UMASS Boston 2012 traditional BSN

SailorVee93, ASN, RN · Nov 4, 2011

Hi jaz,

Congrats on making it as far as you have!! I hope you get in :)... I haven't seen anyone else on these boards (that I know of) mention that they've applied to the traditional program. I handed everything into the admissions office in person on Monday. My status says that everything is checked off and I check my it repeatedly.

Good luck to you and to anyone else out there applying for the program :)

DinaMaria · Nov 8, 2011

I'm applying for fall 2012 admission. Does anybody know how competitive it is?

SailorVee93, ASN, RN · Nov 9, 2011

I'm applying for fall 2012 admission. Does anybody know how competitive it is?

Hi DinaMaria!!

It's pretty competitive. I went to the information session back in September and here are some of the things they discussed:

Fall deadline: Feb. 1st

Spring deadline: Nov. 1st

There were 1300 applicants for Fall 2011, out of that number only 170 were accepted. From that number, 80 were transfer students and 50 were freshmen from the University.

Some students opt to get an EHS (Exercise and Health Science) degree then go back to get their BSN.

Everything must be sent to the Undergraduate Admissions office (on the first floor of the Campus Center). Sciences that are 10 yrs or less old are accepted; all other classes have no limit.

The Spring semester is more competitive to get into: 50 out of 700 are accepted (I'm not sure, but I think he was referring to Spring 2011). If you aren't accepted for the spring (or fall), your application can be reactivated. When this happens you don't have to resubmit all of the papers you did last time as they hold on to them. All you have to do is fill out the appropriate paperwork and pay the $60 application fee.

For this past fall, the cumulative GPA for accepted transfer students was between 3.5 and 3.6. Strong essays and recommendations can help you get in if you're borderline ;-). Recommendations can be emailed, just make sure to have the name and birthdate of the applicant in the subject line.

About 10-40 people get waitlisted for the Fall and about 5 people get waitlisted for the Spring.

If you're a transfer student with 30 or more credits then you don't need to take English 101, 102, and First Year Seminar. Nur 212 (Health Promotion and Teaching, Intermediate Seminar) doesn't transfer from anywhere. If you already have a prior Bachelors (like me) then you don't have to take that class at all (and a bunch of other classes that freshmen would have to take). Also any 3 credit Nutrition class can transfer.

Nursing classes/clinicals don't transfer whatsoever. No clinical classes are offered in the summer (there are about 5 semesters of clinicals to be taken). If you're a transfer student, it'll take about 2.5 to 3 years to finish the program. There are 44 clinical affiliations, mainly in the Boston and Cambridge areas. You can't pick your clinical placements, but you can still switch with another student if they are willing to do so.

Phone numbers

Undergraduate Admissions: 617-287-6100

College of Nursing and Health Sciences: 617-287-7500

I hope this has answered some of your questions. If I remember anything else I'll be sure to let you know. :)

DinaMaria · Nov 10, 2011

Thank you lizbee227!! That was VERY helpful! So relieved I don't have to do writing (I'd be going in with about 90 credits) Is it unusual umass boston chooses your clinical sites? I feel like I have always heard that students do

SailorVee93, ASN, RN · Nov 10, 2011

No problem Dina :)... Idk about the clinical site thing I've heard from students at other schools that they can pick their placements and from some others that they those in charge pick them for the students.

jaz_bos · Nov 10, 2011

Thanks Lizbee for all this info. I have got to say I'm unsure of how I stand ATM, I think my entry app was strong but it's not over until it's over. Waiting is just killing me!

That is odd about the clinical, by those in charge whom do you mean?

Also, about the clinicals not being during summer...are they done during the school year, meaning sep-may/june?

What is the average GPA of the students applying? I heard it was between 3.2 and 3.7.

SailorVee93, ASN, RN · Nov 10, 2011

No prob Jaz we're all in the same boat together :) and I agree with you: it's really never over until that letter comes in the mail and until then the torture continues.

About the clinicals I'm sorry I meant to say whoever is in charge of putting that all together in the nursing department. You're right with your assumption about the clinical schedule. Clinicals are never done during the summer as that time is for the accelerated students (I'm guessing). This also means that if you fail a clinical then you have to wait until the next semester to do it over. Another thing that I forgot to mention in my giant post is that you can't progress in the program until you've gotten everything done in the order they've laid out for you. For example, if you're counting to 5 you have to say 1 2 3 and 4 to get to 5. If you did 1 2 and 3, skip 4 and go on to 5 they won't allow that (I hope this makes sense xD). Like if you took everything except for Nutrition and got accepted you have to take Nutrition and then wait a semester to start the actual course work and clinical rotations.

I have read on the CNHS's website that the minimum GPA admitted was 3.2, but it seems more like you're guaranteed a spot with a GPA of 3.5-3.7 and higher :confused: which is a bit frustrating to me since I do believe that hard workers with a 3.2 and up should still have a great shot. My GPA is almost at a 3.5 and after I finish this last pre-req it will definitely go up.

BTW, for you and anyone else who is curious I had read on someone else's page that the person to contact with questions regarding your application status is ******. Apparently she is the Admissions Director in the Admissions office and is in charge of the letters and has the final say on who is accepted. If you need to contact someone my best bet is to try her.

Again, I am wishing good luck on the both of us and anyone else who applied. I really do hope we get in :)

SailorVee93, ASN, RN · Nov 11, 2011

Ok so I retract what I said about ****** as she is not the person you would want to get in touch with (she's actually with another school xD). Again my mistake and I apologize. The person you would want to get in touch with is ***** the actual Admissions Director. I really don't know if he can provide any answers or shed any light, but hopefully he can give some peace of mind to our restless ones xD...

jaz_bos · Nov 13, 2011

I was also wondering how long is this program? I'm looking around and it seems like there might be a slight possibility of having to move from Boston if I were to not to make the right connections in order to get a job placement later down. I mean, are hospitals like Mass General and Beth Israel only hiring experienced grads and/or Tufts or Harvard students?

SailorVee93, ASN, RN · Nov 13, 2011

If you're a transfer student it will take between 2.5-3 years to graduate from the nursing program at UMass Boston. I don't think it's impossible to get a nursing job from a Boston-area hospital; it's all about networking with clinical instructors and the nurses working on the floors at the hospitals you have clinicals at. I have friends who graduated from Regis College with me who were nursing majors and they have jobs, although I have to say that they were on their own when it came to job hunting; I don't know if UMass Boston helps in that department whatsoever. Anywho, here are two points I got from a CNHS folder:

"88% of our alumni live and work in New England, with 94% of those professionals committed to promoting health and wellness in the Commonwealth."

"We have collaborative partnerships with more than 200 world-class hospitals, healthcare agencies, and physical fitness settings."

I hope those two points give you some hope about the job market if you are accepted into the program :). I don't think that where you go to school should matter (unless it's a place with a really bad reputation), but as long as you have a degree (ADN or BSN), good experience and a kind heart :redpinkhe.

Btw jaz, I was wondering when did you hand everything in? I know they say it takes about 10 days for a status to be updated, but I don't know if that changes after the deadline.

SailorVee93, ASN, RN · Nov 13, 2011

I also forgot to mention that I was reading another message board and saw something I have to post here. As it turns out, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences saves more seats for transfers first followed by freshmen students. There is very limited seating for anyone who is an inter-college transfer (a student switching majors). This made me happy somewhat, but still you never know what will happen...