Im working on my pre-reqs now and plan to apply for TWU and UT in Houston. However, I feel that only applying to 2 places isn't a good idea, but, I am not sure where else to apply to. I want to stay in Houston and get a BSN in Houston, (currently at HCC).
Also, I hope to transfer (if I get accepted) by next spring 2012. (so in about a year). I am planning to study for the HESI starting at the end of December and taking it next spring 2011. And during spring 2011, I will work on my applications.
I also would like to know if I need to get any shots. For some reason, both UT in Houston and TWU did not have a note about shots required in order to transfer to their schools for a BSN.
I didn't use Evolve's guide to study; I used the Barron's and Kaplan review books. I scored 80% on the A&P section and it was definitely the hardest for me. What really stuck me was how random the questions were. I expected them to cover the topics that were stressed in my A&P classes - circulation through the heart, cranial nerves, action potentials, bones of the wrist, structures of the rotator cuff, etc. None of those topics were on my test, but that doesn't mean they won't be on yours. So I would recommend that you study:
1. all the stuctures of a cell, and what those structures do
2. all the organs of the body, what those organs do, and the membranes that cover the organs and line the body cavities
Those topics will comprise probably 50% of the A&P questions. The rest will be random, specific, detailed questions that you might not even remember covering in A&P. My best advice is to take the HESI as soon as possible after completing your last A&P class.
I took both A&P classes over the Summer, and then Microbiology in the Fall. I took the HESI at the end of December. I scored 100% on the Biology portion of the test, thanks to my Fall Micro class, and the stuff I learned in Micro also helped me on the A&P portion. There is some overlap in material between Biology & A&P.
I scored 96% on the Vocabulary section. I can't comment on Evolve's tips, but just take as many practice tests as you can, even if they're not specifically for the HESI. All vocabulary tests are pretty much the same, so even an old SAT guide would work. I did all the vocab tests in my Barron's and Kaplan guides, but I didn't actually learn that many new words. Pay attention to the tips about making educated guesses and eliminating obviously wrong answers.
Hope this helps! Don't hesitate to ask anything else! :)
I applied to both UT-H and TWU for Fall 2011 admission, and I also completed my prerequisite classes at HCC. I found out today I was accepted to UT-H and I'm still waiting to hear from TWU.
If your GPA and HESI/TEAS scores are high enough, you should be fine applying to just those schools. By high enough, I mean science, nursing, and undergrad GPA > 3.0 and HESI/TEAS scores > 90%. Other local nursing schools are Prairie View A&M and UTMB in Galveston.
Congrats on being accepted to UT-H. That's where I am hoping to get in also. I took my HESI today and got 88 on the A&P section, 880 on the Critical Thinking and above 90% on all other sections. I have a 3.79 gpa.. do you think this is high enough to give me a chance of being accepted??
Also I heard that UT-H has done away with the interview and writing sample portion of the admissions process... is this true??
If you're applying for the traditional BSN (not the accelerated/ 2nd degree), then I believe they are no longer doing interviews or writing samples. No one from UTH told our class in advance, and many people got conflicting answers from the school when they called. Our admissions were based solely on GPA and HESI scores. I don't think they paid much attention to work or volunteer experience, though a previous Bachelor's degree was helpful. However, I'm not 100% certain if our class was just an experiment or if no interviews will be the future policy. You might try calling the Student Affairs Office.
If you're applying for the accelerated/ 2nd degree BSN program, then as far as I know, they are still doing interviews & writing samples.
When you get into a nursing program here in the Medical Center, you MUST have hepB, the flu shot (the one that covers H1N1 and whatever strain they think people will get), a TB skin test, and I think your tetorifice shot has to be up to date (you should be getting that every 10 years anyway). I forget what the others are, but worry about it when you get in.
If you want to stay in Houston and get your BSN, assuming you want to go straight and not have to go through the RN-BSN, you also have Prairie View and UTMB as options. When I was at UH, I fell into the whole, "I heard PV isn't a good school" and just ignored it -- I didn't get into a nursing program for 2 years, and when I finally did, I hated where I was (I was at Texas Tech in Abilene). I took back what I said about PV, and I haven't been happier. My teachers, for the most part, have been extremely helpful, and it's a total upgrade from where I was. The only thing about PV is you have to take the HESI with them. You can't transfer test scores.
Nursing entrance exams aren't difficult -- I've taken HESI and the now old NET. Unless you have a problem with test taking, you should be fine. If you're really iffy about the information, go over the A&P. I remember Chemistry being an option, but they tell you which tests they want you to take (I would've killed the chemistry section).
Good luck getting into TWU and UTHSC-H (or really, any nursing program in Houston). Hope you get in!
Yea, I never understand the negativity associated with PV's nursing school... When it's one of the best! Maybe because they assume it's the same as PV main campus.
Yea, I never understand the negativity associated with PV's nursing school... When it's one of the best! Maybe because they assume it's the same as PV main campus.
Probably. I think it's also partly because for some, PV is pretty obscure when compared to TWU and UT. I know a lot of people who went to PV's CON, and they didn't like it for a bunch of reasons, but it's not like that doesn't happen at UT, TWU or HBU (or something similar. Everyone has a teacher who's a total jerk or encountered incompetent administration, but that's been going on since the beginning of college).
I am also planning to apply to both UT-Houston as well as TWU, however I won't have everything completed in time to apply for the Spring semester so I'll be putting it off till the fall 2012. I've also been considering applying to A&M HSC in College Station to give myself an additional option.
I do have a few questions for those of you that have applied or have been accepted to any of these schools. I have finished all but my A&P II, Micro, Chem, Stats, and Govt 2. I am retaking Govt 1 and Philosphy this summer to get a better grade in those classes.
The problem I've run into is that I had a not so great professor for A&P 1 this last semester and I'm currently having my grade reviewed for the course. Long story short I ended up with a B in the class, which I am extremely dissappointed with. Will this put me out of the running? I have A's in all of the other pre req courses that I've taken with the exception of the remaining science courses and the 2 classes that I am retaking this summer to improve my score in.
Also for those of you that have applied to these schools did you have a ton of volunteer experience or work related experience in the healthcare field? I have wanted to volunteer at the Texas Children's however we easily live 2 hours from downtown and I'm also a full time stay at home mom with a 3 year old daughter, so needless to say I really haven't had the extra time.
I know that the competition for these programs is insane and the better your grades and experience the easier it is for you to be accepted. I guess I'd just like to know what my chances are of getting in or what I should improve to make myself a better candidate when I comes time to apply next year.
I am also planning to apply to both UT-Houston as well as TWU, however I won't have everything completed in time to apply for the Spring semester so I'll be putting it off till the fall 2012. I've also been considering applying to A&M HSC in College Station to give myself an additional option.
I do have a few questions for those of you that have applied or have been accepted to any of these schools. I have finished all but my A&P II, Micro, Chem, Stats, and Govt 2. I am retaking Govt 1 and Philosphy this summer to get a better grade in those classes.
The problem I've run into is that I had a not so great professor for A&P 1 this last semester and I'm currently having my grade reviewed for the course. Long story short I ended up with a B in the class, which I am extremely dissappointed with. Will this put me out of the running? I have A's in all of the other pre req courses that I've taken with the exception of the remaining science courses and the 2 classes that I am retaking this summer to improve my score in.
Also for those of you that have applied to these schools did you have a ton of volunteer experience or work related experience in the healthcare field? I have wanted to volunteer at the Texas Children's however we easily live 2 hours from downtown and I'm also a full time stay at home mom with a 3 year old daughter, so needless to say I really haven't had the extra time.
I know that the competition for these programs is insane and the better your grades and experience the easier it is for you to be accepted. I guess I'd just like to know what my chances are of getting in or what I should improve to make myself a better candidate when I comes time to apply next year.
Thanks for your time!
Sonseria
It's been a while since I applied to TWU and UT -- +2 years; unless they specifically say they look at anything else, they'll only look at your GPA and coursework. It's great to be involved with volunteering, but it's not going to help you get in. In the long run, it's good for you if you work because you'll have a better understanding of some concepts (or if you're a CNA, you'll have a handle on vital signs), but they won't look at it.
Thanks so much for your reply. I've been like so many other people and have completely stressed about my grades and where to apply. We actually live in the Lake Livingston area so if I do happen to get accepted to either of these schools it will be a very long haul every day to get there. But I have been extremely worried about my grades and making sure that I would have a great record to even been looked at. At this rate I'm trying to cover my bases with the pre req courses that I'm taking so that I can apply to UT houston, TWU, A&M college station, and also to Sam Houston.
As far as the science GPA goes, can you still get in with a B in one of your courses? I was so dissappointed to get a B in my A&P I course. I'm taking honors A&P II in the fall and also intro to Chem, so I'm hoping that I'll be able to get higher grades in my other science courses. I really don't want to have to repeat A&P I to get an A if I have a chance to get in even though I got a B.
I go to Prairie View now (I don't know if you read the previous posts); we were told at UH to keep our GPAs high and being able to apply required at least a 3.0 (for both UT and TWU, PV was a 2.75 overall). Your science GPA, if you have only 1 B, I don't see what the problem is. I know people who struggled with at least one science class, and they were accepted AND finished nursing school before I got in.
If your GPA is high for each school (your GPA will change depending on what school you apply to; it's annoying), you should have a good chance of getting in. Your HESI/Whatever test they use if they use one is another factor.
Hi, thanks so much for your reply. I had a fellow student in my A&P I course this semester that is planning to apply to Prairie View. How do you like it? I haven't really looked into Prairie View because I was under the impression that the program was at the main campus, but she was telling me that the program was actually downtown.
Unfortunately our professor for A&P I is old as the hills, extremely forgetful and really good at losing assignments or not grading them. Noone in the class even knew what their grade was until he posted the final grades. So I am currently struggling with him over having my grade changed because I feel that I deserve a higher grade in his course, so we'll see.
I've been extremely hard and unforgiving with myself about my grades. I've pretty much convinced myself that if I don't have a straight up 4.0 GPA in everything and a ton of volunteering etc that I'll never get in. I guess I'm being a little too hard on myself, it's just very important for me to get in.
I appreciate your time and would love to hear about your opinion on Prairie View A&M.
rocket surgery
137 Posts
I didn't use Evolve's guide to study; I used the Barron's and Kaplan review books. I scored 80% on the A&P section and it was definitely the hardest for me. What really stuck me was how random the questions were. I expected them to cover the topics that were stressed in my A&P classes - circulation through the heart, cranial nerves, action potentials, bones of the wrist, structures of the rotator cuff, etc. None of those topics were on my test, but that doesn't mean they won't be on yours. So I would recommend that you study:
1. all the stuctures of a cell, and what those structures do
2. all the organs of the body, what those organs do, and the membranes that cover the organs and line the body cavities
Those topics will comprise probably 50% of the A&P questions. The rest will be random, specific, detailed questions that you might not even remember covering in A&P. My best advice is to take the HESI as soon as possible after completing your last A&P class.
I took both A&P classes over the Summer, and then Microbiology in the Fall. I took the HESI at the end of December. I scored 100% on the Biology portion of the test, thanks to my Fall Micro class, and the stuff I learned in Micro also helped me on the A&P portion. There is some overlap in material between Biology & A&P.
I scored 96% on the Vocabulary section. I can't comment on Evolve's tips, but just take as many practice tests as you can, even if they're not specifically for the HESI. All vocabulary tests are pretty much the same, so even an old SAT guide would work. I did all the vocab tests in my Barron's and Kaplan guides, but I didn't actually learn that many new words. Pay attention to the tips about making educated guesses and eliminating obviously wrong answers.
Hope this helps! Don't hesitate to ask anything else! :)