc.), however, as we all know nerves set in during the waiting period and doubts take over. Particularly regarding my GPA and prereqs (I keep reading of people with 3.9 GPAs and it makes me very intimidated).

Can someone let me know if you think I'm a competitive candidate (as in I'll be accepted most likely), please?

Also, can people please share their "stats" if they feel comfortable?

- I have a 3.34 GPA from undergrad and my prereqs are at a 3.4. My sciences are as such A&P I - A; A&P II - B; Org Chem - B; Microbiology - B. I did those prereqs at a community college.

- I lived abroad in a Latin America for a year and a half doing human rights education and work. Not health related.

- I have worked for 3 years in a addition to that in the U.S. also doing non-health related community education and organizing.

- I'm returning abroad in a month (hopefully after my interview) in order to work at a rural clinic in the mountains of Mexico. Partly in order to get some experience in global health, partly to learn medical Spanish.

- I volunteered at a hospital in a low-income area of Chicago in the peds department. I haven't volunteered in the past several months there because I was quite busy with school. I'm worried that will make me look like a weakling or a quitter since I haven't been continuing with it. But I did do it for 6 months and technically I'm not off the volunteering roster, just haven't been participating recently.

- I've also run with a medic/firefighter friend of mine.

- I'd like to work in the U.S. for a few years post-grad, but I'm really interested in going abroad again in order practice nursing.

- My reason for my change from community organizing to nursing is largely based on the fact that I want to continue doing compassion-based work, but really wanted to gain and perfect a strong and specific knowledge base and a set of tangible and applicable skills. Also, in my essay I discussed how health related issues kept coming up in my work and it caused me to think about healthcare and I began talking to public health nurses before settling on the decision to pursue a degree.

Anything else? Essentially, I have no doubt I have a strong community background, but I'm most concerned about my GPA, my mediocre grades in sciences and my so-so health experience background.

[jessica75]

Hello Nursechiney,

I am sure GPA is important; however, They are also give you big points as you have great passion toward to health care field. Your pre-req GPA is still fine, so no worry. Be yourself and positive!!!

[cbacheld]

I would also apply to UIC and DePaul's MENP programs. It took me 3 years to get into nursing school in chicago. I had an undergraduate degree in Chemistry (much lower GPA - a 2.75), volunteer work in hospice, and 4 years experience working at a doctor's office. With excellent recommendations and GRE scores, I got into DePaul's program and graduate in June. Don't let anyone tell you your GPA is too low. Be confident...you have excellent and diverse experience, and for many, that is just as valuable as a 4.0. If you really want to go to nursing school, it will happen (I am a perfect example).

With that being said, Rush and UIC seem to be a bit more particular with their applicants related to their GPAs. If the counselor sounded positive...that's a good sign, but it's never a bad idea to have a couple of back-ups.

Best of luck!! You can do it!!