I went to their website today and found that the nursing application has now been posted. Due date is January 15, 2010. Now it's time to bug my professors for another round of forms and letters. I have one letter, but need the form to get filled out. It's so embarrassing to go back to the same people. I feel like I owe them the world. What's the most number of requests anyone has asked one person?
Anyway back to the application itself. On it you have to choose a Graduate Program Emphasis. If my goal is to become a Diabetes Educator, should I choose Adult Acute CNS or Maternal/Child CNS, or should I choose Public Health? Does anyone know if we can change specialties mid-stream?
Booger, it is fine if your results are submitted post the application deadline. Last year the writing requirement was not used as criteria for admission, and less things have changed i dont think the committee will be conisdering that at all. There are some in the program now who still have yet to fulfill this requirement, and as long as it gets done at some point before the graduate portion (but post licensure), it is fine.
Sfsu only considers the analytical writing portion of the test. It will be on your permanent academic record if you bomb the rest, so if you plan to go on to np school, maybe something to think about. I checked and you must take the entire gre, you cant just take the analytical writing only, because gre administrators dont do it that way. Its all or nothing, but for the sake of this program the answer is yes, you could very well flunk the entire test but get that one score for the analytical writing and be fine like cherry wine.
It is variable. I say that because there were some who had stellar grades, pre-reqs and undergrad cumulative, who did not get in. By stellar I mean 3.8 and above average baccaleureate, 4.0 pre-reqs. They will look at your experience in healthcare, the personal statement is VERY important, and your reccomenders. At orientation one professor said our group demonstrated a level of maturity, even if not all of us are old per se, but I think it's key to relate your life experiences, especially professional ones, to really making an impact in a spectiality area of care. Think of tangible skills that you can offer and articulate them well in your statement, and if possible have your reccomenders endorse those skills and validate them. Do not concentrate on bs stories and try to pull heart strings, remove the emotion and have an air of professionalism and seriousness.
Of course it is best to have awesome grades, but that is automatically assumed and is a mandatory BASELINE to compete. But bear in mind someone who can offer some awesome, proven skills to the field, with a stellar statement and a real understanding of advanced practice, who has two B's, maybe one C in a fluffy non-science pre-req -- will get in over the straight A bookworm with a generic application, and fluffy healthcare experience. That is why I say it is variable.
I had excellent grades, but a C in psych, but i more than compensated for that because I have a professional background and directly tied that experience from the corporate world to what i know i can offer the nursing field. Granted, the C was probably marginal considering rest of my transcripts. But i could not have competed without reccomendations from nurses (cleaned a hell of a lot of gurneys for that one), an effective personal statement and a cirricululum vitae that shows i have done something with my life.
I am not an expert, i am sure you will find all types of scenarios, people and backgrounds, from recent graduates who spent and an inordinate amount of time volunteering at hospitals or getting involved in philanthropy, and others umemployed the last 10 years -- so all this is a moot point. Just put your best foot forward. There is no point system, and grades are simply a benchmark for them to say "ok lets look at this person a little closer." Once they look closer, better distinguish yourself with rest of your app.
I wish everyone well. I am sorry if I can't answer all your questions, as my schedule is too work-ladden for me to follow this blog, and before I know it spring semester will be here. But I hope my baseline reccomendations and insights will help someone.
VanHalenFan
45 Posts
Booger, it is fine if your results are submitted post the application deadline. Last year the writing requirement was not used as criteria for admission, and less things have changed i dont think the committee will be conisdering that at all. There are some in the program now who still have yet to fulfill this requirement, and as long as it gets done at some point before the graduate portion (but post licensure), it is fine.
Sfsu only considers the analytical writing portion of the test. It will be on your permanent academic record if you bomb the rest, so if you plan to go on to np school, maybe something to think about. I checked and you must take the entire gre, you cant just take the analytical writing only, because gre administrators dont do it that way. Its all or nothing, but for the sake of this program the answer is yes, you could very well flunk the entire test but get that one score for the analytical writing and be fine like cherry wine.