Is there anyone lurking who is planning to apply to the 2011 program?
I have spent the last 12 years in financial marketing/communications and am excited to try and change paths into nursing. I am currently taking my prerequisite courses at city college- stats and anatomy/physiology- and going in for the GRE Saturday. I'm volunteering at a children's hospital, which is causing me to consider the pediatric nurse practitioner track... I know UCSF is very competitive and it's a long-shot for someone like me to get in, but I feel like I have to try! If it doesn't happen next year, then I'll just keep building my volunteer experience and re-apply. Also on my mind is that if for some miracle I were to get in how I would pay for it.
But enough about me... what are some other candidates' takes on preperation, interests, anxieties, etc?
thank you for sharing your blog! I really love what you wrote about working with the other students, this is exactly the kind of atmosphere I am looking for! In my prereq classes I met two types of people, those who looked at everyone as their competitors (or just didn't give a damn) and those who at the others as their support system and realized that when we help each other we help ourselves in the long run (that sounds so cheesy, but its totally true!) This is one huge reason I want to go to a master's level program, not just any old RN program, so I can work and study with people who have the same type of goals and dedication as I do (on a side note, is that a good thing to say in an interview or does it sound too, I dunno, stuck up?) My friends say be guinuine in the interview and I really do mean it.
Do you know how many people were accepted last year for the FNP specialty, or do you know how many could be accepted this year?
The FNP cohort is fairly large- I would guess 12 or so but I may be off.
Do you think that about 50% of those interviewed are accepted?
That's the word on the street. I wouldn't think too much about it. When you go to the interview, just be yourself. Be confident, talk about the populations you want to work with, and be really sincere about why you want to be a nurse. DO NOT just focus on the NP portion because the MEPN year requires you to roll up your sleeves and learn how to be an RN first and foremost...and it's hard, hard work that deserves reverence. I did a ton of practice interviewing with nurse leaders that I know...I went through a list of expected questions (look for the one-year nurse blog- I'm pretty sure his questions are still being used!) and quizzed myself multiple times. I spoke from a genuine place but I made sure to memorize all the important information I wanted the interviewers to know about me. I felt totally confident after the interview. SEND THANK YOU NOTES (and even follow up with faculty if you've met with UCSF faculty at some point).
In your opinion, what is UCSF looking for in candidates on interview day?
All kinds of people got into our program and all for different reasons...so I can't say that they're looking for carbon copies of the perfect pre-nurse. They want diversity of experience and authenticity. The strange thing is that there is some element that ties us all together. I think we all genuinely believe in nursing as a means to creating equity in society. They're looking for people who understand the healthcare system on some level. They want people who are curious, self-starters, willing to admit fault, and READY to take on a very challenging program.
Please feel free to share any advice you may have for interview day.
Just be yourself. Getting an interview is huge and you have a great, great shot of getting in. Just practice, wear a suit, and be genuine. Good luck!!!!! And hope to see you in the summer!
Hey everyone! So glad to have the interview over and done with! The wait is going to kill me though!!! Did everyone else hear that decisions were not going to be made until April? Just wanted to make sure that I hadn't heard wrong...
Hi there, I had my interview last Friday and now the crazy wait begins! Due to travel issues from the East Coast, I landed at SF at 2AM day-of the interview. Needless to say, I hope what I said during the interview/conversation (it really felt more like that) made sense. I also heard that we should hear in early April. Can't remember if they said "by" or "in".... Good luck to everyone!
How did everyone else feel about their interview? I actually found it to be a bit more impersonal and business-like than my other interviews (Rochester, Yale), and I was expecting more of a conversational dynamic. The 2 interviewers literally switched off asking questions and one of them (the faculty member) had a very stoic face the entire time, not really ever smiling. I also found it odd the orientation was so brief, no information about the school, community, financial aid, etc. was given, and no current or past MEPN students were there to answer questions and share their experiences.
I have been dreaming of going to UCSF forever now, so maybe I just built it up so much in my head that there was no way it could live up to that ideal, who knows?! I just expected more info and a more personal experience. Anyone else grappling with this???
I felt that the interview was the most difficult I have faced! I had one interviewer who frowned at me quite a bit and it threw me. I was not as articulate as I was hoping to be. However, it's a good lesson to be to stay poised and true to myself no matter who I am facing!
I found the interview to be rather cold. I am used to more dialogue and exchange. Typically after I answered a question, they went on to the next question without comment.
I think that UCSF can be very choosy about their MEPN students so perhaps providing a warmer or friendlier interview experience is not something they feel they need to do.
I wish you success and hope you are accepted, TanyaPMHNP!
I have not applied to any other schools, so I have no point of reference, but I was also expecting a bit more of an orientation at the beginning.
My interview was in the morning this past Friday and when one professor said that we could wait for the students that were coming that afternoon and meet them during the lunch the program was having for them, I wondered if my group was missing out on a more special event. Since the option was not to meet with current MEPN students, I did not wait. Talking with current MEPN students would have been ideal.
I am not really sure how my interview went. My interviewers were nice and polite, but I did not get a sense of being liked or disliked. My experience with job interviews has always been good, and afterwards I usually get a sense of whether or not I did well, but this experience was very different.
How did everyone else feel about their interview? I actually found it to be a bit more impersonal and business-like than my other interviews (Rochester, Yale), and I was expecting more of a conversational dynamic. The 2 interviewers literally switched off asking questions and one of them (the faculty member) had a very stoic face the entire time, not really ever smiling. I also found it odd the orientation was so brief, no information about the school, community, financial aid, etc. was given, and no current or past MEPN students were there to answer questions and share their experiences.
I have been dreaming of going to UCSF forever now, so maybe I just built it up so much in my head that there was no way it could live up to that ideal, who knows?! I just expected more info and a more personal experience. Anyone else grappling with this???
You guys are making me feel so much better! Thanks for sharing your experiences. I had a very similar experience in my interview and have been totally freaking out since Friday. Both interviewers were very nice but I didn't get any sense from my interviewers whether I had a good interview or a totally lame one (hopefully the former!). I guess all we can do now is to keep ourselves occupied until April. Oh the waiting!
corykatt
16 Posts
thank you for sharing your blog! I really love what you wrote about working with the other students, this is exactly the kind of atmosphere I am looking for! In my prereq classes I met two types of people, those who looked at everyone as their competitors (or just didn't give a damn) and those who at the others as their support system and realized that when we help each other we help ourselves in the long run (that sounds so cheesy, but its totally true!) This is one huge reason I want to go to a master's level program, not just any old RN program, so I can work and study with people who have the same type of goals and dedication as I do (on a side note, is that a good thing to say in an interview or does it sound too, I dunno, stuck up?) My friends say be guinuine in the interview and I really do mean it.