Thinking about applying to UIC's GEP program. Anybody here applied and was accepted? What were your stats?
My stats: 3.2 Overall GPA/3.5 Sci BA in Sociology. Office Manager in home health care, tech in a medical equipment co, medical assistant (no cert) in dr's office and later office manager there. Volunteering in Nursing Home around 120 hours...
From what I can tell on their website, after completing the NCLEX, you immediately start the master portion of the program. Is this correct?
I heard interview notifications will go out next week-but my source was a current UIC GEP nursing student-so I am not sure how reliable but she asked one of her professors last week for me (her specialty is PNP). I am still hoping we hear sooner--but at least it is almost April. I hope everyone has a good week. I am so anxious to hear back.
That should make sense considering the interviews start on the fifth. I sure hope that your friend is right!! What speciality did you apply for?
I heard interview notifications will go out next week-but my source was a current UIC GEP nursing student-so I am not sure how reliable but she asked one of her professors last week for me (her specialty is PNP). I am still hoping we hear sooner--but at least it is almost April. I hope everyone has a good week. I am so anxious to hear back.
What does your friend think of the program? We have heard some negative remarks about the program so I'm just wondering if that is a general feeling about the program or not
My specialty is AGNP. My friend is currently in the 15 month portion of the program-and really enjoys it. She said it is a lot of material and fast paced; but we all know that since it is graduate school. For the most part, she finds the instructors very helpful and accessible to the students; and really enjoys the critical rotations. Although she is not in the specialty portion of the program; she has heard from a few former students that it is less structured and organized.
I talked to them a few weeks back, and they said review of applications occurs after April 1st, and we should hear about our application in April while Interviews take place May 5th-25th, so I guess we were all told different things?
Yea, it seems the specialty portion is where things may get a little hairy. I guess we should just hope the program continues to improve...
Pd31 – on the website, it states that the interviews should occur in mid-April with decisions being posted in May. It seems like whoever rain's talked to is most in-line with the UIC website. but then again, considering they had the issue with the FNP specialty, that is probably delaying interview notifications. REALLY hope that we wouldn't have to wait until May to be interviewed...
I am speaking with they director of admissions for GEP program. Every time I spoke to him regarding this he always gave me very confident and concrete dates in regards to the interview. I am pretty confident about his word and will be going off on that.
In fact, he explicitly told me to have my GRE scores by last week (with the whole GRE waiver confusion as I talked about earlier) because starting this week my application was going under review. So I know for a fact that some if not all applications are under review.
@pd31 keep in mind you spoke to them a few weeks back according to you. I spoke to him last week and earlier this morning and the answer has remained the same. Is it possible that they possibly changed their decision from a few weeks back to now? I agree with sitten here- the site and the director of admissions have consistent answers. Who exactly did you speak with, Pd31?
My friend who is in the GEP portion said the people she knew in the cohort before her (who are now in the specialty portion of the program) had no problem passing the NCLEX-RN & finding a job (at least in IL, UIC has a very good reputation among hospitals). But the job market in all fields is competitive due to the economy; so maybe it is a little harder to get a job (or ideal job) with RN and not BSN. Although it is possible to do the specialty portion full time; many choose to go part time while working full time. She mostly heard that in the specialty portion; students need to be more proactive in reaching out to professors/learning on their own etc. But she heard that is very similar to most graduate nursing programs, since most of the skills are learned in clinical experiences & professors expect stdents to seek out resources on their own. It does seem like we have all heard different things. I wonder if we will hear at different times depending on specialty? I am also getting anxiety lol I guess all we can do is wait & hope we hear soon.
When you say the people in cohort ahead of your friend had no problem passing the NCLEX and getting job, where were they getting jobs? There was a thread started by a current student trying to warn us against UIC and they mentioned that getting jobs was not as easy during the specialty part of the program that UIC makes it out to be. So I'm wondering if the jobs the specialty students are getting are in LTC facilities and nursing homes or are they at hospitals and doctor's offices? I understand it is hard to get RN jobs these days (even for some BSN-prepared nurses despite the fact magnet hospitals want them) so I'd like to have a better understanding of where students are getting jobs without having a BSN from the program.
If you wouldn't mind asking, I'd really appreciate it! :)
rainkissedleaves
315 Posts
That should make sense considering the interviews start on the fifth. I sure hope that your friend is right!! What speciality did you apply for?