Samuel Merritt Spring 2021 BSN

Published

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to start a thread for the Spring 2021 term at SMU. Has anyone applied or planning on applying? Feel free to drop your stats and scores!

For anyone that is reapplying, here is the link to the fall 2021 thread. We can communicate over there! 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
1 hour ago, TanginaMo said:

Here's the link, https://www.facebook.com/groups/397428341619923

Thank you - just requested to join!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
3 hours ago, CaitlinT said:
  • I am 28. I attended Ohlone and Merritt.
  • My cumulative GPA is 3.54, but my Merritt College GPA is 4.0. 
  • Science Pre-Req GPA is 4.0.
  • Have worked in healthcare (for Sutter Health) since September 2015. Non-clinical.
  • English is my first and only language. 
  • No certifications. 
  • No volunteer. 
  • No HESI.
  • No TEAS. 
  • Lots of life experience. 

KEEP STRIVING!

@CaitlinTThank you for sharing your stats. so healthcare experience make big difference. Congrats once again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
3 hours ago, StarlaB said:

Does anyone know if our TEAS score has to be on the application at the time of submission?

yes. we need to submit TEAS/HESI score with application.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
4 hours ago, Pk zee said:

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who got accepted letter this morning. I am happy for you guys. I got rejection letter. if you don't mind to share what's stats?  

Just got my acceptance as well.  My stats are stated at the beginning of this thread but I will reiterate.

  • Nationally accredited medical lab tech (ASCP) w/ 4 years experience in all benches.
  • U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman w/ combat deployment
  • Certified Personal Trainer (NASM)
  • 3.8 cumulative GPA
  • 3.8 Science GPA
  • 2 letters of rec (Microbiology prof, LT/previous supervisor from military)
  • Various awards and accolades from military
  • ~200 hours of volunteer health-care with Kaiser
  • Tutor for student veterans ~ 700 hours
  • Member of student veterans honor society
  • No HESI

Keep in mind, that stats do NOT mean everything because I just received a rejection from SF State.  It really depends on what the program is looking for and a bit of luck.  The process for admissions is so tough because there are so many excellent students, that they have to set the bar unnecessarily high.  There is a holistic approach to this process and your application needs to convince the admissions committee that you are worthy of being there.  There are some students getting accepted with NO clinical experience or a subpar GPA.  Of course, checking off the most boxes helps, but your passion and dedication to this profession need to shine the most through your application.  I'm excited to be meeting you all who have been admitted and those who make it off the waitlist.  To those of you who received denials, do NOT let this little blip defeat you.  We have very long lives and you will make it if you do not give up.

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hello everyone, 

I have been quietly following this forum for the last few months. Congratulations to everyone who got in! I was waitlisted at number 3. I am feeling both discouraged and hopeful at the same time. I feel everyone’s pain, in how hard we have worked. The hard courses, the long study hours, the applications, the volunteer hours, the retaking courses (if this applies to you.) All I can say is, we have all gotten this far, a lot of people aspire to be where we are right now. We got this! Keep going! 
 

Ashley 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
2 hours ago, TanginaMo said:

Here's the link, https://www.facebook.com/groups/397428341619923

Thanks for doing this. I just requested to join

Up Vote Up Vote ×
5 hours ago, Pk zee said:

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who got accepted letter this morning. I am happy for you guys. I got rejection letter. if you don't mind to share what's stats?  

I was very nervous going in to this application cycle because I have failed classes before. I also have many Ws on my transcript. So I want to say to anyone who is in my situation that retaking classes really does help. 

My prerequisite GPA, if you just include the best grade in each class, was a 4.0. However, I did have to retake two of those (non-science) prerequisites, so if they included those failing grades my GPA would much much be lower.

I also had over 1000 hours as a CNA, 2 excellent recommendation letters from a science professor and my Director of Nursing from work, and experience as a teaching assistant. I think that explaining my situation and passion for nursing in the essays also really helped my case.

I am not sure if I will be attending SMU though. I also just received an acceptance to SFSU. I am leaning towards attending SFSU because of the cost, but I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on this? Is Samuel Merritt a better school than SFSU?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
5 hours ago, Pk zee said:

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who got accepted letter this morning. I am happy for you guys. I got rejection letter. if you don't mind to share what's stats?  

I attended UCSB and had a 2.2 GPA without receiving a degree (I had also been on academic probation at this school as well. I was a 17/18 year old who was clearly not ready for the demands of a 4-year university at this time). I started to take classes at Chabot College in 2018 and have a 3.93 GPA. Chabot is pretty much where I did all my major prereqs and is where I really redeemed myself. My cumulative GPA with both schools is a 2.73. My prereqs GPA is a 3.7 and my science GPA is a 4.0. I completed the HESI before apps were due and sent in my score which was a 96.5%. I am a certified EMT with 2 years experience. Before that I was working as a DSP/Home Care Specialist working with individuals with mental and physical disabilites for 2 years, making a total of 4 years in the health sector. I speak English and very little Spanish. I had 4 letters of recommendation, 2 from my science professors (physiology and Microbiology) and 2 from my coworkers who are EMTs as well. I clearly started off really poorly in my higher education career but showed some redeeming qualities later on which must have convinced them (They must love a good redemption story). Just know that as long as you show passion and dedication, a school will want you as one of their students. So do NOT give up. I am rooting for you!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
2 minutes ago, Clementine said:

I was very nervous going in to this application cycle because I have failed classes before. I also have many Ws on my transcript. So I want to say to anyone who is in my situation that retaking classes really does help. 

My prerequisite GPA, if you just include the best grade in each class, was a 4.0. However, I did have to retake two of those (non-science) prerequisites, so if they included those failing grades my GPA would much much be lower.

I also had over 1000 hours as a CNA, 2 excellent recommendation letters from a science professor and my Director of Nursing from work, and experience as a teaching assistant. I think that explaining my situation and passion for nursing in the essays also really helped my case.

I am not sure if I will be attending SMU though. I also just received an acceptance to SFSU. I am leaning towards attending SFSU because of the cost, but I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on this? Is Samuel Merritt a better school than SFSU?

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS.

Second, SMU and SFSU are both really great schools and you should be fine with either one. If cost is a really big factor then SFSU will be the better option. If you want smaller class sizes and more one-on-one time then SMU will be the better option. It just depends on what is more important to you and what your situation is. Hope that helped a little. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
16 minutes ago, Clementine said:

I was very nervous going in to this application cycle because I have failed classes before. I also have many Ws on my transcript. So I want to say to anyone who is in my situation that retaking classes really does help. 

My prerequisite GPA, if you just include the best grade in each class, was a 4.0. However, I did have to retake two of those (non-science) prerequisites, so if they included those failing grades my GPA would much much be lower.

I also had over 1000 hours as a CNA, 2 excellent recommendation letters from a science professor and my Director of Nursing from work, and experience as a teaching assistant. I think that explaining my situation and passion for nursing in the essays also really helped my case.

I am not sure if I will be attending SMU though. I also just received an acceptance to SFSU. I am leaning towards attending SFSU because of the cost, but I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on this? Is Samuel Merritt a better school than SFSU?

I personally have heard mixed reviews from sf state. I've been told they are not that organized (typical state school) and because they accept so few people, a lot of the "pre-nursing" students have to fight for classes etc. Since you got accepted directly into the program I am assuming you won't have to deal with most of those issues? Cost is definitely a factor. But keep in mind the nursing profession pays very well too. If you take out loans to pay for SMU, you most likely would be able to pay them off in a year or two doing full time nursing work. So it really just depends. SMU has shown to lack in certain areas such as communication/organization as well. I don't think one is much more higher ranking than the other. It would just come down to how much you feel comfortable spending and which school is closer to wherever you will commute from. Also congrats on getting into both!! that is amazing!! 

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi! I also applied for Spring 2021 and unforuntately did not get in either. However, for the people that did get in, did any of you have just volunteer hours or did all of the admitted students mainly have paid healthcare experience? I have about 100 hours of volunteer experience at various hospitals and a doctor's office so I was just wondering if this is why I didn't get it :) 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion