Hi Everyone! I know this is a bit early but I will be applying to SMU for the ABSN program of Summer 2014 (Oakland Campus). I am currently finishing my Bachelor's degree in health science at CSUEB right now and I will be done in the fall. I just wanted to start a discussion on this topic and get to know some people who are applying to the program for summer 2014. Let's get to know each other, share our stats, etc.
Here are my estimated stats that they look at:
Last 60 units GPA: 3.5
Pre req GPA: 3.4
Teas: 83 but I am re taking it in a couple of weeks
Experience: I am a CNA and Med tech currently. I volunteer at John Muir hospital and at American Red Cross.
I hope to hear from some prospective applicants soon!
it will delete their names if i post it, but the admissions counselor i was emailing with said march... which i thought was really late. so i called and talked to one of the general counselors who told me december. i met with a nursing counselor in april who also told me march. everything on the website says it can take up to 4 months after the deadline too. so im totally confused, but it sounds like the majority of people are saying next year, which sucks!
1. 8/12/13 Applied to ABSN Summer 2014 - Oakland 1st choice. My whole application was paper and I handed it in to the Admissions office. At the time of application I had nothing outstanding.
2. 9/17/13 Received the following email:
Thank you for your application to the SMU ABSN SU 2014 program
Your application has passed the SMU Admission review and has been found complete. It will be further forwarded to the Nursing department for the next evaluation process.
3. 10/16/13 After several calls and emails, I received a voicemail from the ABSN Admissions Counselor. I had been asking when to expect notification. She said that for Oakland "it probably won't be until March". I thought there was a mistake, so I followed up again and, again after several weeks received the following email from her:
You did not receive an answer because this is an overwhelming period for me and I am on a process trying to catch up with applicants that have not received the report you already have in your hands.
I am not sure what you expect to hear on your question. The Fall and Spring involve less campuses so that means less files and faster answers. The summer involves 3 campuses and about 400 files that I have to check (along all other responsibilities I have) and then send them to the Nursing department where again they have to go through the whole lot.
4. So, now I know that it will not take 4 months as it says on the website and they tell you when you turn in the application. I find this to be really frustrating because it leaves me in a bad place with my employer where I cannot prepare them for what is coming next. If I am starting the program in May then we need to start looking for a replacement and training sooner than March and I feel bad that won't happen. Also, I have other things to sort out personally if I am going to be starting an intensive course, blahblahblah, we're all in the same position. So, I'm waiting just like all of you!
5. What is everyone doing regarding financial aid? I'm confused about what to do since I haven't actually been accepted to a program...
That is really helpful, thank you. Around the same time as you, I received an email saying my application was incomplete due to a nutrition class not being sufficient enough for the prereq. But after discussing it with her further, it was actually a mistake/misunderstanding on their end and she was I was good to go. I guess I am assuming that based on our correspondences that my application continued to move forward, even though I didn't get an official email saying it was complete.
She seemed a little frustrated/overwhelmed in her response to you. It seems like the same person I emailed back and forth with, who also told me March. It was the admissions counselor I met with when reviewing my prereqs, as well as the people they have answering the phones, that kept telling me December. Seems like if admissions is overwhelmed with 3 campuses in the summer then they should bring on more people to review the applications. I feel as frustrated as you that we have to wait until march, due to the financial aid situation, work, having to move etc. It is a lot to accomplish in 2 months (if accepted).
As for financial aid, I haven't looked into getting it through SM yet. But I know that in applying for loans and financial assistance elsewhere, you have to be accepted into the program before you can apply. They are certified loans - they go to the school directly and then get dispersed to the student - so we can't apply until we are in. :-/
I was crossing my fingers for hearing back in december!!! but it more and more seems to not be the case.
Thanks for the updates banandas and whitneyABSN. I also got an email saying my application was incomplete but after some emailing back and forth the problem was figured out. I never got another email confirming that my application was moving forward, but hopefully it is. It’s frustrating how the communication isn’t consistent – some people get updates on their application moving forward and others don’t! Like you guys, the financial aid portion is freaking me out. If we don’t find out until March it’s going to be a pretty stressful couple of months trying to get loans (and I will need a lot because I am borrowing for tuition and living expenses), giving notice at my job and getting my replacement trained. A little more than 2 months would be nice to get all that done! On a positive note, we are halfway done with our wait to find out if we got in :)
Try not to stress out about waiting for your acceptance from SMU. If you check previous years here on this site - most often folks find out in February, though last year our cohort found out in March (I'm seven months into the ABSN program now and finish in May 2014). In the meantime, enjoy your FREE time and spend it with family and friends. Also, if you work now, save up some "rainy day" money as you will not be able to work in the ABSN program (though there is one person in our cohort who does work part time and his grades are fine, though he's very sleep deprived ) You could also prepare yourself for the program (or any other nursing program you may be accepted into) by reviewing your A/P, Pharmacology and Pathophysiology (focus on Diabetes, Hypertension, CHF, AKI/CKD, Endocrine disorders, Pneumonia, etc.). You could also start reviewing NCLEX type questions; all SMU tests are NCLEX-style questions (the style/type is different then standard test questions). Lastly, don't worry too much about financial aid - you will have enough time to apply and get things in order prior to classes starting at SMU. SMU also has a "grace period" the first semester you start, as they know you are seeking financial payment options.
Hi all! Hope everyone had a great Christmas. Have any of you submitted grades from this semester and received an email back? I sent mine about 2 weeks ago and have yet to hear back that they updated my file. I called and it seems the counselor is on vacation until the 6th.
@Spatel, ah, now I'm super worried. I REALLY need those to get imported because it was 3 of the major science classes. I'm sure without those, I would not get in. I wonder If I should send another email
after emailing her about my prior email, I recieved an automated message as follows:
"SU14 ABSN files (April start) have been transfered to school of Nursing for final evaluation. No other files have been moved yet. Expect notification by cohort. All cohorts, expect answers around end of February, 2014"
Update from counselor, who must have forgotten that she already replied to my email (which I posted before...). In response to my question about when we would be notified and that I had received a notification in September about my file being complete and being moved to the Nursing department:
Received 12/24:
Hi Amanda
The email was that your file would be moving further however that further comes much later.
The files will be moved to the Nursing Department beginning of January. We will know about the end of February
I randomly received an email on christmas eve saying i would hear of their decision late february. i havent gotten the automated message saying my application has moved to the school of nursing though... melissahoyt, did you get that response via email??
I randomly received an email on christmas eve saying i would hear of their decision late february. i havent gotten the automated message saying my application has moved to the school of nursing though... melissahoyt, did you get that response via email??
) You could also prepare yourself for the program (or any other nursing program you may be accepted into) by reviewing your A/P, Pharmacology and Pathophysiology (focus on Diabetes, Hypertension, CHF, AKI/CKD, Endocrine disorders, Pneumonia, etc.). You could also start reviewing NCLEX type questions; all SMU tests are NCLEX-style questions (the style/type is different then standard test questions). Lastly, don't worry too much about financial aid - you will have enough time to apply and get things in order prior to classes starting at SMU. SMU also has a "grace period" the first semester you start, as they know you are seeking financial payment options.
whitneyABSN
21 Posts
it will delete their names if i post it, but the admissions counselor i was emailing with said march... which i thought was really late. so i called and talked to one of the general counselors who told me december. i met with a nursing counselor in april who also told me march. everything on the website says it can take up to 4 months after the deadline too. so im totally confused, but it sounds like the majority of people are saying next year, which sucks!