Samuel Merritt ABSN Spring 2011

tiss · Feb 18, 2011

Thanks for all your advice.

Pondmud · Feb 18, 2011

As one student at San Mateo, I'd say that YES OMG the program is intense. However, it is possible to complete. While there are some professors whose teaching styles haven't been a perfect match to my learning style, every single person has been helpful and supportive. I adore my classmates.

That said, I do have some advice. 1. Expect to feel completely overwhelmed, lost and freaked out. Rest assured that everyone else in your group feels the same way. However, 2. Trust your faculty when they tell you "you still get through this". They take their roles very seriously in making sure you learn what you need to learn. 3. Expect not to feel like the smartest kid in class. You're in a classroom full of smartest kids, and you may feel uncomfortable average. However 4. you are not competing with them. SMU fosters such a collaborative culture, one that (ideally) matches with the best work environment, where people share knowledge and develop best-practices for mutual success.

It's completely different from the rest of my college experiences. You may feel completely off-balance when you start, but that's alright. It's a good program, and they do give you the tools to be a successful and amazing nurse.

tiss · Feb 18, 2011

Thanks, that's very helpful

supraman408 · Feb 28, 2011

Thanks for all the advice!

nursemali · Mar 3, 2011

Hi, I noticed you posted on a thread from the Samuel Merritt Sac ABSN spring 2010. First, I'd like to congratulate all that have gotten into this program and any program at that! I recently completed the program (Dec 2010). You are all very right. This program is intense. You start of jogging..then go full speed ahead to running. By the second half of the year, you should have gotten into the groove of things and able to handle the workload. I wasn't the smartest in the class, and there were many who struggled...but working with your classmates to get through it is essential. Also, if you realize you're struggling, it's important to get help right away. Majority of the classes are 5 weeks so it's important to get all the help and resources you can as soon as you can. I would definitely recommend opening up that ATI package you got and using those books. They basically take all the information from the text books and condense it. The faculty does do all they can to help you..I still keep in touch with a few faculty members today.

I'll admit, the school has it's own issues, but overall it is a very good program to be in. Samuel Merritt may be expensive, but you are paying for the time. If you were to attend a nursing school or college at that outside of California, you'd probably spend just as much if not a little less than here. I am in debt from school, but student loans aren't a bad debt.

Furthermore, Samuel Merritt's passing rate was exceptional. I can say that a majority of the class has taken the nclex already and passed! Also, it's great to have that BSN because with this competitive market, a BSN DOES make a difference. I am one of the lucky ones who passed the nclex on the first try AND have gotten an offer for a position in a hospital. I've been reading that other students have been getting offers as well..it's slowly but surely coming!

The year will go by quick. I didn't realize it then, but at the end, it'll all be worth it.

StarryEyed, RN · Mar 5, 2011

I was in the 2009 Sac program. If I had to go back, I would definitely do it again. I thought our teachers were great. I always felt like I was able to go talk to them if I needed to. We had most of their personal #'s and email to get in contact w/them outside of school. After our 6 first weeks of health assessment we jumped right into 24hrs of clinical each week and our rotations (w/the exception of my psych rotation) were great. And who can beat starting nursing school after New Years and being done before Christmas?!?! Yes, it took a while to land a job, but that's d/t the economy not the school. Our passing rate was exceptional, all of us passed (2 ppl I haven't heard from, but the rest was the 1st time for sure)

MyRoseyCareer · Aug 7, 2012

Victory925-

Are you still out there? I have some questions for you!!!