To all perspective SMC ABSN San Mateo Summer 09 students:
As the Nov 01 application deadline approaches, we should be at least finishing up with our application; some of us may have already mailed it out. Congratulations on taking an important step toward a successful nursing career!
I'm going to mail out my application this week. Currently taking English 1B and patho, I'll take speech and sociology next quarter. Life is not as hectic as when I was taking A&P and chem classes; attending both lecture and lab is so time-consuming. Now I can go zumba-ing 3-4 times a week at Clubone in San Jose. Life as a pre-nursing student is still good, even though I'm not contributing to my 401k.
Please use this thread to get to know each other, to prepare ourselves for the rigorous ABSN program, and to help each other succeed. Why? Because it's in giving that we're receiving!
Just be prepared for them to do something ridiculous like compress your Maternity class from 6 weeks to 3 and then act as if that was fair and an adequate exposure to the material. It isn't that you won't be well prepared, it is just that you have to be ready to advocate for yourself and your class. The administration isn't necessarily going to look out for you in ways you assume they should.
hi puppie55! I'll be in your class! :) Wow, Sacramento, eh? That's quite a daily commute. I'll be commuting from San Jose, which shouldn't be too bad. There's a Facebook group for SMU ABSN students starting this summer. You should search for "Samuel Merritt ABSN '10" and request to join us.
hi puppie55! I'll be in your class! :) Wow, Sacramento, eh? That's quite a daily commute. I'll be commuting from San Jose, which shouldn't be too bad. There's a Facebook group for SMU ABSN students starting this summer. You should search for "Samuel Merritt ABSN '10" and request to join us.
Hi Mochi! I just joined the San Mateo ABSN on facebook. Yes, I live in Sacramento but plan on finding a place down in south bay for school. Hopefully, I can find a cheap studio for about $800.
Just peepin' in... StarBelly, again, I'm not sure where you're at, but to add to the bay area list, Ohlone College offers a Micro class during the summer. I took it last year and looooved it. It was pretty intense, but the teacher I took (Finney) was excellent!
Hey all! I am looking to possibly apply to SM's ABSN whenever I get patho and pharm done (you really have to finish these prereqs before applying, right?). I'd like to get them done this coming summer, but is it a crazy expectation to do both at once? I live in Fremont, and from preliminary research that I've done, there doesn't seem to be any schools that offer these courses nearby, especially in the summer. I reeeaallly don't want to pay an arm and a leg for some online class (read somewhere about Univ. of Nebraska's $1K course), but would rather look at a community college. Has anyone who is going into the SM program taken these courses locally? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thanks everyone!
Hey all! I am looking to possibly apply to SM's ABSN whenever I get patho and pharm done (you really have to finish these prereqs before applying, right?). I'd like to get them done this coming summer, but is it a crazy expectation to do both at once? I live in Fremont, and from preliminary research that I've done, there doesn't seem to be any schools that offer these courses nearby, especially in the summer. I reeeaallly don't want to pay an arm and a leg for some online class (read somewhere about Univ. of Nebraska's $1K course), but would rather look at a community college. Has anyone who is going into the SM program taken these courses locally? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thanks everyone!
gottagetthere, you can apply to SMU before completing all your prerequisites. I had six outstanding classes when I applied. As long as you have them complete before the start of the program, you'll be fine. I took pathophysiology online at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) and I know they offer pharmacology online also. I think I paid less than $100 for 3 semester units. You should definitely look into it. Classes fill up fast! Hope this helps!:wink2:
Update! Samuel Merritt admin admitted their mistake and let me into the program. I received a personal phone call last week. I miraculously got accepted to the Oakland campus. Which gives me seven weeks to find a place to live, pack, move, and get a loan. Yikes!!! but I am so excited and relieved.
Gottagetthere: I took patho and pharm at the same time online. It was brutal, but do-able. I don't recommend pharm from Barstow because it's only 9 weeks. Santa Barbara is a 12-week program and probably more sane. Santa Barbara community college's patho course was excellent.
I've been reading this forum for awhile, but just joined.
Starbelly- Congratulations on getting into Oakland! I had similar issues with being told that I had an incomplete application (only after calling them several times to find out why I hadn't gotten a letter yet). I also got in after showing them proof that my prereqs had been approved by another counselor.
After reading a bunch of these posts, I think the take home message is that we really need to advocate for ourselves, AND we, as cohorts, need to band together to deal with some of the incompetence and disorganization that we'll more than likely see more of in the year to come.
Yes, I agree with you about advocating for ourselves. I did note that they were very concerned about resolving my situation which indicates to me that they intend to have integrity. I think it will be good practice for us to be "professional" and use good communication skills while covering our butts!
Good for you on making sure you didn't fall through the cracks. Which campus are you going to?
tolachi
11 Posts
Just be prepared for them to do something ridiculous like compress your Maternity class from 6 weeks to 3 and then act as if that was fair and an adequate exposure to the material. It isn't that you won't be well prepared, it is just that you have to be ready to advocate for yourself and your class. The administration isn't necessarily going to look out for you in ways you assume they should.