Samuel Merritt ABSN Summer 2012

live.love.laugh · Sep 10, 2011

Has anyone received any emails from SMU yet??? I'm so anxious to hear something from them. I wonder how many people applied.

CaptainButtWipeRN · Sep 13, 2011

Hey all!,

Like all of you, I hope I get picked. My grades and TEAS meet the bare minimum. But, I believe my past experience professionally as an advoate for civic duty is stellar. I just wish I was the whole package. I applied in '09 and was waitlisted. My counselor CA told me that some 4.0 students were even rejected. I was last considered for spring '10, after that I became discouraged and I haven't applied until now. I was told I have a good chance of getting accepted, so I might as well try again.

My first choice is Oakland, second SF and then SM. The percentage accepted from last years pool of applicants is a little above 40%. After I turned in my initial application I became a CNA. I've been working in a hospital for almost two years and I learned much more about healthcare than I thought I would. If I can get in with my history of community service and nearly the 5/10 applicants accepted for the summer, there is no reason why any of us shouldn't be accepted this time around or later on. Just be adamant about building your resumé. I hope I get in...

ElenaH. · Sep 13, 2011

MascliNurse2b,

Thanks for your encouraging post. I didn't know that they accept about 40% usually and hopefully more this summer. I think after becoming a CNA, your application does look much prettier. I was thinking about CNA certificate myself but decided not to go through that route. I really cannot afford time-wise a few more years of education in addition to future nursing school. I totally agree that this job would make me much closer to my goal yet I figured to apply straight to RN programs.

Did you apply to community colleges? Were waitlisted anywhere? At CCs it usually takes a few years to get into the program. I tried this year and didn't get into any of 3 colleges I applied to, got waitlisted at College of San Mateo under a miserable #124. My plan is to go to any school that accepts me first.

ElenaH. · Sep 13, 2011

Optimism87,

I don't remember exactly where I got this information from but as far as I know we won't receive any notifications for 3-4 months. So, relax and try not to think about it too much until November-December.

wannabnurse81 · Sep 13, 2011

Hi MascliNurse2b,

I agree that your CNA experience will definitely push you up on the ladder this time around. If you were already wait listed with a lower TEAS and GPA then the CNA experience will really shine through. I really wanted to become a CNA, because I know that looks really good on the app, but I never had the time... I work full time and I go to school at night (every night). I'm finishing up prereqs in a year and a half, so I literally have zero free time to get certified. If you don't mind me asking, what number were you wait listed as?

I also scored poorly on the TEAS. I met the national average, which is what SMU asks for, but it was really low. I took it the day before the app was due so I didn't have time to retake!! I'm not really expecting to get in this time around because of my TEAS score, but we shall see!! Depends on how much weight they give the score compared to my other assets.

wannabnurse81 · Sep 13, 2011

P.S. I am such a dork, I called to get status and they said that all applications are in the process of being manually entered and that should be completed in about two weeks. Once your application has been entered, they will cash your check.

CaptainButtWipeRN · Sep 13, 2011

@ Elena

Here's the link for the Summer '11 statistics of registered students:applicants. I gotta get on my apps...

@ wannabnurse

I was around the #100 mark on the waitlist. I talked to EB a counselor for the program. She told me that for some cohorts they actually go through the whole waitlist to fill seats. Somewhere in the Summer '11 thread it is rumored that a #60 was picked.

ElenaH. · Sep 13, 2011

It looks like their odds are around 41% of acceptance, which is not that bad. TEAS Reading average 99%. Ouch! Mine is 86%, so much lower. I used only ATI book to prepare. It's so not enough.

ElenaH. · Sep 13, 2011

I wonder if they look at extra tests like GRE. This particular test is by no means a requirement for this program but I spent so much time on preparation to it for other universities and took it a few months ago so I figured I would add it to my application to standout somehow if it's even possible with my lack of healthcare experience.

CaptainButtWipeRN · Sep 13, 2011

I'm scared:uhoh3:...

ElenaH. · Sep 13, 2011

Of what? Hey, you are supposed to be the most confident out of all of us. You've got much better chances being a CNA. I have only 100 hours of volunteering in CCU. And that's it.

wannabnurse81 · Sep 13, 2011

What is CCU? What dept. did you volunteer in? I only have 100 hours too... Both of my letters of rec. were from RNs I met in the ER while volunteering.