STCC 2009

ProudTwinMom · Jan 22, 2009

HI Nikki

I am planning on applying for the fall 2009 Nursing program. Most of my general classes are done. Just need one more which is Eng Comp II, which I will do in the summer. I am going to go and apply soon as the deadline is March 1st. I am so excited and scared half to death at the same time.

Good Luck

Angela

Naf1004 · Jan 22, 2009

Angela,

I just realized this site edited my last post..... That is funny!! Have you taken the Nursing Entrance Exam test yet? If so, how was it? The whole process is nerve racking for sure!!

I have A&P 1 this semester and I hope that I can do well. First quiz is tonight so I need to go study before I get busy at work!!

NIkki:up:

ProudTwinMom · Jan 24, 2009

Are you talking about the Hesi? Yes I took it. I got an 80% while that is enough to pass, I wish I had waited and studied better. I really recommend taking A & P I and II before taking it and getting the study guide. I took it last year and I did really well on the vocan , English comp and the basic math but the science questions is what got me because I hadn't taken A & P II yet. I had the AP I but it had been awhile. I wish I used the study guide. I am not taking it again because it was enough to pass and the rest of my grades are really good. All A's and one B so they said I wont need to take it agin with grades like that. Are you applying for this fall or fall 2010?

Hmmmm wonder why you were edited. I kow they dont like names to be used as I said a teachers name and they quickly deleted it.

Naf1004 · Jan 24, 2009

Yes I was talking about the Hesi. I am waiting to take it and I bought the guide online for a great price. I hope to apply in 2010 to start in the fall. Plus I want to pay off as many bills as possible so I don't have to worry about working as much when and If I get into the program. I did really crappy in sociology :banghead: so I am going to take it again.....

That's great you got an 80 on the exam without doing well on the science portion.

You should have no problems getting accepted with those grades, unless of course 1,000 people apply and then they really need to be picky. But still you should be a shoe in. A woman in my A&P class applied already and she hasn't taking any of the pre-reqs yet. I told her she needs to meet certain requirments first.. She was like you never know? LOL.. silly

My first message was edited.. They changed two words on me. lol

Nikki

TessaMae · Jan 26, 2009

The freshmen class lost more than 20 people in the fall semester so I have no idea what they are going to do as far as class size. Many of the students who failed wish to re-apply but it doesn't seem fair to reduce the new applicants by that amount so hopefully they let in more than 100 students. We had about 800 applicants for our class I believe. All A's and one B is great! Let us know when you find out...probably early April.

ProudTwinMom · Jan 26, 2009

Wow 20 people gone in the first semester. That really scares me?? Was it because of grades or they just realized they couldn't do it? That number seems really high to me.

Yes, thanks for the encouragement about my grades.

I am very scared I won't be able to handle school. Things are tough right now. My husband is laid off which means I will have to continue to work part time and I have two year old twins. I don't want to wait any longer as I am already 32, will be 33 when I start. I do have a lot of vacation time which I do plan on saving it all for the fall so I may only have to work 2.5 to 3 days a week while in school Then there is he financial aspect, which reminds me, I need to get some more info on. Lay offs stink!

I will keep you all posted

Naf1004 · Jan 26, 2009

Wow, 20 students....... That is a lot!! Bummer, grades aren't always the best judge of character. I am not the greatest student, but I also work 2 jobs and take care of my family. I am going to do my very best to get better grades from here on.

Angela, sorry to hear about your husband that stinks!! unfortuantly a lot of people are out of work... Keep your head up and try to be positive. I am trying to pay off as many credit cards and small bills as possible in the next year and half. So i will only have to worry about my car, ins and the mortgage. Easier said than done!!!! :twocents:

Nikki

TessaMae · Jan 27, 2009

MANY of the people who got kicked out ARE smart and will make great nurses one day. It is tough because the course is 8 credits and you have 5 grades. A 76 is failing and the NCLEX style multiple choice exam questions take some getting used to but with the small amount of grading opportunities, you don't have much room for error. I did well so I am far from bitter but I feel they didn't give students enough of a chance. Don't be discouraged though because many people who did well worked and have families. I honestly think your ability to answer multiple choice is what makes or breaks you. (Just my opinion)

I studied more in A&P than I did in NURS102, to be quite honest. With that said I do plan on studying more this term but only because I don't want to settle for a B+ without putting the effort in to try and get an A.

NursingStudent10 · Jan 27, 2009

As Tero stated, there really isn't much room for error having only 4 tests per semester. Included in that is the final, and the 5th grade being the term paper. I really believe all of us have the motivation to do well and are smart. Seeing that we all achieved a certain grade point average just going into the program. But it's a lot more than just knowing all the material from front to back. It's about being able to answer those NCLEX style of multiple choice questions. The professors specifically are taught how they are to form a question. It's really surprising how many of us can get a question wrong from one simply word in the question that we may have missed. When they go over the test, all you can do is say... "why didn't I see that before?!" The best advice I can give, from my opinion, is just to take a look at test taking strategies so you have an idea of how to pick out the "best" answer. If you do a search for test taking stategies on this site, you'll find there are a lot of different links that people have suggested that are really helpful.

Naf1004 · Jan 27, 2009

Well good luck and I hope you continue to do well. And hopefully those who didn't make it re-apply and don't get discouraged. I wonder if they have to wait a semester to re-apply? and thanks for the insight! I think they have Nclex study guides, I wonder if they are any good or would even be helpful!

Nikki

NursingStudent10 · Jan 27, 2009

The Nclex study guides are helpful being in the nursing program. For myself, I do as many Nclex type questions as possible. The fact that the study guides will give rationales how exactly to get to the answer helps. It just accustoms you to thinking the way your suppose to, and not over thinking it!

The program suggested "Fundamentals Success: A course review applying critical thinking to test taking" by Nugent and Vitale for our first semester. I thought a lot of us liked it, opposed to the required study guides simply for the fact that it does give rationales. The required study guides do not. There are some more basic concepts that you can try in there.

I'd recommend Saunders comprehensive Nclex RN-examination by Silvestri too.....if you really want to get a head start on things. The nice thing about it is that it gives a snopsis of what you'd learn in class. Then some Nclex questions, with rationales. I feel though, it's more for the upcoming semesters than the first. There are a handful, if even that....for the first semester.

Both have test taking strategies tips, which is nice. However, I believe Saunder's has more practice questions only on the test taking strategies portion. Nursing school is kind of expensive with all the books they require in the first semester. So you might even consider just going to barnes and nobles to take a look at the test taking strategies portions and hold off on getting them. You can always possibly share within a study group or with a buddy too.