2011 UCSF MEPN Applicants

[astrelle]

Hi,

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?

[ac30]

I can't speak to the actual statistics, but I was a first time applicant and got in. I would hope that it has more to do with your qualifications than how many times you've applied.... regardless, I got in on my first try!

[sgmaygeorge]

I also got in on my first application (as well as many of the other admitted students that I've met). I think that there are definitely those that have applied more than once (probably more than potentially any school with a similar program?) just because they seem to get so many applicants and keep a fairly small class. I believe this year is 78 students.

[mz_marit]

For first time applicants to UCSF MEPN, I would love it if you shared your GPA, GRE scores, volunteer areas and focus areas that you're interested, and how you framed it in your personal statement? I'm hoping to apply for entry in 2013, when my prereqs are done! Hope you are all well!

[AshlieW]

I wish I had found this thread last year instead of now, but I'm glad to be here! I applied for the 2011 MEPN (CNM/WHNP), made it to interview day, and was rejected. I know the program is very competitive, but it was still pretty devastating!

I have a masters degree in Women's Health and am a birth doula. I felt confident about my qualifications (decent GRE score, 3.7 GPA) until my interview. One of the faculty interviewers was very hard to read and I could never tell if she was satisfied with my responses. I was really nervous and I wish that I had practiced interviewing beforehand. After the interviews, I met the other interviewees for happy hour and realized that half of them were fluent in Spanish and several had attended TONS more births than I have. I already knew at that point - I was not getting in!

I am re-applying for 2012 and trying to attend as many births as possible before the next round of interviews. Does anyone have suggestions for improving my Spanish skills?? I took a total of 5 years of Spanish between high school and college, but it's been about 7 years since I've taken a class and I need some kind of refresher because I don't use it in my daily life.

I've read here that your chances of acceptance improve with a second application - does anyone have stats on this?

Good luck to everyone applying this year!

[sonytree]

Hi, So nice to find this discussion board - thanks everyone for your contributions so far.

I am applying for 2012 CNM/WHNP. I feel pretty good about my qualifications, but am not sure what to think about my GRE score.

I have heard vague references and also read the estimated ranges on the UCSF MEPN website for Quant and Verbal, but didn't notice a suggested range for Analytical Writing.

I want to see if anyone knows, or cares to estimate, what is really competitive and not just acceptable for the 3 sections?

Do they care about one section more than another?

Also, isn't it the percentile that matters more than the absolute score?

[Hopefullll]

Welcome, Sonytree! I think it's less about the scores, and more about your application as a whole. As long as your scores are within range and you shine through in the other areas of your application, you should be fine.

If you don't mind me asking, what are your qualifications? I'm interested in the CNM/WHNP track as well, but I'm not applying until next year.

[wonderwoman-wannabe]

Hi Everyone!

I am hoping to apply to UCSF MEPN program during the 2012 application cycle. I have a BS in Kinesiology, so I took many of the prerequisites during that time, but some of my grades are sub-par (because I was a pretty lazy student when I was 20 . . . ) Also, some of my coursework is really old (A&P 12 years ago).

I am wondering if anyone knows how UCSF deals with people retaking the prerequisite courses for better grades. I cannot find the answer on their webpage, and the next info meeting is not until mid-September. I would like to find out now, before the fall semester starts.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you! Thank you!

Cheers!

-Sarah

[tonguetide]

Hello,

I'm another newbie to the board who has just applied for the 2012 cycle.

I like reading other people's stats, so I'll post mine in case you do too:

BA in English, 3.6 GPA

4.0 in math/science prerequisites, A's in anatomy, physiology, stats

GRE: 680 verbal, 620 math, 5.5 written

Some health-related volunteerism, have a phlebotomy license, some Spanish, good letters, also shadowed an attending in the ER department at UCSF for a couple of years. (I applied in the Acute Care specialty.)

I'm optimistic enough to think I might have a shot at an interview. (You've got to be, right?) However, I'll be seven months pregnant in January. Awkward! We'd planned it to happen earlier, but I miscarried. Since I'm 35, it seems like now or probably never, so we went for it. I did call the MEPN office anonymously to ask whether they ever grant deferments for the following year, and the admin reluctantly said yes, but they really don't like to.

I think it's probably illegal to discriminate against pregnancy, but I can see why it would make sense to pass me over if I do get an interview. I wonder if they can/will refer to it and ask me about my plans? On the other hand, they're nurses, and presumably pro-mother. I don't know. My best case scenario would be to be offered a place and defer it, and I plan to apply next year if I don't get in. If I get in and can't defer ... I'm not sure. I'm not highly motivated to apply to other schools, since Acute Care is what I really want to do, and it's the only program in the state.

Anyway, I thought I'd introduce myself and my issues. I wish everybody the best of luck and look forward to reading all the updates in January!

[emoore25]

Hi Tonguetied;

Wow, you've got some incredible stats! I know that the Acute Care is highly competitive but it sounds like you've got all the right experience and education. I wish you tons of luck!

I interviewed last year and I was very surprised when one of the interviewers asked if I could handle the program with my three kids. I was a single mom for over 10 years, work full time at a challenging career, bought my own place in an upscale suburb, and spent three years going to night school to get my MBA. And I actually had to answer the question about being able to get child care for my kids. Frankly, it felt a little bit demeaning.

As a consultant, I interview quite regularly for positions. I've never ever been asked about my children in business interviews. Academic interviews are different however, as I found out last year. I recommend that you come prepared with a detailed plan on how you intend to start in June 2011 with a 3-month old. I would be unwavering that you can do it and that you have loads of help in place.

Now, as a mom I will tell you that you can do this! Every mom of a three-month old baby is super busy... whether they stay at home, work full time, or go to school. I would go for it - these spots at UCSF are hard to get and if you do get the golden ticket, I wouldn't let go. If you were able to defer (although I think that asking for a deferment in the interview would not be good for you based on the competition) you would still start in 2013 with a 15-month old... also a very busy time.

Good luck with your family and getting into UCSF!

[tonguetide]

Thanks so much for your response, emoore25. That's very interesting, and I'll take it to heart. We have actually talked about how we could make it work, and I believe my partner's mother might be able to move in for a while. She's retired (was actually a nurse for 50 years). I'm not sure if she could do the whole first year, though. We'll be discussing it as a family over the next few months, and hopefully we'll have a plan in place by interview time.

I am quite ambitious, but I also don't know what life will be like after becoming a mother. However, three months is far more than many women are able to stay home after having a baby, and I'm sure you're right, that it's doable.

Thanks again!

[calinicumurse]

Hello there, a question for you older MEPN applicants.. for your goal statement, did you limit the amount you talked about things that were also found in your experiences page? The volunteer/work experience section asks for a 750 character summary for each position, so there would be a lot of overlap between the two if you did, right?

Does the application get read in its entirety by the same person? Just don't want to be repetitive but also want my essay and experiences to compliment each other...

Thanks ahead of time!