Samuel Merritt ABSN San Fran Fall 2008

Published

Anybody else applying?

I got my call yesterday too!! I was so excited, I nearly cried. I was turned down previously for a few other programs and was starting to lose hope.

:D

To those also accepted/applying: Do you already live in the area? Plan on commuting or moving?

CONGRATS hatingthewaiting, I know what you mean about being so excited about being accepted after hearing some rejections. I still don't know if I'm going to accept as i am still waiting on another program, but if I did decide to go, I would have to move since I live in LA county, in the meantime i will savor the moment :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I am thinking about applying to the Oakland and San Fran campuses for the Nov 1 deadline. I was wondering if you have to take the NET at Samuel Merritt? Also for those of you who got accepted what were your GPA's and experience. I really would like to apply but I have already spent a year taking prereqs and now I would have to take three more. Did you hear if you were accepted before you completed the prereqs.

Any input would be appreciated.

As somebody else already said, you do have to take the NET at Samuel Merritt, they have testing in Oakland and at some of their other campuses, you would have to check their website to know exactly which campuses. I live in LA county so I had take a 5hr trip up to Oakland to take the test, so I just turned it into a mini-vacation and stayed the weekend in San Fran. I still have to take Speech and I still have in progress right now Pharm and Patho so I was accepted even though I still needed to complete 3 pre-reqs. As far as experience goes I volunteered 300 hrs at a local hospital, i did a 1 yr internship at UCLA-Santa Monica hospital, I participated in community health/medical organization as an undergrad for 2yrs, and attained my CNA license last summer. My GPA wasn't my strong suit since I didn't have the minimum 3.0 undergrad GPA but I did really well in the pre-reqs and on the essays for the app so I guess that is what helped me get in, along with my health care experience. I took pre-reqs for a year as well before I started to apply to schools. it is sort of annoying how the schools have slightly different pre-reqs and one has to take extra pre-reqs for every school one applies to, however, that is how it goes when applying to nursing schools, so i would encourage you, if it is possible for you to take the extra pre-reqs, to take them so that you have more options when it comes to applying to schools, so that you can cast a wider net. I applied to 5 schools, 2 rejected me, 1 accepted me (samuel merritt) and I am waiting to hear on 2 more, so i am glad i took those extra pre-reqs and casted a wider net, these words are just my :twocents:.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Beetree: I don't believe you have to take the NET at SMC, just as long as you officially report your scores through the testing agency. It's just like back in the day when we sent our SAT scores to various colleges. As far as stats... I had a 94 NET and 2.7 GPA! Not kidding! My 60 unit GPA was almost exactly a 3.0 (the "minimum requirement"). I did go to a rigorous undergrad institution, so I'm sure that helped. I've also worked for an SMC-affiliated hospital for the last 2.5 years, so that undoubtedly helped as well. I applied with patho, pharm, sociology, and physiology outstanding, with no pre-reqs left for summer.

Hatingthewaiting: I currently live in SF and commute to the East Bay, so I'm staying put! I don't recommend west-bound commuting to anyone unless you take public transportation... most days it takes an hour by car to get into the city by 7am. Rent is cheaper in Oakland, but there are affordable places to be found in SF if you look hard and are willing to share a place. I'm still waiting to hear from another program, but it's out-of-state, so even if I get in, I'm leaning towards going to SMC.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It sounds like you all have loads of healthcare experience. I really need to get busy with that. I am trying to volunteer at the local hospital but the process just takes forever. Does anyone have any other places that I could volunteer at or things I could do to increase my application.

Thanks

Up Vote Up Vote ×

First: congratulations to everyone who got accepted!!!

Second: I was put on on the wait-list at #17 and I can't get a hold of anyone in the admissions department to ask them why...

I have a 3.36 gpa in prereqs, a 3.02 in last 60 semester units, and i got an 88 on my NET. I went to Berkeley and majored in Biology. I volunteered at a hospital for one year, and currently work there. I had two letters of rec from professors and one from my supervisor who is a nurse... I don't understand why I got placed on a wait-list at #17 (i highly doubt 17 people will not want to accept their position)... am I missing something?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

blackcat - I'm really sorry you didn't get in. I'm also surprised. You sound like a very strong candidate. Your net score is quite high. The only thing I can think of is that your last 60 unit gpa isn't too hot, but you're from a good school which I assume they *do* consider quite heavily. Did you get an interview at least?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

nope, i talked to some admission person and they said that they don't care that I went to Berkeley or that I took a lot of extra classes (sports medicine, hormones&behavior, two different physio classes, two different psych classes, a year of o-chem or physics) I can't get a hold of anyone that actually made the decision and I'm extremely frustrated. I've tried to ask how to transfer my application to san mateo's campus since they start a few months later, and for three months now, i haven't been able to get in touch with anyone, the one lady i talked to earlier today didn't know. I don't understand how it all works. I'm looking into out of state schools. I talked to University of Rochester and the admissions counselor told me that they definitely take into consideration the type of school and major someone has. I'm really upset because when I went to have my counseling appointment at Samuel Merritt, the lady said that i'd be fine and that my grades were acceptable, so I didn't apply to too many schools. Sorry, I really had to vent.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hey black cat, that is really shi**y! I haven't heard anything from SMC!!!!! So I am assuming I did not get in. When I try to talk to Anne Seed she totally blows me off. they also told me that I would be fine and I would get in. I guess thats how they lure you in to pay the 50 dollar app fee!!!! But I did get into another college, a JC, but whatever, it will all be worth it in the end.

**question for anybody willing to answer**

Did they send out the letters for San Mateo as well, or is this just the SF ones. I applied to both, and don't know if I should still have hope....

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I think they just sent out letters for the SF location. I have a friend who is applying to san mateo and applications aren't due until July I believe.

Black cat: sorry you didn't get in . You seem very qualified, the only thing I can think of is that sometimes they have people that were supposed to be in different start dates or locations (have already applied to SM SF for this April/MAy) but for some reason it didn't work out and they reapplied for this one. I know someone who that happend to her. Or people who have been on waiting lists before and reapplied. I know it shouldn't matter and that's not fair! I wonder how many applied, does anyone know?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

From what I have read on other posts the San Mateo campus is easier to get into then the San Fran because of less demand. Don't give up until you have the letter.

I never thought the application process would be so frustrating.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi...

First time poster here!

Does anyone know if SCM requires tons of hours of Volunteer Service? I plan to apply in October, but I don't work in the health care field and I have not volunteered at any hospitals. I'm currently looking for a hospital to volunteer at. I tried calling Mills Peninsula in Burlingame and they are very unresponsive.

I'm a bit worried now, because when I visited with a councelor, she told me I should be fine too. I have pretty good grades.. mostly A's, a few B's and one C. I'm pretty sure my last 60 is well above 3.0.

Any advice from anyone would be great. Any volunteer suggestions would be great too!

I live in San Mateo.. plan to apply for the San Mate campus :)

Hope to hear from you guys!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Iwant2beRN - I'm not too sure how much SMC cares about volunteer work, but try Stanford Hospital. I volunteered there, I also live in San Mateo and the commute isn't bad at all, 20 minutes. Go online under volunteers and they show you all of the opportunities. goodluck and let me know if you have any questions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion