Stony Brook BSN - Summer/Fall 2011 Applicants

foifi · Apr 7, 2011

paco- can i ask.. what was your GPA? I am worried I'll never get in to any nursing program....

kristenann110 · Apr 7, 2011

hi guys sorry ive been out of the thread so long i just have had a lot going on im sorry to all those who heard they didnt get in some of you from what u have said are dropping my jaw that u didnt get in (not that u needed to hear that but I jst wanted to extend to u the fact that im impressed with ur credentials and now am shaking to the fact that if u didnt get in...i highly doubt i will) im still waiting trying to keep my head up... :no:

foifi · Apr 7, 2011

kristen ann- i think that one of the reasons why people are not getting in is that there just aren't enough spots. I was reading some articles on the shortage in nursing school faculty and can really feel it hit home right now. I just don't know what else I can do to stand out next year??

I want to be a nurse and don't want to be held back from my dream anymore. Its such a terrible feeling.

kskirk1021 · Apr 7, 2011

This is crazy!!!!!!!!!! :confused: Who is getting in??? I am really nervous now...I still have nothing on my Solar account....

Buckeroo · Apr 7, 2011

Almost midnight and no change to SOLAR for me. Does something show up on the first page after you enter your username and password?

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2011

paco- can i ask.. what was your GPA? I am worried I'll never get in to any nursing program....

Depends on which one:

1st bachelors: 3.2 GPA

Stony Brook ABSN prereqs (micro, A&P I & II and Gen Chem I & II): 4.0 GPA

Cumulative for all undergrad courses to date: ~3.4 GPA.

In terms of grades, the ONE piece of advice from a nurse that I took to heart before I started my prereqs: Get nothing less than an A in your sciences. I don't know if this is the case @ any particular school for sure, but I have heard that the science prereq GPA is often used as a "tiebreaker" between candidates who are pretty close on all other things. Now that I think about it, this IS actually a policy at one Florida nursing school. So given that, I did not want to take a chance that I would be ruled out on that factor.

And I am of the school of thought that believes that anyone CAN get an honest "A" in these prereqs, you just have to focus and make personal sacrifices (i.e., don't even think of attending lecture without reading chapter, ONE weekend day is dedicated to studying for class, don't sit with friends in the back of the class, etc etc). Case in point: I took micro with a very smart girl who was on a Bright Futures Scholarship here in FL (which basically are awarded to top high school students and get free rides for college). Her priorities however were skewed: she opted to party sometimes over studying. She once took a test with a hangover and then got mad that she got a 70 (not bad with a hangover but I digress). I worked with her and showed her what she had to do to get the 90's I was getting on my tests. Well, it worked on one test as she got a 92 (which was actually an accomplishment considering it covered that nasty micro genetics topic). But in the end she ended up getting a B in the class and was disappointed that she did not get an A. I reminded her that I was telling her all semester what she had to do to get her A but she didn't listen. Turns out she did not get in to the nursing program at the school (an ADN). This was a year ago. I need to give her a call, I wonder what she has done since.

Anyway, I got D's in my sciences when I was a pre-med freshman a long time ago, and I was a lot like this girl back then. And I never shared this with anyone here until now: I DID lose a big scholarship because of that. I vowed that would never happen again. Had it not been for that 1st semester I would have had more than a 3.2 for that bachelor's.

BTW, I find it really hard to believe that so many people on here have been rejected from the 2-year program :eek: ... I mean, not ONE acceptance? Those odds are kind of weird. I would certainly wait for the paper letter before totally giving up hope!

bern69 · Apr 7, 2011

To make a very sad day even worse, my daughters and son opened the tab and I got rejected! I am waitlisted for the one year, so I was thinking this was going to be it. I don't know what to think. I have 3 A's and 1 B+ in my science prerequesites, polished up my essay, had all 3 recommendations from my science prof.(of which I got A's), and am currently a full time student taking courses I would need to fulfill the 2 year requirement that are not in my original BS degree (BTW I am currently pulling a 4.0 in them). I am waiting to hear from SCCC for their program, but that was plan C. I am too old for this to go on forever before i recieve a BSN. I am 42 have 3 kids, one of which needs me to have a salary to help with college tutition in 2012. Totally bummed. I am thinking maybe there was something to eliminate us immediately from the pool and that's why we were denied immediately?

KJM-RN, BSN · Apr 7, 2011

Depends on which one:
1st bachelors: 3.2 GPA
Stony Brook ABSN prereqs (micro, A&P I & II and Gen Chem I & II): 4.0 GPA
Cumulative for all undergrad courses to date: ~3.4 GPA.
In terms of grades, the ONE piece of advice from a nurse that I took to heart before I started my prereqs: Get nothing less than an A in your sciences. I don't know if this is the case @ any particular school for sure, but I have heard that the science prereq GPA is often used as a "tiebreaker" between candidates who are pretty close on all other things. Now that I think about it, this IS actually a policy at one Florida nursing school. So given that, I did not want to take a chance that I would be ruled out on that factor.
And I am of the school of thought that believes that anyone CAN get an honest "A" in these prereqs, you just have to focus and make personal sacrifices (i.e., don't even think of attending lecture without reading chapter, ONE weekend day is dedicated to studying for class, don't sit with friends in the back of the class, etc etc). Case in point: I took micro with a very smart girl who was on a Bright Futures Scholarship here in FL (which basically are awarded to top high school students and get free rides for college). Her priorities however were skewed: she opted to party sometimes over studying. She once took a test with a hangover and then got mad that she got a 70 (not bad with a hangover but I digress). I worked with her and showed her what she had to do to get the 90's I was getting on my tests. Well, it worked on one test as she got a 92 (which was actually an accomplishment considering it covered that nasty micro genetics topic). But in the end she ended up getting a B in the class and was disappointed that she did not get an A. I reminded her that I was telling her all semester what she had to do to get her A but she didn't listen. Turns out she did not get in to the nursing program at the school (an ADN). This was a year ago. I need to give her a call, I wonder what she has done since.
Anyway, I got D's in my sciences when I was a pre-med freshman a long time ago, and I was a lot like this girl back then. And I never shared this with anyone here until now: I DID lose a big scholarship because of that. I vowed that would never happen again. Had it not been for that 1st semester I would have had more than a 3.2 for that bachelor's.
BTW, I find it really hard to believe that so many people on here have been rejected from the 2-year program ... I mean, not ONE acceptance? Those odds are kind of weird. I would certainly wait for the paper letter before totally giving up hope!

Unfortunately for me, A's don't get you in. I have an A in every class and I was rejected. Along with my other stuff I already mentioned to support my A's. There was absolutely nothing else I could have done to make myself stand out. I had 1 bad semester at an art school 8 years ago, which I can't change now. Not a single credit was used towards the application to Stony Brook, other than just submitting the transcript, which I wish wasn't a requirement. So sometimes you just never know if you'll get in, no matter how hard you try, it might not even matter.

lisa_toronto · Apr 7, 2011

OMG...I am so sorry for all of you who did not get in. My heart breaks for you. But as Paco said, DON'T GIVE UP!!! When one door closes another one opens. I wish you all the best of luck with your future endeavors.

chele118 · Apr 7, 2011

Almost midnight and no change to SOLAR for me. Does something show up on the first page after you enter your username and password?

On my page right after I entered my username and password I saw a link for "admissions decision" it was next to "view applicant information"

For the accelerated program, SB sent me an email telling me to check SOLAR, that a decision was made, but I did not get such an email this time. I wonder if there was some sort of glitch and maybe, just maybe, it was a mistake and there's still hope that we got in. Fingers crossed.

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2011

To clarify, not saying here that a 4.0 GPA is going to guarantee anything, but it improves your chances and can't hurt to have in your profile. I guess I will never know exactly what combination of factors motivated the admissions committee to give my application a nod. But had I not been accepted once again, I would take steps to find out what is keeping me from getting in. I would want to know that. It is not proactive to proceed on improvement without this information. Never giving up means just that, persevering until you get to your goal.

And never resign yourself to the fact that you are too old: I am almost 42 myself and don't consider myself old in the least. Notice that I don't even add the "years old" phrase when I say my age - because that is all it is - just a number. Once you start to say that you are old, the mind and body starts to believe it and goals and motivation start breaking down. It's all in the mindset. I guess it works, because many people have pegged me as being 10 years younger that I really am. Nice reward! :)

If you can afford to wait and reapply, do it! If not, pursue your plan B towards nursing. If your plan B involves something away from nursing, then nursing should not have been plan A. Don't let this one instance slam the brakes on your dreams.

I personally would still wait for a letter in the mail about the decision. All these SOLAR rejections and no acceptances is just fishy. Besides, didn't they keep saying that decisions won't be released until later in April?

kay1024 · Apr 7, 2011

Will solar let you know if you are waitlisted? or do you have to wait for a letter in the mail?